Facilities
YMCA Thessaloniki Building
YMCA Thessaloniki is housed in one of the most historic buildings in Thessaloniki. It is located among significant landmarks of the urban fabric, on the square of the same name (YMCA Square), near the Thessaloniki International Fair, the Third Army Corps, the Byzantine and Archaeological Museum, the Society for Macedonian Studies – Northern Greece State Theatre, the Royal Theatre, and the new City Hall.
The YMCA Thessaloniki building was designed based on the study and plans of architect Marinos Delladetsimas, with a total area of approximately 7,500 square meters.
The cornerstone was laid in 1924, and the construction process was completed ten years later, in 1934.
Architectural Style of the Building
The YMCA Thessaloniki building is architecturally part of the neoclassical period of the 1920s. The building exhibits the morphological influences of French architect Ernest Hébrard, neo-colonial architecture, as well as Byzantine elements. It fits smoothly into the new urban architectural idiom that Thessaloniki acquired during its reconstruction after the 1917 fire.
The building’s façade, facing YMCA Square, is shaped by two main three-story wings that connect at a central cylinder ending in a dome with arched openings.
By Ministerial Decision (FEK 1166/B/20-9-2000), the YMCA Thessaloniki building was designated as a “historic preserved monument” that requires special state protection according to the provisions of Law 1469/50, as it is an integral part of the city’s historical fabric. It presents architectural interest and is significant for the study of its history.
A Building of “Life and History”
Internally, the building includes many spaces that have, from time to time, hosted multiple functions of other organizations.
From 1952 until 2000, the 3rd floor housed the Municipal Library and Reading Room of the Municipality of Thessaloniki. For many years, the building hosted the 1st Night Gymnasium of Thessaloniki and the Student Dormitory for underprivileged students from rural areas. The historic AVLAIA Theatre, located on the side of the building facing Tsimiski Street, has hosted remarkable theatrical performances known throughout Greece.
Inside, there is a chapel dedicated to Saint Stephen, the historic indoor basketball court—the first indoor basketball court in Greece—dedicated to the memory of Takis Taliadoros, an international Greek basketball player, and the only indoor heated swimming pool in the city’s center.
On the ground floor of the building, the YMCA Kindergarten and Nursery School operate, while on the 1st floor, there is a 100-seat event hall (small AVLAIA Theatre), Lifelong Learning Centre halls, and a seminar room. On the 2nd and 3rd floors, exercise and dance/ballet programs and specialized educational workshops (ceramics, painting, etc.) are held.
YMCA Thessaloniki Facilities Today
For YMCA Thessaloniki, the entry into the 21st century marked a new era.
The new Sports Center, which is part of the project to utilize its plot, was completed with self-financing. It includes a new tennis court, a new 8×8 football field, and an indoor gym. It is named after Mimis Tsikinas, a basketball team coach and long-time Director of the Pelion Camp and General Director of YMCA Thessaloniki.
The central hall, with seating for 1,300 spectators, hosts team sports such as basketball, handball, and volleyball, as well as many sports or cultural events, such as national table tennis and taekwondo championships, concerts, and dance performances.
The Basketball Museum operates in the foyer, while the basement houses a large table tennis room with 10 competition tables, a judo and taekwondo hall, a squash room, a fencing and archery training room, and the Symeon Mavroskoufis gym, named in memory of the Head of the Physical Education Department of YMCA Thessaloniki. Symeon Mavroskoufis was one of the first Greek international basketball referees and signed the founding act of FIBA on behalf of Greece.
There are also offices, a meeting and press conference room, and dormitories with a capacity of 15 athletes.
YMCA Greece Camp “Pelion”
The YMCA camp in Pelion is the first organized camp in Greece, founded in 1924. Over the years, it has managed to develop a series of facilities aimed at the good and safe stay of the campers, providing spaces for sports and activities, while maintaining a natural environment that reflects its philosophy and camping lifestyle. The camp is in Agios Ioannis, in the Papa Nero settlement of the Zagora-Mouresi Municipality. It is 100 meters from the sea and covers an area of 19,291 square meters on level ground, mostly covered with plane trees. It is 45 km from Volos, 252 km from Thessaloniki, and 372 km from Athens.
The Pelion camp is characterized by its traditional-style facilities and includes a series of permanent and semi-permanent structures that serve the needs of the pleasant stay of the campers, the staff, and the auxiliary personnel, as well as the various other functions and programs it carries out.
For the accommodation needs of the campers, it has separate complexes by gender, which include cabins and semi-permanent canvas tents with a capacity of 12–14 people. Each complex has separate hygiene facilities (showers, toilets). Similarly, separate areas serve the needs of the staff academy, the program personnel, and the other staff employed there.
For catering needs, it has an outdoor dining area and a covered dining area for emergencies. The organized kitchen, food storage rooms, and refrigerated chambers serve storage and meal preparation needs.
The camp has a fully equipped medical room with examination rooms, 2 rooms for the doctor and nurse, and 2 recovery rooms with a capacity of 8 people.
For program needs, there is a football field, a basketball court, a mini basketball court, and a volleyball court. It also features outdoor spaces such as 5 ping pong tables, a theater, and outdoor chess. A special landmark for the camp is the fire gathering area where most evening activities for campers take place.
For swimming activities, it uses an exclusive area on Papa Nero beach, which is properly shaped and organized to ensure sea activities. It also develops beach activities such as beach volleyball, beach soccer, etc.
The camp has a perimeter fence (wire, stone, or wood depending on the location).
The camp is supplied with water from the municipal network of the Zagora-Mouresi Municipality.
It has a full fire extinguishing and fire safety network as well as a power generator for emergencies.
