⇠ Thessaloniki 40km, ⇢ Polygyros 23km
Reference to Galatista dates back to as early as the end of the 9th century AD, while later, after the Ottoman occupation in around 1500, the village became the property of Ishak Pasa. In the area below Galatista, near the church of Agia Paraskevi, the ancient settlement of Anthemous is thought to have been located. Anthemous was a city that ruled the surrounding region, which was known by the same name. Anthemous was granted by the Persians to Macedonia. King Amintas I then presented the city as a gift to Hippias the tyrant, son of Peisistratos, who refused the offer. The art of icon painting flourished in Galatista during the 19th century. Today, Galatista is a picturesque village with narrow alleys, old houses, and beautiful churches.
Sightseeing
• The churches inside the village. Galatista has the greatest number of churches out of all the villages in Halkidiki (St George - 1813, Panagia - 1835, St Demetrios - 1830, St. John Prodromos -1835, St Paraskevi - 1835, St. Nicholas -1842).
• The tower and the 2 watermills in front of the tower, built in the 14th century.
✓ can’t miss this!
10km east of Galatista, following the national road Polygyros-Thessaloniki, is the magnificent monastery of “Anastasia Farmakolytria”, founded in 888 AD by the Empress Theophano (wife of Leon VI the Wise).
More about Monastery of Agia Anastasia Farmakolytria (Mountain Halkidiki)
The monastery of Agia Anastasia Farmakolytria (St Anastasia the Curer) stands near Vassilika of Thessaloniki, at the foot of Adrianos, one of Mount Hortiatis’s summits. It was built in 1522 by St Theonas, who later became metropolitan bishop of Thessaloniki. During the Turkish domination, the monastery owned many acres of land but it was destroyed and was rebuilt from scratch in 1830. Today, it belongs to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and honors St Anastasia on the 22nd of December.
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