Aghia Sofia station
Aghia Sofia (Greek: Αγία Σοφία, literally Holy Wisdom)[1] is an under-construction metro station serving Thessaloniki Metro's Line 1 and Line 2. The station is named after the church of Hagia Sophia, located nearby. It is expected to enter service in 2023[2] Construction of this station has been held back by major archaeological finds, and it is designated as a high-importance archaeological site by Attiko Metro, the company overseeing its construction.[3] Here, as well as at Venizelou, Roman Thessaloniki's marble-clad and column-lined Decumanus Maximus (main east-west avenue), along with shops and houses, was found running along the route of the Via Egnatia (modern Egnatia Street) at 5.4 metres (18 ft) below ground level.[3][4] Additionally, a public square was also found at this station.[3] The discovery was so major that it delayed the entire Metro project for years. A historian dubbed the discovery "the Byzantine Pompeii".[5]
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| Location | Thessaloniki Greece | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°38′04″N 22°56′47″E | |||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Thessaloniki Metro | |||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) |   | |||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 (island) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Location | ||||||||||||||||||||
   Aghia Sofia Location within the Thessaloniki urban area | ||||||||||||||||||||
Aghia Sofia station will feature a mini museum within the station, similar to those of Athens Metro stations like Syntagma, which houses the Syntagma Metro Station Archaeological Collection.[3] Unlike Venizelou, however, the archaeological finds will not be kept in situ; they will be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere.
The station also appears in the 1988 Thessaloniki Metro proposal.[6]
References
- Attiko Metro A.E. "Thessaloniki Metro Lines Development Plan" (PDF). www.ametro.gr. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-08-20. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- https://greekcitytimes.com/2019/10/24/thessaloniki-metro-ready-2023/
- Attiko Metro A.E. "Αρχαιολογικές ανασκαφές" [Archaeological excavations]. www.ametro.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- Skai TV. "Ιστορίες: Μετρό Θεσσαλονίκης" [Stories: Thessaloniki Metro]. www.skai.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- Giorgos Christides (14 March 2013). "Thessaloniki metro: Ancient dilemma for modern Greece". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- "Κι όμως! Το ΜΕΤΡΟ Θεσσαλονίκης είναι έτοιμο (στα χαρτιά) από το 1987!" [It's true! The Thessaloniki Metro was ready (on paper) in 1987 already!]. www.karfitsa.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 13 August 2018.