Salonica - Church of the Mother of God made without Hands

(Local Name: Panayía Acheiropoietos) Two blocks southeast of the Paradise Baths along Egnatia Street in Salonica lies a small public garden (on the left), on the east side of which, sunk below the level of the surrounding buildings, is the Early Christian church of the Panayía Acheiropoietos (Mother of God Made without Hands), later also known as Ayía Paraskeví (St Parasceva). Originally built in the fifth century, it was converted into a mosque in 1430, at the cost of some damage to its structure, and restored in the 20th century. Notable features of the interior, apart from the fine spatial effect, are the remains of mosaics and an Arabic inscription on a marble column recording that "Sultan Murad conquered Thessalonica in the year 833 (A.D. 1430)".