Πορτάρα
Όπως άλλες σύγχρονες ελληνιστικές πόλεις, η Θεσσαλονίκη περιτειχίστηκε αμέσως μετά την ίδρυσή της από τον βασιλιά Κάσσανδρο το 315 π.Χ. με στόχο τη δημιουργία ενός νέου αστικού κέντρου με ιδιαίτερη γεωπολιτική σημασία που θα βρισκόταν σε επικοινωνία με τις περιοχές της βαλκανικής, μέσω οδικών και ποτάμιων αρτηριών αλλά και με τον γεωγραφικό χώρο του Αιγαίου και της Μεσογείου, μέσω θαλάσσης.
Portara
Like other modern Hellenistic cities, Thessaloniki was walled up immediately after its foundation by King Cassander in 315 BC with the aim of creating a new urban centre of particular geopolitical importance that would be in communication with the Balkan regions through land and river routes, as well as with the geographical area of the Aegean and the Mediterranean, through the sea.
Πορτάρα
Portara
In the centuries that followed, the walls were repaired, supplemented, extended, parts of them were destroyed and rebuilt under the initiative of various Roman and Byzantine emperors.The northern, north-western Byzantine walls extended westwards from the Litaia Gate to the Acropolis, following the morphology of the rocky terrain of the area. The median wall separated the Upper City from the Acropolis and extended from the Monastery of Vlatades to the Tower of Trigonion. On these walls there are still castle houses, namely poor houses, one side of which touches the Byzantine walls. Communication between the city and the countryside was achieved through the gates that were open on the four sides of the walls and were locked at night for security reasons. The gates on the northern wall served mainly military purposes, such as the entrance and exit of reinforcements. Their width varied from 1.42 to 2.80m. Many of them were walled in and disused even in Byzantine times. The Books of the Miracles of St. Demetrios report how the Slavs succeeded in the 7th century entering the city for a few hours,through a small gate on the north side, before the city was saved by a miracle of the Saint.
Πορτάρα
Βαδίζοντας κατά μήκος του βόρειου τείχους προς δυτικά, λίγα μέτρα από τον Πύργο του Τριγωνίου συναντάμε μία από τις μεγάλες πύλες (Πορτάρες) που, σε περίπτωση επίθεσης ή πολιορκίας της πόλης, οδηγούσαν τους πολίτες στο εσωτερικό της Ακρόπολης και το Επταπύργιο. Σήμερα αποτελεί τη μοναδική είσοδο οχημάτων προς αυτήν.
[Ενδεικτικές πηγές: Γ. Γούναρη (1976), Τα τείχη της Θεσσαλονίκης, Θεσσαλονίκη: Ι.Μ.Χ.Α., Γ. Βελένη, (1988) Τα τείχη της Θεσσαλονίκης: Από τον Κάσσανδρο ως τον Ηράκλειο, Θεσσαλονίκη: University Studio Press, Ν. Πούλου (2012), ‘Τείχη’ στο Αποτυπώματα: Η βυζαντινή Θεσσαλονίκη σε φωτογραφίες και σχέδια της Βρετανικής Σχολής Αθηνών (1888-1910), Λ. Ασπιώτη (2003), Τα κάστρα της Θεσσαλονίκης, 3η, Θεσσαλονίκη: Αφοι Κυριακίδη, Κ. Νίγδελη (2016), Δήμος Νεάπολης-Συκεών «Ο μεγάλος Καλλικρατικός Δήμος»]
Portara
Walking along the northern wall to the west, a few metres from the Tower of Trigonio, we find one of the the big gates (Portares) which, in case of an attack or siege of the city, led the citizens to the interior of the Acropolis and the Eptapyrgion. Today this big gate (Portara) is the only vehicular entrance to the Acropolis.
[Indicative sources: G. Gounari (1976), The Walls of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki: IMXA, G. Velenis (1988), The Walls of Thessaloniki: From Kassandros to Heraklio, Thessaloniki: University Studio Press, N. Poulou (2012), ‘The Walls’ in Impressions: The Byzantine Thessaloniki in photographs and drawings of the British School of Athens (1888-1910), L. Aspiotis (2003), The castles of Thessaloniki, 3rd edition, Thessaloniki: Kyriakidis Bros, K. Nigdeli (2016), Municipality of Neapolis-Sykeon “The great Kallikratian Municipality“]
