Byzantine Museum of Ioannina
by matza
The museum is housed in one of the buildings of the acropolis, inside the castle of Ioannina. The central section was built in the 1960's and originally functioned as a Royal Pavilion. The museum was opened to the public in 1995. The collection of the silver items is housed in a seperate 19th century building on the acropolis, and the exhibition is going to be arranged in several more buildings of the acropolis, as well.
The museum contains collections of early Christian and Byzantine sculptures, excavation finds from Arta, pottery, manuscripts and early editions of printed books, post-Byzantine icons and silver items.
Giving name
by mardaska
In Greece we don’t give the name to the baby on birth. We baptize it later and the ceremony is very important. I have been to many ceremonies before but it was the first time I noticed how serious the role of the godmother or the godfather is...
Any way, the baby is not a baby anymore...His name is Christos.
Visit the Island in the lake!
by StefanosS
Arriving at the dock of Ioannina we see the boats plying the lake. Communication is very frequent and it takes about 10-15 minutes to reach the island. The island has an area of about 35 hectars and is inhabited by about 120 families. It is the only inhabited lake-island of Europe. The village is very beautiful with stone paved streets and gardens full of flowers; the pine forest surrounding it creates a dreamy picture. Traditional stone houses, paved yards, whitewashed stone benches, and flowers, flowers, flowers…
The first habitants that came to the island were some noble and educated refugees from Constantinople, after the collapse of Byzantine Empire by the Crusaders. The island and the monasteries on it became a cultural centre of Greek Enlightenment, under the protection of the Seigniory of Epirus. Some important schools were established here. Other habitants migrated here from Mani in the 17th century. Today their main occupation is fishing and fish-farming. There are also some folk art shops.
On the lakeside there are picturesque traditional taverns with a variety of lake fish, trouts, crayfish, eels and … frogs! Oh, Yes! If you are brave enough to taste this last dish, you will find it delicious! You will have an unforgettable dinner watching the lake!
On the island there is the house where Ali-pasha was killed, in the monastery of Aghios Panteleimon. The house has been turned to a small museum.
On the island one can also visit:
- Filanthropinon monastery (1292 AD).
- St Nikolaos or Stratigopoulou monastery.
- St Nikolaos or Goumaton monastery.
- St John the Baptist monastery
- St Panteleimon monastery.
walk around the lake
by mindcrime
The mornings are really peaceful here, with locals going to walk, other cycling or jogging, people trying to catch a fish from the lake (pic 1) etc What tops it al is the sound of the birds of the lake, the gulls and the mallards. The perimeter of the lake is about 32 km and the depth is no more than 13m. The water comes from the foothill of Mitsikeli mountain.
Some days you can see canoe cayak teams (pic 2) racing at the lake, the local team is a good one but the people of Ioannina are still very disappointed from the fact the canoe cayak races for the Olympic Games of Athens in 2004 took place in Athens and not here.
There are a lot of benches along the promenade (pic 3) so you can rest for a while but beware of the birds above you when there are trees around! The birds use the bench as their toilet you know… lol
The periphery road is called Dionysiou Filosofou (known also as Skilosofos). It’s the name of the 70 year old man that made the unsuccessful rebellion against the Ottomans in 1611. It was the first time since occupation of the city from the Ottomans in 1430. He had about 500 men with him but he had to fought against many more. He caught and died in a small cave that is supposed to be located somewhere there in the periphery road. His body carried around the empire for emulation and because of his act the greek people banished outside of the castle.
Dimotiki Pinakothiki
by mindcrime
The Municipal Gallery is a small museum housing some nice exables of recent greek painting. It covers a period from Munich style and impressionism and ends to modern era. There are also some sculptures and 50 engravings so the total amount of works go up to about 500.
Painting in Greece was connected with the Eastern Orthodox church for centuries (except those in Creta of the Ionian islands) until the revolution against the Ottoman Empire when the influences from the west started to show. The arrival of king Otto points the starting of the new era for the greek painting with N.Lytras in Athens and N.Gkyzis in Munich been the leaders of Munich style. You can see works of Gkyzis and others (Vikatos, Geraniotis, Prosalentis etc) in the Gallery.
20th century was way different of course and new influences like the impressionist O.Pervolarakis, L.Geralis, G.Roilos (naturalism) etc Check also the works of K.Parthenis(symbolism) and K.Maleas Finally modernism is covered by the (popular) G.Tsarouhis, K.Malamos, Sp.Vasileiou, G.Vakalos etc Expresionism is covered by only 1 work, the one of G.Mpouzianis but also works from P.Tetsis, A.Fasianos.A.Pappa etc.
Τhey didn’t allow me to take any pictures inside so I have only one from the building which is interesting itself. Pyrsinella building was built in 1890 wit many neoclassical elements by Vergotis for his son-in-law Vasilis Pyrsinella which was the mayor of Ioannina in 1924. Pyrsinellas was an art lover and used the mansion for art meetings. He had a big library and a good collection of paintings and sculptures. He donated his collection to the city of Ioannina in 1958.
The Municipal Gallery opened in 1960 but it is housed on Pyrsinella building since 2000.
It is open daily 9.00-13.00 and 18.00-21.00 with free entrance.
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Aoos lake
south citadel of the castle
SELECT's interior
DIETHNES patissery
