Ouranoupoli in Chalkidiki: The Sky City

The Last Bastion of Secular Life

The village of Ouranoupoli is the last settlement before the border with the monastic state of Mount Athos. The name of the village translates as City of the Sky (Ουρανίας Πόλεως); it was named after the nearby ancient city of Uranopolis, which no longer exists. It is the last place that a pilgrim has to visit before passing to Mount Athos. Every day there are boats and ships leaving from the small harbor near the Tower to the shores of Mount Athos. Pilgrims get on board after getting their Diamonitirion and head for the holy port of Daphne.

Today, Ouranoupoli is considered to be one of the most important resorts of northern Chalkidiki. There one can find several restaurants and hotels, which can offer visitors excellent food and comfortable accommodation.

During summer months, cruises depart daily from the port. Touristic boats follow the western side of Mount Athos, from where one can see all the monasteries of its coast.

The Byzantine tower is open to visitors. Today there is an exhibition of Byzantine antiquities and icons.

In the hospitable taverns one can taste fresh fish and various seafood from the Singitic Gulf. The local cuisine is famous all over Greece.

Ιn some folk art shops one can find famous carpets with Byzantine decoration, as well as carpets made of goat wool, examples of Byzantine iconography and jewelry made of natural raw materials. Visitors usually buy a souvenir local organic products such as olive oil, wine, honey, tsipouro, oregano and various teas.

History of Ouranoupoli

The city of Ouranoupoli was founded after the population exchange that followed the Asia Minor Catastrophe (1924). Refugees settled here, forming a small settlement around a majestic Byzantine tower. It was probably built during the reign of Andronikos III Palaiologos (1327-1341). The old name of the area was Prosfori.

The name 'Ouranoupoli' refers to a city that appeared during the reign of Alexander the Great's successors (Macedonians), almost at the same time as the cities of Kassandria and Thessaloniki were founded.

However, ancient Ouranoupoli was located closer to the Xerxes Canal and was related to an interesting history. Ouranoupoli was founded in 315 BC by Alexarchus, son of Antipater and the younger brother of Cassander, the founder of Thessaloniki. Alexander refused to worship the 12 gods of the Greek pantheon and founded a new, monotheistic religion. He worshipped a single god, the god Helios. Alexander left the palace and founded his own city, Ouranoupoli, to gather around him the followers of this new religion.

The goddess Aphrodite (Uranida or Urania) was considered the protector of the city and was depicted seated on a celestial sphere surrounded by star symbols. On the coins of the city there was depicted the sun, while the inscription on them referred to the goddess Aphrodite.

When the young Alexander decided that his city would not pay taxes to the kings of Macedonia, his brother Cassander sent an army to the city. The army drastically subdued the rebels and destroyed the place.

Important antiquities were found in the extensive area around Ouranoupoli. A Roman tomb was discovered 1 km away, at Kokkinochorafo. It was located on a low hill, not far from the road leading to the Monastery of Zygos and the border of Mount Athos. The discovery was made within a private estate during urban planning works.

Archaeological excavations and investigations are carried out not only on land but also on the sea. Fragments of buildings destroyed by the earthquake have been found underwater. Part of them belongs to the Roman era as well.

The Sights of Ouranoupoli

The first monasteries of the Athonite peninsula were founded during the 10th century. One of them was the Monastery of Zygos, also known as "Fragokastro", located near Ouranoupoli. Saint Athanasios the Athonite, the founder of the Holy Monastery of Great Lavra, stayed there for about a year. Excavations are still being carried out in the territory, during which important findings are being discovered. An important feature of the Monastery of Zygos is that it is the only monastery outside the Athonite state and therefore it can be visited by women as well.

One of the most famous attractions of Ouranoupoli is the Byzantine tower on the beach, built during the early 14th century by the Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi. This tower is the largest and the best-preserved of all.

Bus Routes Thessaloniki — Ouranoupoli

Bus Routes Ouranoupoli — Thessaloniki