Greece City: Yanina

West Metsovon Old road will first run away in the Martzovikos valley and Arachtos, and then take off on the southern slope of the Miticheli Mountain (1809 m.) before the final descent to the large, overgrown reed Lake Yanina, or Pamvotida (Ioannina, Pamvotidha, Pamvotis). On his south-west shore, the Old Town of Janin (Ioannina, Yiannena, in the old our sources is often mentioned as John), founded by Slavs in the II-VII centuries on the rocky peninsula, coming into the water of the lake.

sights

Although most of the city is modern and inconspicuous (most of the old buildings were destroyed during the siege for the troops of Ali Pasha in 1821.), his historical core has kept a considerable part of his charm. Here you can see a few Stone mosques and synagogue (!) Ottoman period, Ali Pasha Fortress – Castro and inner Citadel Iz-Kale (open daily from 8.00 to 22.00; Entrance free), excellent municipal Ethnographical museum In the former Aslan Pasha Mosque (1618 g.), nearby arcades Madrasa (now hosted here Museum of medieval weapons and jewels of Fotis Rapacusis), Ottoman Necropolis Near the old mosque Fethiye-Cami (fetium-dzami, rebuilt by the Turks from the Cathedral of the XIII century), Byzantine Museum (Summer is open on Mondays from 12.30 to 19.00, from Thursday to Sunday – from 8.00 to 19.00; In winter from Thursday to Sunday – with 8.00 to 17.00; 3 euros) and currently closed Archaeological Museum.

Directly opposite the Cape lying picturesque Nish Island (Nisos-Johnanon) with his bright village and monasteries Padelimonos, Philantropyon, Ayu-Nikolau-Stratigopulu (Diliou) and Elexas (all – XIII-XVI centuries.).

Yannina Lake itself is not in the best condition and quickly overcomes the cane – the waters of the once-emitted rivers are allocated to the fields and city water intake, so in some years it almost dries. Bathing here is forbidden, the fish will not have any of the locals, but the country’s government is making efforts to revive this once pictorial reservoir.

Around the city

Approximately 5 km north of Yanina, on the opposite shore of the lake, lies the village Peram (PERAMA) – the best starting point to the largest cave system in the country, practically permeating the whole mountain of mygikeli. Caves were discovered at the end of 1940 by local residents, saved from the Italian army, and since then there are almost a third. The entrance to the underground galleries is open daily from 8.00 to 20.00 (ticket – 6 euros), and the excursion itself usually takes no more than an hour, because only a pair of the upper galleries with a total length of no more than a kilometer is passing. Not far from the entrance towers Monastery of Durakhani (1434 g.) in which a vocational school is now located.

22 km south-west of Yanina stretches the insulated Dodon Valley, within which the ruins of the ancient are detected Oracle Zeus (open daily from 8.30 to 15.00-18.00; 3 euros) – one of the few antique monuments in this part of Greece. I wonder what "Winter dodon, where the oak is guessing" Mentioned by Homer as one of the places of worship of the first Greek tribes, settled epir, in about the XIX century BC. NS. Thus, it is one of the most ancient iconic complexes in Greece, but its origin is so fully and not clear. The massive ruins of the ancient theater reached this day (297-272. to N. NS.), several rows of the stadium (III in. to N. NS.), fragments of the protective wall and channel around the orchestra, large entrance doors on the Acropolis, Boletperion and the Oracle complex itself and the temple of Zeus (it is interesting that the sanctuary as such was not to end V in. to N. NS., And the priests worshiped the sacred oak, which is quite different from the usual practice in those years). Ruins of the early Christian Basilica, built partially over the Hercules sanctuary, complete the complex, although each year of the excavation opens up all new and new elements of an ancient complex.

Reviews and studies of trips

National Park "Wikos-Aoos"

National Park Wickos-Aoos is pretty young, this year he turned 40 years old. It is located in the north-west of Greece, next to the city of Yanina. Venas Park with its beautiful species and unique canyons. Read more →