Thessaloniki has the largest Christmas manger in Europe, consisting of the impressive Palace of Herod and Gabriel, the angel who provides lilies to the Virgin.
The façade of the manger is about 15 meters and the total area is about 50 meters. Herod’s Palace is particularly impressive, with a height of 7 meters and a length of 25.
The exterior is covered with marble, while the front has statues of marble soldiers.
The manger is a symbol of Christianity, related to the scene of the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were forced to stay in the animal room instead of in the guest room, using the manger as a temporary crib for the baby Jesus.