The Heroon of Giannitsa (Black Statue)

Memorial to the Fallen of Giannitsa

A symbol of memory, sacrifice and national pride

The Heroes of Giannitsa stands imposingly at the eastern entrance of the city, on the Egnatia Road, to commemorate the heroic battle of October 20, 1912, when Giannitsa was liberated from the Ottomans and joined the Greek state. This battle was crucial for the liberation of Thessaloniki and the whole of Macedonia.

The monument, known to residents as the “Black Statue” because of its dark gloss, was created in 1926 by the great sculptor Grigoris Zeevgolis (1886-1950) and is one of the most characteristic examples of Greek sculpture of the interwar period.

The composition is triadic and pyramidal, made of brass and placed on a marble base one meter high. At the top, a winged man depicts the heroic battle in the “deltas of history”. At the base, a dead soldier rests in the arms of the allegorical figure of Mother Greece, while the eternal flame of sacrifice burns on the side. The composition exudes drama, power and symbolism, celebrating the bravery and heroism of the fallen.

The figures of the work are robust and Greek, depicting with intensity the pain, the sacrifice and the dignity of heroic death. The choice of symbols and the composition as a whole testify to the style of the period, when Greek art was seeking a return to balance, harmony and moderation, after years of wars, uprooting and national tragedies.

The Heroon of Giannitsa is not just a monument; it is a modern symbol of collective memory, national self-consciousness and cultural continuity. Every visitor to the city deserves to stand in front of it and reflect on the importance of freedom, unity and sacrifice.