Museums, Ioannina

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The museum is focused on Greek War of Independence in the 19th century.
The most promoted scene form the museum's collection is the one with the slaughter in the monastery of Nisaki, in which also Ali Pasha was killed and beheaded. A part of this scene is on one of the following pictures. (I'll spare you the whole picture, but the whole scene looks really shocking). This event was very important for the Greek War of Independence start, as while the Ottoman troops were concentrated in Ioannina because of the matter with Ali Pasha, Greek partisans in the Peloponnese started the uprising.
The museum is definitely worth visiting. And if you're interested in the meaning of the sculptures, there's a nice guidebook at the Museum shop, where the history of every scene is explained, also with some details of the sculptor's work.

To find the Pavlos Vrellis Museum, leave Ioannina, direction Arta. It is located in a small village of Bizani, cca 12 km out of Ioannina. Try not to miss the brown sign showing where to turn left from the main road. Vrellis can also be written as Brellis.

There used to be another wax sculpture museum in the centre of Ioannina, probably it belonged to brother of Mr. P. Vrellis which was more general about Greek culture and history better known to a foreign tourist. Unfortunately it's closed at the moment. Another dissapointing closure is that of a private collection which was a part of the Castle's museum with Ali Pasha's pipe and weapons on display. Both closures are until further notice.

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To get to the isle you'll take a regular boat service from Ioannina, the boats usually anchor near the entrance to the castle, so if you'll follow the Old Town Walls you can't miss it. The ticket costs 2 EUR one way and it can be purchased on the boat.
Once quiet Nisaki is rather a tourist place now. There are several small monasteries, but people mostly visit the St.Panteleimon monastery which houses a small museum. This is where betrayed Ali Pasha was killed. It's a 10 minute walk from a small harbour where you'll disembark, unless you'll let the local shopkeepers stop you and make you try their local goodies (made by the Union of Women of Epirus and the Union of Women of Ioannina). At the latter you'll come across the famous Mrs Antonia who is difficult to escape from as she will make you try some of the sweets, or recommend remedies. And make you choose a fruit liquor... And... people, she really can sell. At least take a short lesson of selling skills.
And, to not to omit an important gastronomy experience, people usually come to savour frog legs or freshwater fish on the square of Nisaki.

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.

The Municipal Museum is housed inside the Aslan Pasha mosque on the opposite side of the Kastro from the Its Kale. The museum itself is a bit weird: its collection, which is small, is further subdivided into Christian, Muslim and Jewish to mark the three confessional communities that inhabited Ioannina before 1923. It holds mainly costumes and everyday items, although there are religious items, like Jewish prayer shalls and copies of the Koran, as well.

The mosque of Aslan Pasha houses the Municipal History Museum. The exhibits depict the history of Epirus. The collection includes works of folk art, weapons and swords and items from the period of the Ottoman occupation of the area.

The museum is open:
In winter daily from 9:00 until 16:00
In summer daily from 8:00 until 20:00

E.H.M. - Society for Epirotic Studies

The museum stretches today on a total area of 600 square meters of the more recent three-storied traditional building with stone walls and a symmetric formation on the openings of its facets, and on some additional 250 square meters of the newly built basement.

It was built between 1800 and 1808 and belonged to a rich muslim family. Prior to the liberation it was housing a Turkish elementary school and after the liberation (1913) it was hosting various educational institutions.

In 1976, the state sold it to the Society for Epirotic Studies (EHM) that remodeled its interior to house the "Kostas Frontzos Museum of Epirus' Folk Art".

The quality and the quantity of the collection of the museum's exhibits is unique for the region of Epirus and is considered as one of the most significant and equal in value to other relevant collections. The EHM building has now been completely restored.

It is sited within the Castle to the NW acropolis and housed in Aslan mosque, built in 1618 by Aslan-pasha. Commander Aslan Zulfikar, a Turk from Ioannina, named Good Pasha, built it after repressing in 1611 the rebellion of Dionyssios the Philosopher. After having seen finished his work, he died the same year (1618) and was declared saint by his co-believers. His tomb is behind the mosque. His ruined mansion is near the north Walls.

Aslan mosque is the landmark of Ioannina.

The articles exhibited in the museum are: local costumes, handwovens, woodcuts, silverware, jewels etc. An outstanding article is the General Karaiskakis' damask sword. The mosque was converted into museum in 1933 and rearranged in 1957.

More Info: For more information, please go to the travelogue "Museums".

The Byzantine 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 as a Royal Pavilion. The museum was opened to the public in 1995. The collection of the silver items is housed in a separate 19th century building on the acropolis (the ex powder magazine of Ali-pasha), 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 findings from Arta, pottery, manuscripts and early editions of printed books, post-Byzantine icons and silver items.

More Info: For more information, please go to the travelogue "Museums".

The museum functions since 1970. It contains five rooms and two atriums; in rooms A, B, and C findings from the region of Epirus are exhibited. Room D is closed. In room E, works of Greek artists of the 19th and 20th centuries are temporarily exhibited. The two atriums contain architectural members and inscriptions from various archaeological sites of the area.

The Museum organizes temporary exhibitions and lectures open to the public.

More Info: For more information, please go to the travelogue "Museums".

It is housed in a three storey renovated old building owned by the association, at Michael Angelou street. It began functioning 21 years ago, and with the appropriate arrangements of the inside areas it became very convinient to the visitors. It presents rare smaples of traditional regional craftmanship, clothing, jewellery, tools and other objects.