Which Byzantine church in Thessaloniki is dedicated to Saint Demetrius, the city’s patron saint?

The Basilica of Saint Demetrius in Thessaloniki is the Byzantine church dedicated to the city’s patron saint.

The church honors Demetrius of Thessaloniki, a Christian martyr traditionally believed to have been killed during the reign of Emperor Galerius. It was built over or near the site associated with his martyrdom and became one of the most important pilgrimage churches in the Byzantine world.

The present church is a large five-aisled basilica, an unusual and imposing form for Byzantine architecture. A crypt beneath the building is traditionally connected with the saint’s prison and martyrdom. The basilica suffered serious damage in the earthquake and fire of 1917, but extensive restoration followed.

Visitors sometimes confuse it with the Rotunda of Thessaloniki or the nearby Church of Acheiropoietos. Those buildings are also major Byzantine monuments, but neither is dedicated to the city’s most celebrated martyr.