| Page Views: 7,126 Last Visit to Ioannina: 2003 | Ioannina and the region by StefanosS - last update: Oct 4, 2004 |
Alternative spellings: Ioannina or Yiannena
Ioannina: Some History.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian initially built the Castle of Ioannina in 528AD, around a small settlement. The tower of seignior Thomas and a small part of NW acropolis are remains of that era. Add-ons and extensions were made in 802AD and later, after 1204 (when the Byzantine Empire was abolished by the Crusaders), by the Byzantine Seigniory of Epirus. The Seigniory of Epirus remained free and independent until 1318, when it was again incorporated to the Byzantine Kingdom of Constantinople as semi-independent, but suffered by various invaders both from the North and West. In 1430 the city was surrendered to the Turks who added their own extensions and installations to the fortress. In 1611 the city was totally destroyed after the unsuccessful revolution of Dionyssios.
Ioannina was soon revived and flourished economically by commerce and manufacturing. Many citizens migrated to Italy, France, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Moldavia, Russia... They got education and returned to their home-city building schools, printing-houses, libraries, and public welfare institutions. The city started expanding more and more out of the walls. About 1790 Ali-pasha Tepelenli, a Turk-Albanian ex-robber, installed a semi-independent regime on a great part of Greece, having his seat in Ioannina and challenging even the authority of the Turk Sultan of Istanbul. As Ali-pasha supported the bourgeois and the merchandise, there was a new impetus to developing. But the Sultan sent a strong military force against him in 1821, Ali was defeated and killed and Ioannina was destroyed once again. An epidemic of plague in 1823 and two big fires (1856, 1869) were also heavy setbacks.
The city revived after the liberation in 1913.
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|  | View of Ioannina, 1843.
Steel-engraving by C. Reiss.
From the book of: Allom, T., Constantinople and the scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor, London, 1843.
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| | Ioannina, the capital of Epirus in 1870.
Coloured woodcut, 21.3x13.8 cm
by A. Yionin.
From: The Illustrated London News, London 1870.
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StefanosS's Ioannina Travel Tips
| Overview | Things to Do
Tips: 19 - Photos: 19 | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path
Tips: 4 - Photos: 4 | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips
Tips: 3 - Photos: 3 |
 StefanosS's Ioannina Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for StefanosS about Ioannina | | | | |
MacedonianUK Wed Sep 9, 2009 11:28 UTC
Lovely page of Ioannina, I was there this summer, for a very short visit, trying to locate some documents, of my Vlah ancestors living in the town in the 1800s,this brings memories. Tanx for shearing. Valentina | cps54 Wed Mar 5, 2008 13:57 UTC
Excellent travelogue for Ioannina. I intend to check out your extensive list of other locations. We visited Ioannina in 2005 and are returning this year again for 4 days. We are looking forward to it because it is really lovely there. regards, Charlie | Sininen Tue May 29, 2007 18:32 UTC
Now I am sorry that I didn't stay in Ioannina last aurumn. I spent only a few hours there on my way from Lefkas to Albania. Looks like a very interesting city. Happy birthday from Finland! | volopolo Sat Oct 14, 2006 21:16 UTC
lovely page, Nikos |
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