Smart signs on the streets of Thessaloniki reveal the city’s ancient history

The streets of all cities carry secrets and stories that are hundreds of years old. With time, the past is gradually erased as people forget the things that have happened and where they have taken place. As such, we walk around our cities unaware of the events that have once transpired on their streets. Taking a case in point, Thessaloniki in Greece has a history that is 24 centuries old as the city was founded in 315 AD. Now, its municipality has worked together with the company Diamantis Masoutis SA to make this rich history known to residents and tourists. More specifically, smart signs have been installed to reveal the secrets and stories of the city's streets.

With the use of QR Codes and Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology, the smart signs will allow visitors to access information regarding the history of Thessaloniki's streets on their mobile devices. Furthermore, they will be able to read about the events which have occurred in both Greek and English.

On 1 July, the first smart signs were installed in front of Agia Sofia. This was done in the presence of the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Zervas and the Director of Digital Transformation of the company Diamantis Masoutis SA Savva Tortopidis. Both parties expressed their delight with the project, noting that it will highlight the history of the city and increase its attractiveness.

Tortopidis further commented on the role companies play in enhancing the reputation of their cities: “We gladly accepted the request of the Mayor and we supported and strengthened the idea for the smart signs. Our aim is to highlight how large organisations can transfer the know-how they have developed to help improve the daily lives of citizens.

Masoutis, through the program ΄Daily Actions', is constantly next to people and the environment, strengthening society, where there is a need. In this case, through this action, in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki, we went one step further, modernising the city's infrastructure, applying technological innovations and confirming that together we can move forward.”

The Municipality of Thessaloniki and Diamantis Masoutis SA are planning to install a total of 450 signs by the end of this summer.