The Church of Agios Nikolaos Orphanos enters the Thessaloniki top 15 objects of early Christian and Byzantine monuments register. They are all found under the number 456 in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The unique frescos is the main decoration of the interior of the church. The bottom row of them features the depiction of saint people, while the upper row displays the main Christian holidays. The northern part of the church is taken by the akathisti and the depiction of scenes from the Old Testament, while the southern area provides the images of wonders and life of Saint Gerasim.
The architectural constructions of the church are represented by the capitals. People brought them here from a more ancient temple that has been established at the times of Theodosius. The capitals are adorned with two rows of serrated leaves, painted in different colors.
The marble iconostasis deserves particular attention. It dates back to the XV century.
The church is rather small. It consists of an oblongish hall, surrounded by the law arcade from three sides. It ends with two chapels. In 1980, one held significant restoration works of the building. At present, the building houses the Central Macedonia Modern Monuments Inspection.
The church sits in Thessaloniki Upper Town, at the end of Apostolou Pavlou Street. If you think that you got lost, you can ask residents about the way to get to the church of Agios Nikolaos Orphanos.
