These two structures are archaeological sites and reminders of the city's proud and ancient past. Here are the basics: Emperor Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus built the arch and the rotunda to commemorate his victory over Persia. The rotunda connected to his own royal palace, while the archway hung over the Via Egnatia, the primary road reaching from Thessaloniki to Byzantium (current-day Istanbul). Through the centuries, the auxiliary structures that linked the arch and the rotunda have fallen. And as Thessaloniki has weathered different religions and empires, the rotunda has been transformed from Roman political hub to polytheistic temple, to Christian church to Islamic mosque and back to Christian church. In fact, it was the city's first Christian church, dating from the time of Constantine the Great, who brought Christianity to the region.

You can still see the carved battle sequences on the pillars of the archway. One recent Virtual Tourist user says, "The arch is also remarkable because it is surrounded by the modern shops and cafés of a predominantly student quarter of the city." When the weather is good, you'll find students lounging near these two historic monuments.

The Arch of Galerius and Rotunda are a few blocks east of Aristotelous Square and Ayios Dimitrios and a few blocks west of the Museum of Byzantine Culture.