Kastoria

Coordinates: 40°31′N 21°16′E / 40.517°N 21.267°E / 40.517; 21.267
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other places with similar names, see Castoria (disambiguation). For the racehorse, see Kastoria (horse).
Kastoria
Καστοριά
UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
521 00
Area code(s)24670
Vehicle registrationKT
Kastoria municipality map

Kastoria (

region of Western Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria regional unit, in the geographic region of Macedonia. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains. The town is known for its many Byzantine churches, Byzantine and Ottoman-era domestic architecture, its lake and its fur clothing industry.[2][3]

Name

The city is first mentioned in 550 AD, by Procopius as follows: "There was a certain city in Thessaly, Diocletianopolis by name, which had been prosperous in ancient times, but with the passage of time and the assaults of the barbarians it had been destroyed, and for a very long time it had been destitute of inhabitants; and a certain lake chances to be close by which was named Castoria. There is an island in the middle of the lake, for the most part surrounded by water; but there remains a single narrow approach to this island through the lake, not more than fifteen feet wide. And a very lofty mountain stands above the island, one half being covered by the lake while the remainder rests upon it."[4] Although Procopius refers to it as "a city of Thessaly", the description is undoubtedly that of Kastoria, a city on a promontory in a lake.

There are several theories about the origin of the name Kastoria.[5] The dominant of these is that the name derives from the Greek word κάστορας (kástoras, meaning "beaver"). Trade in the animal's fur, sourced from nearby Lake Orestiada, has traditionally been an important element of the city's economy. Other theories propose that the name derives from the Greek word κάστρο (kástro, meaning "castle"; from the Latin word castrum) or from the mythical hero Κάστωρ (Kástōr), who may have been honoured in the area. The word is sometimes written with a C, Castoria,[6] especially in older works. From Greek, the name was borrowed into Turkish as Kesriye. The Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian name of the city is Kostur (Cyrillic: Костур). The Albanian name is Kosturi, while the Aromanian name is Castoria.

Municipality

The municipality Kastoria was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 9 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[7]

The municipality has an area of 763.330 km2, the municipal unit 57.318 km2.[8] The municipal unit consists of the town Kastoria and the settlements Aposkepos, Kefalari and Chloi.[1]

Districts

  • Apózari
  • Doltsó
  • Dailaki (Myloi)
  • Doplitsa
  • Kato Agora
  • Kallithea
  • Lyv

Main streets

  • Palaiologou Street
  • Nikis Avenue
  • Christopoulou Street
  • Kyknon Avenue
  • Orestion
  • Orestiados
  • Megalou Alexandrou
  • Kapodistria
  • Ifaistou

History

For Orthodox and Catholic ecclesiastical history, see Metropolis of Kastoria.
The church of St. Stephanos (10th c.),[9] Paleologou Street

Antiquity

Main article: Celetrum

Kastoria is believed to have ancient origins.

Sulpitius during the Roman war against Philip V of Macedon (200 BC).[11]
The ancient town was possibly located on a hill above the town's current location.

The Roman Emperor

De aedificiis, 4.3.1–4) relates that, after Diocletianopolis was destroyed by barbarians, Emperor Justinian relocated it on a promontory projecting into Lake Orestiada, the town's current location, and "gave it an appropriate name", perhaps indicating that he renamed it Justinianopolis (Ίουστινιανούπολις).[13] Th. L. Fr. Tafel, in his study on the Via Egnatia
(De via militari Romanorum Egnatia, 1832), suggested that Celetrum, Diocletianopolis and Kastoria are three successive names of the same place.

Middle Ages

The church of Panagia (Koumpelidiki) (9th or 10th c.).[9]
The church of Three Saints (15th c.).[9]
The church of St Nicholas Kasnitzes (12th c.).[9]

Kastoria itself does not appear, however, until the

De Thematibus is anachronistic, drawing from the 6th-century Synecdemus). The town was in Bulgarian hands until 1018, when it was conquered by Basil II.[13]

Kastoria was occupied by the Normans under Bohemond I in 1082/83.[13] In October 1083, emperor Alexios I Komnenos forced the garrison to surrender, recovering thus the town and convincing many Norman troops, including Peter Aliphas, to enter his services.[14] The town had a significant Jewish presence,[15] most notably the 11th-century scholar Tobiah ben Eliezer.[13]

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the town became contested between several powers and changed hands often.

Nicaean Empire captured it in ca. 1252, but lost it again to Epirus in ca. 1257, only for the Nicaeans to recapture it following the Battle of Pelagonia (1259).[13]

In the early 14th century, Kastoria was part of the domain of

Serbs by the renegade Syrgiannes Palaiologos.[13]

The Serbian ruler

Symeon Uroš.[13]

The town came later under the Epirote ruler Thomas Preljubović, and finally under the Albanian Muzaka family, until it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the mid-1380s.[13]

Ottoman era

Further information: Ottoman Greece

The

zeamet of Chamberlain Mehmed Bey, and the infantry commander of Thessaloniki, Hızır. The town also had Voynuks.[20]

According to the findings of

Patriarchist Grecomans and 72 Vlachs in 1905 (excluding the Muslim population).[22]

The city would remain under Ottoman rule (as part of

First World War the bulk of the Muslim element of Kastoria's population was expelled to Nevşehir, Niğde, and Yozgat in Turkey during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey
in 1924.

Doltsó and Apózari

Papaterpos mansion
The mansion of Anastasios Picheon, now Macedonian struggle museum, Doltso Square

During the Ottoman times, Kastoria attracted a multitude of people from across the Balkans and beyond, resulting in a diverse, multi-ethnic community. As a result, the

Jewish
, became centred around separate neighbourhoods or ‘quarters’. Two old Greek lakeside quarters, the “Doltso” (Dolcho) and “Apozari” neighbourhoods, are among the best-preserved and last remaining traditional quarters of the city.

These neighbourhoods are characterised by the rich stock of old houses preserved in the shape of autonomous historic buildings, such as the important private

Byzantine and post-Byzantine township
, and remains inhabited to this day.

The traditional buildings and manor houses of the “Doltso” and “Apozari” neighbourhoods are threatened by modern development in the city, as well as structural degradation from poor levels of conservation. These sites were included on the 7 Most Endangered list of Europe's most at-risk monuments and sites in 2014.

Interwar period

The Greek census (1920) recorded 6,280 people in the town and in 1923 there were 829 inhabitants (or 242 families) who were Muslim.

Asia Minor (101) and Pontus (1).[23] The Greek census (1928) recorded 10,308 town inhabitants.[23] There were 137 refugee families (588 people) in 1928.[23]

World War II

During both

Communist Democratic Army of Greece in 1948, and the final battles of the civil war took place on the nearby Mount Gramos
in 1949.

The first Jewish community was a community of

Sephardic Jews. Many family names were of Italian origin as a result of emigrations (originally from Spain) via Italy
in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In late March 1944, under Nazi German occupation during World War II, 763 Kastorian Jews were taken prisoner by Nazi troops and sent to

Greek People's Liberation Army less than 4 months after the Jewish citizens were forced to the concentration camps. By the end of the war in 1945, only 35 of the original population had survived, the vast majority of the community having been killed in concentration camps.[24]

In 2016, a special documentary titled "Trezoros: The Lost Jews of Kastoria"[25] was released with never before seen footage. It has been created by executive producer and director Lawrence Russo (based on his parents' story) and co-director and producer Larry Confino.[26]

Economy

See also: Fur industry in Kastoria
Regional unit building
Hellenic fur center
Old era furriers, Manolaki Street
View of the old town.

Kastoria is a popular tourist destination and an international centre of

European beaver (kastóri in Greek), now extinct in the area. Trading in mink fur now predominates and every year an international showcase of fur takes place in the city.[27] Fur trade is the biggest factor of Kastoria economy and it started back to the 14th century when the city provided the ermine pelts for the lining of the robes of the Byzantine courtiers.[28] Early traders settled in Russia and Germany. After Germany's division at the end of World War II, the fur center moved from Leipzig to Frankfurt. During the Greek Civil War in the late 1940s, thousands of Kastorians migrated to the United States to take the place of aging Jewish immigrants who had formed the core of New York furriers. In 1984, 25,000 Kastorians were working and living in the area of New York, and 10,000 in Frankfurt.[28]

Now there are more than 300 small and big dealers in fur in Kastoria.[

Aristotelis Airport
.

Landmarks

View from the lake
The lake in autumn

Religious sites

See also: Churches of Kastoria

Kastoria is an important religious centre for the

St Athanasius of Mouzaki. Some of these have been restored and provide useful insight into trends in Late Byzantine styles of architecture and fresco
painting.

Kastoria used to have two

folk history was a "posthumous miracle worker" and converted many local Christians by causing a huge rock to crash into the local church. However this tekke was suppressed under a Sunni crackdown in the 19th century. Another notable tekke was located at Toplitza, near the barracks, and contained a turbe with the grave of a local notable Sandjakdar Ali Baba. There was also a turbe on the outskirts of the gypsy quarter to Aydin Baba.[31]

Museums

The Museum of Byzantine History located on Dexamenis Square houses many examples of Byzantine iconography. The Costume Museum and the Monuments Museum are also located in the city. In the village of Kastanofyto lies the Folklore Museum (Kastanofyto), which preserves folk traditions from the local area.

Kastoria is filled with old manors dating to the Ottoman period, while parts of the old Byzantine walls also stand.

Bridges

Stone bridges are an important part of the traditional architecture of Kastoria. The best known is the bridge of Zouzouli, the bridge of Koromilia, the Koutsoumpli bridge and the bridge in Beriki.

The Bridge of Zouzouli, located in a remote area on the southern tip of the prefecture of Kastoria, is built over the waters of the stream of Zouzouli and connects mt. Smolikas with mt. Voio. It is arched, has a length of 25 meters and a height of 7 meters. Constructed in 1880 by artisans coming from Konitsa. The construction was financed from either a man, in memory of his brother who drowned in the river, or from a ruler who, moved by the drowning of a little girl, wanted to build the bridge.

The bridge of Koutsoumpli is located between the mountains of Voio and Smolikas, over the river of Zouzouli and it previously connected the villages of Eptachori and Zouzouli. Its arch is 14 meters wide, 8 meters high and it has a total length of 33 meters and a width of 2.40 meters.

The bridge in Beriki has a very thin arch and a great height. It was manufactured by master builder Sdrolios, who came from the village of Dendrochori, probably in 1866. Next to the bridge there was possibly a watermill and an inn. Probably, this is where the name of the region came from (inn Beriki).

The bridge of Koromilia is built over the Ladopotamos river and it used to connected the village of Koromilia with the one of Dendrochori. It is arched and has a length of 26 meters, a width of 2.80 meters, a height of 7 meters and an arch opening of 16 meters. It was built in 1865 and consists of limestone and schist slate.

Education

The School of Sciences of University of Western Macedonia with two departments (Informatics and Mathematics) is based in the city,[33] as well as the departments of Communication and Digital Media[34] and Economics.[35]

Cuisine

Further information: Greek Macedonian cuisine

Local specialities include:

Sports

Kastoria F.C.
crest

Greek Cup after an impressive 5–2 victory over Iraklis FC
in the final.

Rowing: London 2012 Olympic Games: Giannis Christou , Christina Giazitzidou

Brazil 2016 Olympic Games: Giannis Christou

Kastoria B.C.

Population

Year Town Municipal unit Municipality
1981 20,660 – –
1991 14,775 – –
2001 14,813 16,218 –
2011 13,387 16,958 35,874
2021 - 16,393 33,095

Location

 Bilisht   Florina    Amyntaio – Edessa 
 Korçë   Ptolemaida – Veria    
 Ioannina   Neapoli, Kozani – Siatista – Grevena    Kozani – Larissa 

Climate

Kastoria has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). As a result of the moderating effect of the lake, it records less extreme temperatures than the rest of Western Macedonia.

Climate data for Kastoria city (623m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 7.2
(45.0) 		11.8
(53.2) 		14.7
(58.5) 		17.3
(63.1) 		23.3
(73.9) 		27.8
(82.0) 		30.4
(86.7) 		31.3
(88.3) 		26.4
(79.5) 		19.6
(67.3) 		13.9
(57.0) 		9.2
(48.6) 		19.4
(66.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.1
(30.0) 		0.8
(33.4) 		3
(37) 		6
(43) 		10.2
(50.4) 		14.3
(57.7) 		16.9
(62.4) 		16.9
(62.4) 		13.5
(56.3) 		8.6
(47.5) 		5.8
(42.4) 		2.8
(37.0) 		8.1
(46.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 50
(2.0) 		54
(2.1) 		61
(2.4) 		79
(3.1) 		81
(3.2) 		48
(1.9) 		40
(1.6) 		31
(1.2) 		46
(1.8) 		66
(2.6) 		65
(2.6) 		40.5
(1.59) 		661.5
(26.09)
Source: http://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/kastoria/ (2019-2021 averages) & (precipitation)

Notable people

Statue of Athanasios Christopoulos

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Greece

Twin towns — sister cities

Kastoria is

twinned
with:

Gallery

  • Fresco by Onufri at the Holy Apostles church
    Fresco by Onufri at the Holy Apostles church
  • Emmanuel mansion (18th c.), currently housing the Costume Museum
    Emmanuel mansion (18th c.), currently housing the Costume Museum
  • A statue of Germanos Karavangelis
    A statue of Germanos Karavangelis
  • The Holocaust memorial
    The Holocaust memorial
  • Geese at the Lake of Kastoria
    Geese at the
    Lake of Kastoria
  • Hotel "Kastoria"
    Hotel "Kastoria"
  • Pouliopoulos mansion
    Pouliopoulos mansion
  • Sts Cosmas and Damian (Anargiroi) church, of 11th century, beside the lake
    Sts Cosmas and Damian (Anargiroi) church, of 11th century, beside the lake
  • Plan of the medieval Bulgarian fortress
    Plan of the medieval Bulgarian fortress

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^
    OCLC 54500822.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  3. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  4. ^ Procopius "Περί κτισμάτων" "On buildings", book IV, 1.3.
  5. ^ "Καστοριά – Προέλευση Του Ονόματος (Kastoria – origin of the name)" (in Greek). Δήμος Καστοριάς (City of Kastoria). Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  6. ^ "K". The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989, online". dictionary.oed.com. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  7. ^ "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  8. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
  9. ^
    ISBN 960-85882-1-9
    , p.23. (in Greek)
  10. ISBN 960-7265-01-7
  11. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia, 1907, s.v. Castoria
  12. ^ D. C. Samsaris, Dioclétianopoleis – Deux fondations de Dioclétien en Macédoine, BYZANTINA 16(1991)65–72
  13. ^
    ISBN 0-19-504652-8
    .
  14. ISBN 978-1-317-49643-4
    . Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Kastoria". jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  16. ISBN 954-427-216-X
  17. OCLC 22452904
    .
  18. ISBN 978-1-884964-02-2
  19. ^ "Το τζαμί της Καστοριάς και η ιστορία του" [Kursum Mosque of Kastoria and its history]. fouit.gr (in Greek). May 11, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  20. ISSN 0041-4255
    .
  21. ^ Kanchov, Vasil. Македония. Етнография и Статистика. I изд. Бълг. Книжовно Д-во, София, 1900; II фототипно изд. "Проф. М. Дринов", София, 1996). 43. Костурска Каза
  22. ^ Dimitri Mishev and D. M. Brancoff, La Macédoine et sa Population Chrétienne, p. 180
  23. ^ a b c d Pelagidis, Efstathios (1992). Η αποκατάσταση των προσφύγων στη Δυτική Μακεδονία (1923-1930) [The rehabilitation of refugees in Western Macedonia: 1923-1930] (Ph.D.). Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. p. 76. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  24. ^ a b c "The Holocaust in Greece". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
  25. ^ "Little is known about the former Sephardic communities of Greece. This is one town's story". Trezoros. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  26. ^ "Wiped out 'in the blink of an eye': Only 35 Jews survived from a 2,000-year-old Greek community". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  27. ^ Zikakou, Ioanna (10 August 2014). "This Town Could Die from the Russian Import Embargo to Greece | GreekReporter.com". Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  28. ^
    ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2019-03-29.
  29. ^ "ραδιοφωνικός χάρτης | Ραδιόφωνο (Greek radio stations, Kastoria)". radiofono.gr. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  30. ^ "Εφημερίδα Μακεδονία | Η εφημερίδα της Θεσσαλονίκης (Makedonia newspaper, article of 2008/06/29 by Dimitra Tsapodimou)". makthes.gr. Archived from the original on 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  31. ^ a b Hasluck, F. W.. Geographical Distribution of the Bektashi. The Annual of the British School of Athens, vol. 21, pp 84–124. Pages 106–107: "Kastoria.-- The tekke is situated at the entrance to the town on the Florina road. It is now small and insignificant ... but is said to be ancient and formerly important. It suffered during the persecution of 1826. The chief saint buried here, Cassim Baba, is supposed to have lived at the time of the Turkish conquest, and enjoys considerable local fame as a posthumous miracle-worker. He is said during his lifetime to have converted many Christians by the somewhat crude method of hurling from the hill... a huge rock, which crashed into a church full of worshippers.
    Of a second tekke, occupied within living memory, at Toplitza (near the barracks) only the turbe and grave of Sandjakdar Ali Baba remain. The Bektashis also lay claim to the grave of Aidin Baba, in a humble turbe on the outskirts of the gypsy quarter."
  32. ISBN 9789333459358
    .
  33. ^ "Schools and Departments". University of Western Macedonia. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  34. ^ "Greeting | Department of Communication and Digital Media". Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  35. ^ "Contact us". Economics Department | Kastoria. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  36. ISBN 978-1-78023-863-0
    .
  37. S2CID 189889087
    .
  38. ^ "Twinnings" (PDF). Central Union of Municipalities & Communities of Greece. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  39. ^ "Plovdiv has yet another sister city". Retrieved 2015-03-01.

External links

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