TRAVEL TUESDAY 439 - KASTORIÁ, GREECE

"We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form." -  William Inge

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Kastoria (Greek: Καστοριά, Kastoriá) is a city in northern Greece in the 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.

Kastoria is a popular tourist destination and an international centre of fur trade, having taken so the nickname “The City of the Fur Traders”. Tourism and the fur industry dominate the local economy. Indeed, the town was possibly named after one of the former staples of the trade – the European beaver (kastóri in Greek), now extinct in the area (hmmm, I wonder why?). Trading in mink fur now predominates and every year an international showcase of fur takes place in the city. Fur trade is the biggest factor in the economy of the city, and it started back in the 14th century when the city provided the ermine pelts for the lining of the robes of the Byzantine courtiers.

Kastoria is an important religious centre for the Greek Orthodox Church and is the seat of a metropolitan bishop. The Metropolis of Kastoria is one of the metropolises of the New Lands in Greece, administered as part of the Church of Greece.  The city originally had 72 Byzantine and medieval churches, of which 54 have survived, including that of 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.

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

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