29/02/2024
“A walking tour of Ioannina Castle”
Delve into the world of Ali Pasha, one of the most powerful rulers in Greece during Ottoman times, with a tour of the monuments and museums of Ioannina Castle in Epirus
Overview
The fortified old town of Ioannina (known as the Castle of Ioannina) has a unique history. It is the oldest continuously inhabited Byzantine castle in Greece, filled with historical buildings and museums. Records show it was developed by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I in the 6th century, although excavations have revealed Hellenistic period artefacts from the 4th-3rd century BC.
But its fame today is undoubtedly linked to the late Ottoman period and Ali Pasha, who governed over a semi-autonomous state encompassing much of Greece and Albania from Ioannina. Pasha’s rule, from 1787-1822, was both brutal and charismatic – eliminating enemies (including Ottoman Turks) and making Ioannina one of the financially and culturally richest cities in Greece.
The fortified town occupies a large rocky promontory by Lake Pamvotida (Ioannina’s famous lake) and is divided into two parts. A walled northeastern citadel was known as Epano Goulas (Upper Town) in Byzantine times when it featured a palace and church dedicated to Saint John until the Christian community was expelled and the palace was replaced by the 17th-century Aslan Pasha Mosque complex. Those are the remains we see today – although you’ll enjoy simply strolling around the labyrinth of cobbled streets with Old Town houses and cafes and shops selling souvenirs.
To the southeast is the citadel (or acropolis) known by its Ottoman name, Its Kale (Inner Fortress), which is essentially a distinct enclave within the castle (with separate walls and gates). It includes a Byzantine relic (the Tower of Bohemond) and the remains of Ali Pasha’s palace and tomb as well as a mosque and former gunpowder store and other buildings, some turned into museums.
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