The Statue of Alexander the Great

The statue of Alexander the Great riding his horse Voukefala is one of the city’s symbols. Made by the sculptor Evagnelos Moustaka in 1973, located in front of sea and reveal to the public in 1974 is the most recognised sightseeing of Thessaloniki.

Alexander the Great (356 – 323 B.C.) king of Macedonia, was the greatest military leader of the ancient world and one of the greater of all times. His parents were king Phillipos II of Macedonia and Olympiada daughter of Neoptolemos king of Epeirous. Alexander was a charismatic boy and one of his teachers was the philosopher Aristotle.

When Alexander was around twelve years old his father bought him Voukefala, a wild horse than no one could master. The young boy by watching the horse’s behaviour realized that the horse was afraid of his and others shadow. With a fast move he turned the horse towards the sun and he astride it. Since then Voukefalas, became his friend and companion in the battles.

At age of sixteen Alexander, become vice king and when his father was murdered he crowned king at the age of 20. At 334 B.C. Alexander marched to Asia. One of his weapon was sarisa, a long lance, larger than 5.5 meters. The soldiers by holding their spear and their sarisas were making an unbreakable block named falagga.

Alexander loved Voukefalas so much that, when the horse died after a battle in India at age of 30, he buried him with great honour and he named a city after his name.