Byzantine Museum of Ioannina, Ioannina Travel Guide

The Byzantine Museum of Ioannina, inaugurated in 1995, resides within the southeastern acropolis of Its Kale, part of the larger Ioannina Castle. The museum's main building, constructed in 1958 as a Royal Pavilion, reflects local architectural traditions. The museum's collection spans the Early Christian, Byzantine, and Post-Byzantine periods, featuring sculptures, excavation finds from Arta, pottery, manuscripts, early printed books, post-Byzantine icons, and silverware. Key exhibits include a 13th-century wall painting fragment from Arta depicting Judas's betrayal, a 12th-century marble iconostasis fragment, 14th-century glazed clay icons, and a 15th-century chancel door. The museum also displays a 1499 printed edition of Simplicius's comments on Aristotle and a 1575 manuscript Gospel. Visitors can explore the prosperous early Christian cities of Epirus, the Despotate of Epirus, and Ioannina's artistic and spiritual significance during Ottoman rule. The museum hosts a silver craft exhibition and displays related to the Ioannina Castle, Ali Pasha's life, and the region's historical and artistic remnants. The museum also houses workshops for preserving ceramics, frescoes, mosaics, and stone artifacts.