6. The Cité Saul

Constructed between 1867 and 1871, the Cité Saoul was the result of an ambitious project by Saoul Modiano, owner of Modiano Bank, who was listed among the wealthiest citizens of the Ottoman empire. His ambition was to erect a building where numerous businesses would be housed. The building, probably designed by Vitaliano Poselli whose career is defined by architecture in Thessaloniki, was the biggest commercial gallery in town, housing 96 offices, shops, and workshops. Heavily damaged by the fire of 1917, it was reconstructed during 1925-27 by the architect Eli Modiano. What is left from the original building is the facade on Vasileos Irakleiou street, which served as the entrance of the Saoul Modiano Bank. The decorative medallion on the facade with the initials of its founder preserves his memory.

The history of the city and life of the Jewish community was completely altered after the Great Fire of 1917. On 18 August 1917 (or 5 August according to the Julian calendar), a fire broke out, turning the center of the city into ashes. What is known is that the fire was started accidentally, either by a housewife who fried aubergines or by two young girls heating water to wash. The reasons for the uncontrollable spread of fire were the strong local wind (known as Vardaris), the heat, the wooden houses, narrow streets and alleys, and the lack of water supplies. The fire destroyed 9.500 properties from homes to religious buildings, and left 79.000 homeless, two thirds of them Jewish. The fire became an important page in the history of the community since the new urban plan forced the jews to vacate the city center.

The 16th century is characterized as the Golden Age for the Jewish community, when the city was transformed into “The Jerusalem of The Balkans”. Due to its location and its port, Thessaloniki became wealthy maritime city, and the Jewish people prospered in the export trade. Some of the most eminent Sephardic Jews from Iberia immigrated to the city after their expulsion - Sephardic intellectuals, philosophers, poets, astronomers and physicians, helping the city flourish. In 1512 the first printing house in the Balkans was founded in Thessaloniki by the Jewish Juda Guedalia from Portugal. In 1537, the Jewish poet Samuel Usque granted Thessaloniki the title the “Mother of Israel''. Solomon Alkabetz, author of the Sabbath prayer Lecha Dodi, was born here, while Joseph Caro conceived his code of Jewish law, Beit Yosef, here.