SIGHTS

The Ioannina Castle is the city's reference point.  The present fortification dates back to the reconstruction under Ali Pasha in 1815.  

Access to the castle up to 1913 was only possible if a staircase was lowered from the inside becasuse the lake and the water french surrounded the castle's outer walls.  

We enter the castle from the main gate,situated at the end of Averof street, where the Turks hung Martyr George, Patron of Ioannina.

Above the main gate discern the coat of arms of Ali Pasha.  On the right side, rises above the wall, the tower built during the Turkish reign the "Venetian" clock.  This clock was destroyd by Italians in 1917 and was recently replaced by locals.

The narrow streets lead us to the hill, to the mosque of Aslan Pasha in northern Citadel built in 1618 by the homonymous Pasha to commemorate the crash of the revolution of Dionysios Philosopher (1611).  It dominates the most beautiful part of the city with spectacular views of the lake, the island and the city itself.

The mosque is situated on the former location of the church of Agios Ioannis Prodromos (Saint John the Baptist), which was destroyed in 1611.  Today the site serves as the Municipal Museum.  Strolling alonng the uphill road on the left and right you will find several buildings of the Turkish rule.

To the right we find the Turkish (hamam) baths, built with unique architecture ( cross-shaped, with vaulted dome).  They included changing rooms, bath roomms and retreat.

The baths constituted commmunication space, especially for women, for which a special preperation bath was planned. 

On the left the known Soufari Sary. It was a two-storey building with a stone exterior staircase and wooden roof.  This is the cammp of Ali Pasha, where trained the protagonists of '21 ( Od. Androutsos, Karaiskakis M, Botsaris Ath., Diakos etc).

The Turkish library, built in the early 19th century includes a square hallway and two rooms on the sides.

The vaulted roofs are equisite art and remain intact.  Unfortunatelly books or manuscripts were not saved.

Leaving the north Acropolis, we go inside  the fortress, the Its Kale (or inner Citadel). Before entering this area we find the Platanus or Plane tree where the klepht leader Katsandonis martyred in 1807.

 The portal is commanding and is kept in very good condition.  Above the arch were two embossed lions with the word "Aslan" but were stolen.  

At  the far left, rises the Fethiye Mosque which was built in 1618 in place of the Christian church of  Archangel Michael. Next to the mosque stands the marble base of the family tommb of Ali Pasha.  His headless body and wife Emine are buried there. 

His head was buried in Istabul together with his children, Mukhtar, Veli, and Mehnet Salih, executed by order of the sultan.  The nice iron railing was stolen in possession.  In the place where the Byzantine museum operates, since 1995, was the Saray of Ali Pasha, which was built in 1789 and was an administrative centre, which burnt down in 1870.  Right from the Byzantine museum are the remains of the harem of Ali Pasha.

Tower Voimoundos (bastion) is one of the few medieval buildings that survived.  It bears the name of Norman Conqueror of Ioannina (1082AD).  During the Turkish rule he housed financial services.  On the south of Castle Citadel, near the tower of Voimoundos and in contact with the church of St. Anargyroi are preserved the gunpowder warehouses of Ali Pasha.