Aghia Sofia station
| ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location |
Thessaloniki Greece | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°38′04″N 22°56′47″E / 40.63444°N 22.94639°ECoordinates: 40°38′04″N 22°56′47″E / 40.63444°N 22.94639°E | |||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Thessaloniki Metro | |||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) |
  | |||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 (island) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening | 2021[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | ||||||||||||||||||||
   Aghia Sofia Location within the Thessaloniki urban area | ||||||||||||||||||||
Aghia Sofia (Greek: Αγία Σοφία, literally Holy Wisdom)[2] 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 2021.[1] 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]
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
- 1 2 "Θεσσαλονίκη: Νοέμβριο του 2020 παραδίδεται η 1η γραμμή μετρό Νέα Ελβετία-Συντριβάνι" [Thessaloniki: The 1st line from Nea Elvetia to Sintrivani will be opened in 2020]. www.iefimerida.gr (in Greek). 20 March 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- ↑ 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.
- 1 2 3 4 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.
See also
| Stations | |
|---|---|
| Lines | |
| Depots | |