Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki is "dressed up" for Christmas, with Mayor Konstantinos Zervas pressing the button to light the hundreds of lights on the 18-metre Christmas tree.
At the same time, all the Christmas decorations of Thessaloniki's famous square was illuminated.
In the middle of Aristotelous Square dominates the Christmas tree, which is 18 metres high and comes from the Taxiarch of Halkidiki.
Two Scandinavian-style houses have been set up in Aristotelous Square, one of which will be used for social activities, while the second will feature Christmas carols.
Greece's second city has already worn its festive clothes in central places and in all its neighbourhoods for days, while for reasons of protection against the COVID-19 pandemic, no events have been planned.
Zervas: Today we enlighten the hearts of the people
Zervas started the countdown with everyone bursting into applause when the lights were turned on.
In his statements, Zervas said that "we illuminate the hearts of the people".
"Today we illuminate our city, today we illuminate the hearts of the people.
"We start from here, from Aristotelous Square in the centre of our city and we give light, joy, optimism to the whole city, to every neighbourhood, to every street of our city.
"Every year we try to make the city brighter, more optimistic."
The mayor thanked all the people who helped set up the celebration, as well as the city's sponsors.
The Christmas decoration of Thessaloniki
It is recalled that this year for the first time the trees from Vas. Olgas Street to Tsimiski Street and in its extension Polytechniou Street were decorated, thus creating a Christmas route of several kilometres which will pass almost the entire city.
In the neighbourhoods there are some 48 Christmas trees.
Christmas trees were also placed in four hospitals in the city.
Aristotelous Square and its surrounding areas is illuminated this year by about 350,000 festive lanterns, which, however, are of low energy consumption.
READ MORE: Beautiful Christmas Tree lights up Syntagma Square.
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