GrigorisSokratis
October 7th, 2007, 08:32 PM
Our next destination is Kastoria a city located 552kms NW from Athens and 210 kms W from Thessaloniki. Kastoria is also connected with Athens by air, through the “Aristotle” International Airport at Argos Orestikon. It has a population of 20.636 (2006).
History
Its history goes back to milleniums BC. One of the testimonies of that is the prehistoric settlement of Dispilio which is one of the oldest lake settlements ever discovered in Europe and it gives us a full overview of an early civilization with admirable achievements. Its early phase dates back to around 5500BC.
The Roman historian, Titus Livius, says that in the 5th century BC, a city called Kilitron was lying at the current location of Kastoria, while in the 6th century BC, Prokopius from Caesarea mentions that there is a lake in Macedonia called Kastoria.
The broader region is identified with ancient Orestida, inhabited by the Orestes “Makednoi”, as Herodotus calls them. Orestida, despite the fewness of findings, was an important urban center of Northern Greece in ancient times with active participation in the developments and the artistic trends of the time.
In the Roman times, Diocletianoupolis was the center of the region. It was built where Argos Orestiko now stands. The name of the city, which was founded by Emperor Diocletianus (284-305 AC), was ravaged by the Goths or the Ostrogoths at the end of the 4th century AC.
The region falls into the hands of the Romans in 197 BC, under the regime of a peculiar type of local autonomy.
When the Roman State divided (396BC), the region became part of the Eastern Roman State and later, of the Greek Empire. Due to its strategic location, the city had many troubles and used to be, that time, the “apple of discord” for many. In 550 AC, Justinian renamed the city into Justinianoupoli and turned it into a powerful fortress, surrounding it with a double castle, residues of which have survived to date. From 927 to 969 AC, the city was occupied by the Bulgarians. In 990 AC, the Bulgarian Tsar, Samuel, conquerred Kastoria during his raid in the Greek territory. When liberated in 1018 by Basil II Voulgaroktonos (Bulgar-slayer), the city became the base for the following military operations of the Emperor.
Later in the years of the Turkish domination, the region managed to preserve the Greek national consciousness and religious faith and to develop into one of the most important commercial and cultural centers in the Balkans.
It was also a pole of reinforcement for the pre-revolutionary movements that prepared the grounds for the revolution of 1821, as well as for the liberating movements of the 19th century.
The situation significantly improved for the conquered people of Kastoria, after 1528. The city was full of craftsmen, saddlers, goldsmiths, tailors and famous furriers. Since the 17th century, the furriers had been promoting their products outside the borders of the Ottoman Empire, thus gaining wealth and prestige.
On the other hand, arts and letters flourished during that time. The exceptional architecture and painting works preserved date back to that period.
Architecture
Churches
The eighty churches of the city date back to the 9th to the 14th century. They are built inside and outside the city walls and they are masterpieces of Byzantine art.
The most famous church of Kastoria is Panagia Koumbelidiki, built in the first half of the 11th century. It took its name from its characteristic dome, which is called “koumbes” in Turkish. Exceptional wall paintings dating back to the 13th century adorn the church, among which the rare human-like representation of the Holy Trinity.
In the area of the Cathedral, we find Taxiarches Mitropoleos, a three-aisled vaulted basilica, with wall paintings dating back to the 10th century. At the south aisle, the church hosts the bones of Pavlos and Natalia Mela.
Agios Stefanos was built in the late 9th century and it is the only church with a women’s loft. Its beautiful wall paintings date back to the 9th century. One can still see the Episcopal throne in the sanctuary, and the walls are exteriorly adorned with ceramoplastic jewels and tiles.
Agioi Anargyroi is an impressive three-aisled basilica of the 10th century. The magnificent wall paintings of the 12th century, ordered by the famous family of Limniotes, are a work of unique expressional power and elegance.
Mansions and houses
The glorious past of the city is still present, in the majestic mansions and houses of Kastoria. They were built in the 17th and 18th century and they are the indisputable witnesses of the economic and artistic prosperity of that time, when the furriers expanded their activities outside the borders of the country.
In these houses, one can feel the balanced relation with environment, the sense of moderation and the harmonization with the human scale. These typical examples of traditional architecture are three-storeyed or four-storeyed, depending on the inclination of the ground. They have gardens and patios, high fences, closed balconies and windows with banisters.
Photo Gallery
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9002/kasto1ux1.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3339/kasto2tv5.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4318/kasto3gp3.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4871/kasto4ww9.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6804/kasto5rm7.jpg
Nice 17th, 18th and 19th century constructions mixture
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/794/kasto6yb5.jpg
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/38/kasto8ns8.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5606/kasto9ed7.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4645/kasto17xj7.jpg
A nice example of residential 16th century architecture
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5499/kasto18hk9.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5479/kasto20iq4.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1651/kasto21ze3.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2689/kasto22dk6.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3282/kasto23oq0.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/364/kasto24bt5.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5717/kasto25wv5.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8928/kasto26sd8.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9427/kasto28jv3.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5315/kasto29id1.jpg
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/6659/kasto31dw3.jpg
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/2478/kasto32xp9.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/3939/kasto33ya1.jpg
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9343/kasto35nd8.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5812/kasto36qi0.jpg
http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3013/kasto39eu1.jpg
http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9916/kasto45gh5.jpg
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/330/kasto47ri3.jpg
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/5943/kasto48lu7.jpg
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6007/kasto53fg5.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/8299/kasto71cf3.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/336/kasto72zg3.jpg
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/5253/kasto65du5.jpg
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2786/kasto73nx6.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/7231/kasto74dq6.jpg
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3567/kasto75yf8.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/62/207811803_527919ecb7_b.jpg
13th century Panaghia Kumbelidiki
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/70/207811429_03afa9785a_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/207810722_97d3fc2e0b_b.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/358626694_31a37d03d5_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1181/971713942_50858cd27c_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1135/971713916_82e7271807_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/92/207810441_9df281255c_b.jpg
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/170608640_82e40fc101_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1309/859262135_1d278f6355_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1375/544615699_c52a879a13_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1274/544617259_80d6f35792_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1023/568491638_899cfa7c73_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/568983743_27d606ae1a_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/99/283794682_c460fbcd8a_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/283794605_65b7c51a05_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/116/283794704_d14079f3bf_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/109/283794794_1f9ad9cbbe_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/121/283795231_e553817c0c_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/117/283795440_c6606950f0_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/283795524_47f9bfcb93_o.jpg
I'm 400 years old, please help me.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/356866715_918cd2d755_o.jpg
If you wonder what is exactly what the people of Kastoria see each morning when opening their windows, or when strolling about the lake promedade, well, here you are
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/94562044_150f9612a2_b.jpg
And here is the Kastoria's backyard
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/359812595_e854a29052_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/398952768_f1242cbb6e_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/354106487_8a2048eacf.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/512599766_6267211e58_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/512599774_e7b9488c9f_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/512599808_09d06abdfc_b.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/43729136_2e1f057d5d_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/108/308580565_b2d4226b09_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1380/906301844_ee19934be1_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/353758365_c44cf3efa7_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/355213978_162e71949e_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1196/582722684_177990cf5c_b.jpg
So, it's time to say good bye for the moment to Kastoria.
Next week we'll continue our travel to the town of Spetses in the homonymous island.
History
Its history goes back to milleniums BC. One of the testimonies of that is the prehistoric settlement of Dispilio which is one of the oldest lake settlements ever discovered in Europe and it gives us a full overview of an early civilization with admirable achievements. Its early phase dates back to around 5500BC.
The Roman historian, Titus Livius, says that in the 5th century BC, a city called Kilitron was lying at the current location of Kastoria, while in the 6th century BC, Prokopius from Caesarea mentions that there is a lake in Macedonia called Kastoria.
The broader region is identified with ancient Orestida, inhabited by the Orestes “Makednoi”, as Herodotus calls them. Orestida, despite the fewness of findings, was an important urban center of Northern Greece in ancient times with active participation in the developments and the artistic trends of the time.
In the Roman times, Diocletianoupolis was the center of the region. It was built where Argos Orestiko now stands. The name of the city, which was founded by Emperor Diocletianus (284-305 AC), was ravaged by the Goths or the Ostrogoths at the end of the 4th century AC.
The region falls into the hands of the Romans in 197 BC, under the regime of a peculiar type of local autonomy.
When the Roman State divided (396BC), the region became part of the Eastern Roman State and later, of the Greek Empire. Due to its strategic location, the city had many troubles and used to be, that time, the “apple of discord” for many. In 550 AC, Justinian renamed the city into Justinianoupoli and turned it into a powerful fortress, surrounding it with a double castle, residues of which have survived to date. From 927 to 969 AC, the city was occupied by the Bulgarians. In 990 AC, the Bulgarian Tsar, Samuel, conquerred Kastoria during his raid in the Greek territory. When liberated in 1018 by Basil II Voulgaroktonos (Bulgar-slayer), the city became the base for the following military operations of the Emperor.
Later in the years of the Turkish domination, the region managed to preserve the Greek national consciousness and religious faith and to develop into one of the most important commercial and cultural centers in the Balkans.
It was also a pole of reinforcement for the pre-revolutionary movements that prepared the grounds for the revolution of 1821, as well as for the liberating movements of the 19th century.
The situation significantly improved for the conquered people of Kastoria, after 1528. The city was full of craftsmen, saddlers, goldsmiths, tailors and famous furriers. Since the 17th century, the furriers had been promoting their products outside the borders of the Ottoman Empire, thus gaining wealth and prestige.
On the other hand, arts and letters flourished during that time. The exceptional architecture and painting works preserved date back to that period.
Architecture
Churches
The eighty churches of the city date back to the 9th to the 14th century. They are built inside and outside the city walls and they are masterpieces of Byzantine art.
The most famous church of Kastoria is Panagia Koumbelidiki, built in the first half of the 11th century. It took its name from its characteristic dome, which is called “koumbes” in Turkish. Exceptional wall paintings dating back to the 13th century adorn the church, among which the rare human-like representation of the Holy Trinity.
In the area of the Cathedral, we find Taxiarches Mitropoleos, a three-aisled vaulted basilica, with wall paintings dating back to the 10th century. At the south aisle, the church hosts the bones of Pavlos and Natalia Mela.
Agios Stefanos was built in the late 9th century and it is the only church with a women’s loft. Its beautiful wall paintings date back to the 9th century. One can still see the Episcopal throne in the sanctuary, and the walls are exteriorly adorned with ceramoplastic jewels and tiles.
Agioi Anargyroi is an impressive three-aisled basilica of the 10th century. The magnificent wall paintings of the 12th century, ordered by the famous family of Limniotes, are a work of unique expressional power and elegance.
Mansions and houses
The glorious past of the city is still present, in the majestic mansions and houses of Kastoria. They were built in the 17th and 18th century and they are the indisputable witnesses of the economic and artistic prosperity of that time, when the furriers expanded their activities outside the borders of the country.
In these houses, one can feel the balanced relation with environment, the sense of moderation and the harmonization with the human scale. These typical examples of traditional architecture are three-storeyed or four-storeyed, depending on the inclination of the ground. They have gardens and patios, high fences, closed balconies and windows with banisters.
Photo Gallery
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9002/kasto1ux1.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3339/kasto2tv5.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4318/kasto3gp3.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4871/kasto4ww9.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6804/kasto5rm7.jpg
Nice 17th, 18th and 19th century constructions mixture
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/794/kasto6yb5.jpg
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/38/kasto8ns8.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5606/kasto9ed7.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4645/kasto17xj7.jpg
A nice example of residential 16th century architecture
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5499/kasto18hk9.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5479/kasto20iq4.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1651/kasto21ze3.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2689/kasto22dk6.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3282/kasto23oq0.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/364/kasto24bt5.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5717/kasto25wv5.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8928/kasto26sd8.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9427/kasto28jv3.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5315/kasto29id1.jpg
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/6659/kasto31dw3.jpg
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/2478/kasto32xp9.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/3939/kasto33ya1.jpg
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9343/kasto35nd8.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5812/kasto36qi0.jpg
http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3013/kasto39eu1.jpg
http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9916/kasto45gh5.jpg
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/330/kasto47ri3.jpg
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/5943/kasto48lu7.jpg
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6007/kasto53fg5.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/8299/kasto71cf3.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/336/kasto72zg3.jpg
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/5253/kasto65du5.jpg
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2786/kasto73nx6.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/7231/kasto74dq6.jpg
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3567/kasto75yf8.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/62/207811803_527919ecb7_b.jpg
13th century Panaghia Kumbelidiki
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/70/207811429_03afa9785a_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/207810722_97d3fc2e0b_b.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/358626694_31a37d03d5_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1181/971713942_50858cd27c_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1135/971713916_82e7271807_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/92/207810441_9df281255c_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1208/695510666_f631ba4673_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/170608640_82e40fc101_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1309/859262135_1d278f6355_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1375/544615699_c52a879a13_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1274/544617259_80d6f35792_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1023/568491638_899cfa7c73_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/568983743_27d606ae1a_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/99/283794682_c460fbcd8a_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/283794605_65b7c51a05_o.jpg
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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/117/283795440_c6606950f0_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/283795524_47f9bfcb93_o.jpg
I'm 400 years old, please help me.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/356866715_918cd2d755_o.jpg
If you wonder what is exactly what the people of Kastoria see each morning when opening their windows, or when strolling about the lake promedade, well, here you are
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/94562044_150f9612a2_b.jpg
And here is the Kastoria's backyard
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/359812595_e854a29052_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/398952768_f1242cbb6e_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/354106487_8a2048eacf.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/512599766_6267211e58_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/512599774_e7b9488c9f_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/512599808_09d06abdfc_b.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/43729136_2e1f057d5d_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/108/308580565_b2d4226b09_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1380/906301844_ee19934be1_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/353758365_c44cf3efa7_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/355213978_162e71949e_o.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1196/582722684_177990cf5c_b.jpg
So, it's time to say good bye for the moment to Kastoria.
Next week we'll continue our travel to the town of Spetses in the homonymous island.