Thessalonica

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Salonichi, formerly Thessalonica, a City of Macedonia with a fair Haven; it stands at the foot of an Hill upon a small River, and at the bottom of a Bay, bearing its own name. On the West side of it is the great River Vardar, which is almost half a League over, and whose Banks are planted with very tall and thick standing Trees. The Walls are built after the old Fashion, with Turrets or Towers at certain Intervals, they are about four Leagues in circuit. It is strengthned with three Forts, the least of which is the furthest from the Walls of the City, and stands at the landing place, mounted with twenty pieces of Canon; the other two are larger, and are joyned to the City Wall, the Sea beating upon th•m, each of them planted with forty pieces of Canon. To landwards it hath a Fortress like to that of Constantinople, and bears the same name, viz. The Seven Towers, which commands all the City, as standing upon an high Hill, at the bottom whereof there is a great Suburb, which also hath its particular enclosure. The City is well peopled by reason of the Trade of Silk, Wooll, all sorts of Leather, Cotton, Grain, Powder and Iron. The principal Offices of the City are in the Jews Hands, who are exempt from Tribute, in consideration whereof they are to furnish the Janisaries of the City with Cloth for their Clothing. William King of Sicily conquered this City in 1180, but afterwards the Emperor of Constantinople reduced it to his Obedience again. Andronicus Palaeologus gave it to the Venetians in 1413, but eight Years after the Turks drove them thence, and have been Masters of it ever since. The Greek Christians have thirty Churches in this City, the chiefest whereof is the Archbishops See, and dedicated to St. Demetrius. There are also five Convents of the Order of St. Basilicus, in every one of which are about an hundred young Women, who may, if they please, quit the Habit and marry. The most magnificent Turkish Mosques are those Buildings that formerly were the Churches of St. Sophia, the Blessed Virgin, St. Gabriel and St. Demetrius. Mahomet IV. who was dethron'd in 1687, changed the Church of the Blessed Virgin into a Mosque; on each side of this Building are twelve great Pillars of Jasperstone, whose tops or chapiters support so many Crosses, which the Turks have not defaced. The old Church of St. Demetrius, which has three Isles supported by very fair Pillars, was formerly honoured with the Preaching of St. Paul. The Jews also have thirty Synagogues in this City, the most considerable of which are that of Castille, of Portugal, and of Italy. They have also two Colleges, which contain above Ten thousand Scholars, who come to study there from all parts of the Ottoman Empire. Of all the stately pieces of Architecture that were of old in this City, there remains nothing very remarkable at present, save only a Triumphal Arch of Brick-work, supported by two Marble Pillars full of Trophies and abundance of other Figures, but so much shatter'd and defac'd by time, that it cannot well be guess'd what it was erected for. The City is govern'd by a Mousselin, Justice is administred by a Molla, and a Mufti orders all Matters relating to Religion. Coronelli descrip. Moree.