The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, dating back to 897 BC. An archaic Ionic capital in the base of the Despotic Throne of the Church of Saint (Aghia) Paraskevi, a sepulchral ancient column at the entrance of the Church of Saint (Aghios) Nicholaos and other findings testify that here thrived the ancient Anthemous. The ancient city was discovered at location where the chapel of (Aghia) Paraskevi is found, southwest of Galatista. In the historic campaign of Alexander the Great, men from Anthemounta formed the special unit, "Anthemoysian ilin".
In 1821, after the conflict of rebels in neighboring Galarinos in Chalkidiki, the Turks burned Galatista and its inhabitants were scattered in hideouts in the neighboring mountains, seeking a safe place to hide.
The current settlement was reborn after the destruction of 1821. In these years are also dated the remarkably many temples of Galatista, built in the place of previous temples and adorned with the works of famous hagiographers of the village, who left important frescoes and other works in many temples of Chalkidiki and Mount Athos. The Church of Ag. George was built in 1813, Ag. Dimitrios in 1830, Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist in 1835, when Agia Paraskevi was renovated and Ag. Nicholas in 1842. The village chapels, scattered on the plain, number almost 100.
Galatista is a town built on the slopes of Omvrianos, located 39 km away from Thessaloniki and 28 km northwest of Polygyros. According to the census of 2010, it numbers 3,510 inhabitants.
According to the version of Bishop Ioakeim Ardamerios (1918) "Galatista" took the name of its Tower, which was built by the Venetians and served as an observatory for the settlements, which were scattered in the plain. But perhaps it served as a prison for the exiled convicts of Galatas. Another tradition says that in the Tower dwelled the exiled Byzantine Princess Galatea, but this doesn't seem right, because the Tower has the order and the architecture of the Venetian era. Whatever the case, Galatista took its name from the Tower, as it was built after it. We don't know when was Galatista built. The oldest evidence related to Galatista is found in a document of the archive of the Holy Monastery of Megisti Lavra on Mount Athos, issued on 14 March 897. The Tower of Galatista resembles the towers of Vrasna, St. Basil of Langada, St. Basil of Chiliandrario, of the monastery farmstead Pyrgoydia at Problakas and of Rila Monastery (Bulgaria). The old Galatsanoi say that the tower was the bastion of Thessaloniki and served as a watchtower and fortress. They used to send light signals into the hills (ntoympes) and so the villages of the plain were protected from the enemies.
its plain and also in the village. In the Tower, architectural parts of a Christian church are built into the wall.
In the church of Agia Paraskevi, which is next to the Tower, an Ionic capital is used as the base for the despotic throne. This capital is similar to exhibits of the Archeological Museum of Thessaloniki.
The bases of the columns in the church of St. Demetrius is from ancient architectural parts.
On the north wall of the church of St. Nicholas there is a Roman tombstone.
two-storey houses, with sunlit interior balcony, facing the plain.