Rotunda to welcome visitors free of scaffolding

The Rotunda Church in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, welcomes visitors on Friday for an evening of Christmas tunes performed by Greek and foreign ensembles, following the completion of an extensive renovation project and the installation of new lighting system.

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the UNESCO listed circular monument is free of the scaffolding which was used inside the building following a series of earthquakes that shook the northern port city in 1978. Elaborate restoration was also carried out on the church’s mosaics.

Commissioned by Roman Emperor Galerius, the Rotunda has served as a place for polytheist, Christian and Muslim worship.