Discovering the Treasures of Ioannina’s Island

Here I am in Ioannina, pronounced ‘Yannena’ but if you listen to a local say it, there is a very gentle “ee-oh” at the front of it. Ioannina is a vibrant university town and one of the four regional units of Epirus and also serves as the administrative centre for the region. My route here was from the Diapontia islands via Corfu and then by bus from Igoumenitsa. However, there are direct bus routes from Thessaloniki and Athens and on the outskirts of the town, there is a small regional airport.

Ioannina is located 480 metres above sea level and is bordered by Albania to the north where the Pindus mountain range begins. Known as the backbone of Greece, the Pindus mountains run for 160km through Macedonia, Epirus and down to Karpenissi stopping just short of the north of the Peloponnese. The mountains in Epirus provide visitors with endless opportunities to get out into nature and experience many activities including hiking, trekking (apparently there’s a difference), cycling, rock climbing, paragliding, skiing (at the right time of year) and a whole host of other activities that require a certain level of exertion – but none of those are obligatory.

The prominent mountains in Epirus are made up of Tymfi, Smolikas (is that a character for the Lord of the Rings?), Grammos, Lakmos, Athamanika, Xerovouni, Dousko, Tomaros, Souli and finally Ioannina’s nearest mountain, Mitsikeli. Mount Mitsikeli stands at just 1810 metres in elevation – one of the lowest mountains in the range.

Even if you haven’t visited this part of Greece you’ve likely heard of the Vikos Gorge, a 32-kilometre canyon that lies below Mount Tymfi. It made it into the Guinness Book of Records for being the deepest gorge in the world in relation to its width.

Ioannina’s most iconic landmark is Lake Pamvotida meaning ‘she who feeds everyone’. Not only is it the largest lake in Epirus, it is one of the oldest in Europe at a mere 3 million years old. There are several legends and stories associated with the lake – but more of that later.

On the edge of the lake is a small island. It doesn’t have an official title but will answer to the name of ‘The island’, ‘Ioannina island’, ‘Nisaki’ and ‘No name island’. The first inhabitants of the island were monks who from Byzantine times established seven monasteries, funded by wealthy benefactors. Nowadays the local population works primarily as fishermen making their living from the lake where they fish for eels, crayfish and carp. I’m itching to get over there to see it for myself!

Nisaki Lines operates a boat service that runs regularly between the lakeside and the island. Depending on the season and the time of day, there is a departure hourly or every thirty minutes and the cost is 2.50€ per person with concessions. When I arrived at the lake, the thick coat of mist that had completely covered it this morning had already begun to lift, rolling away to reveal the flat sheet of water. There is something ‘other worldly’ about the lake. It has an essence of mystery and intrigue and a place that if it could, would have many stories to tell.

A boat was waiting to depart so I hopped on board and took a seat. It took just 10 minutes to cross, passing alongside the western side of the island to the tip where it docked. After disembarking I followed the other passengers past a couple of cafes and several tourist shops. Samples of sesame seed bars and other sweet treats were thrust towards us to tempt us in to buy. I’m tempted alright but I continued along the narrow streets to the square lined with several tavernas. I had no idea where to start, but as my fellow travellers headed left, I went right, always preferring to dance to the beat of my own drum.

I’m led down a network of narrow alleyways lined with stone walls. I was immediately taken by the architecture of the houses with their interesting schist roofs which oozed gingerbread house charm. Schist is a metamorphic rock with an unusual appearance that splits like slate.

After weaving my way along several alleyways I arrived on the western side of the island adjacent to the route of the passenger boat. The water’s edge was buffeted by substantial reed beds that play host to ducks, geese, swans, cormorants and moorhens. Channels have been carved through the reeds to create a safe harbour for all manner of lake-faring vessels. Tied up to narrow jetties are brightly coloured caiques and primary-coloured passenger boats hibernating for the winter.

As fishing is the islanders’ primary occupation, almost every homestead owns a boat. The name of the lake – She who feeds everyone, is true in many senses. In times of hardship the lake provided the main source of food for locals and fish was also traded for other commodities such as wheat.

Just beyond the jetties, the main settlement comes to an immediate stop and the landscape is replaced by a rocky incline covered in swathes of pine and oak. It rises to 59 metres above the surface of the lake. The island covers 200 acres (800 mtrs x 500 mtrs) of which only a quarter is taken up by dwellings and businesses. The rest forms a beautiful nature reserve and is home to all manner of flora and fauna. Sitting at the edge of the village I spot the first of the seven monasteries on the island, the Filanthropinos Monastery of Agios Nikolaos. It’s the oldest monastery on the island having been established in 1291 by its namesake Michael Filanthropinos who dedicated it to St Nikolaos.

I continued along the stone path which follows the water’s edge. Soon after a side path led me up to the Monastery of Stratigopoulos Monastery of Agios Nikolaos. The monasteries are linked by a network of paths making them easily accessible. I then found myself at the entrance to the Monastery of Panagia Elousa and just beyond is the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord. It’s like going on a treasure hunt for monasteries! Four out of the seven is a good start. All the monasteries are closed but I found out later that just two are open to the public and are now operating on winter opening times. I’ll come back another day and time it a little better.

My walk around the perimeter of the lake was in complete solitude. The only other signs of life came from the wildlife that inhabited the reedbeds along the shore. An abundance of autumn wildflowers are on display including fuschia pink cyclamen, valerian and hollyhocks, bright yellow autumn crocus and purple campanula sprouting from cracks in the rocks. There’s so much colour for early October.

As I reached the southernmost tip of the island, the reed beds and the trees on the shoreline began to thin out to give an open view of the largest part of the lake. The water is as flat as glass and casts a mirror-like reflection of the foothills of Mount Miskikeli. In the distance, I can hear the gentle chugging of a motor and turn to see a fisherman in a long caique whose ripples slowly break the reflection of the mountain. I can just make out his broad-brimmed hat, ‘de rigeur’ for the local fisherfolk. The Eastern side of the island is almost within touching distance of the shores of the villages that face Ioannina town.

This place is a perfect haven of serenity and an ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of the town. I’m already a month into what has so far been a very hectic trip so I take a moment to immerse myself in the warm autumn sun and reflect on the journey so far and also what is yet to come.

Before long I arrived back on the edge of the village. Here I find another monastery. The Monastery of Agios Ioannis Prodromos was founded in 1506 by two monk brothers called Nektarios and Theofanis Apsaras. It’s closed but a note on the door does say that it can be visited by prior arrangement.

Just beyond the monastery is the Ali Pasha and Revolutionary Period Museum, one of my ‘must-do’s’ whilst in Ioannina.

So, Ali Pasha – where to begin describing this powerful, enigmatic and sometimes cruel character? Be prepared, it isn’t all ‘Boo, Hiss, he’s a Baddie’ though you may not form an affection for him either! The story is long and complicated but I’ve done my best to precis it down to give a whistle-stop tour of the Lion of Ioannina.

Ali Pasha was born in Albania to a Christian family who converted to Islam under the Ottoman occupation. At the age of 14, his father a governor in Tepelene, Albania was murdered leaving the family destitute. His mother (and you’ll see where he got his character from) formed a band of brigands to replenish the family’s wealth and status. Ali became a notorious leader of the band which operated in Albania and Epirus. In later years he held administrative and military positions where his power and reputation grew rapidly.

He was intelligent and cunning and his ruthless approach led to him to the position of Pasha of Thessaly. His ambitions didn’t end there. He took advantage of the absence of the Pasha of Ioannina to wheedle his way in and take over that position too. It’s a far more complicated story but you’ll get the gist. He eventually ruled over large swathes of territory that included Ioannina, most of Albania, Macedonia and the Peloponnese, and northern Evia. His rule lasted for more than 32 years.

The Sultan had suspicions about Ali Pasha and his ever-increasing power. Ali Pasha distracted him by showering him with elaborate gifts to maintain the status quo.

He relied on the Greeks to help him realise his ambitions and Ioannina became recognised as an international centre for commerce and politics. As I’d intimated in my previous post, several of the Greek heroes of the Greek War of Independence served under him. The English and the French competed for his alliance and he was admired by such notables as Lord Byron, Alexander Doumas and Goethe.

Ali Pasha had a burgeoning harem consisting of around 300 women. I don’t know how many official wives he had but there was one wife of note, a woman from Thesprotia named Vassiliki Kontaxi. When she was 12 years of age her father was arrested by Ali Pasha. Being a determined child she took it upon herself to seek an audience her father’s captor where she pleaded for his life. He was eventually pardoned and later she married Ali Pasha in a Christian wedding and subsequently joined his harem.

Kyra Vassiliki was a force to be reckoned with and she also had ambitions of her own. She was allowed to practice her Christian faith and undertook several charitable initiatives. It is said that she liaised with the Filiki Eteria a secret organisation whose objective was to overthrow the Ottoman Empire. Ali Pasha was also said to have donated large sums of money to it. The plot thickens!

During his reign Ali Pasha built many churches but not one mosque. He fortified his territory with substantial castles, built roads, public buildings, bridges, schools and ports and he also opened mines and drained swamps. He nominated apostle Patrokosmas Aitolos as a saint Although he’d brought a certain level of peace to the region, he ruled with an iron fist and his reign was always under a cloud of terror.

Of course, if you live a life full of skullduggery, it will often come back to bite you on the proverbial. And that it did. In July 1820, after becoming increasingly concerned about AP’s rapid gains in territory, the Sultan declared Ali Pasha a renegade and a traitor. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Ali Pasha was able to avoid capture for 18 months but then in a fortuitous turn of events (not for AP), his Greek generals ditched him to join the Greek War of Independence. His Albanian generals swapped sides and joined the Sultan’s army leaving old AP with much depleted resources to defend his territory (and himself). It was futile and he had no choice but to beg the Sultan for mercy. An equally tricksy Hursit Pasha, head of the Turkish army, lied to him, telling him that the Sultan accepted his apology but with conditions. He would have to hand over the castle and all his treasures and move to his country house on the island.

Ali Pasha had no choice and fled to the island with Kyria Vassiliki and a handful of his soldiers where he waited for the written notice of acquittal. Hursit Pasha surrounded the island with his army and instead of sending Ali Pasha the pardon, he issued him with a decree demanding his execution. AP was furious and with his meagre army tried to put up the best fight he could. The Sultan’s men were able to infiltrate the island and corner AP in the Monastery of St Panteleimon where he’d sought refuge. It was here that AP met his demise in a most gruesome way.

He was initially shot in the stomach through cracks in the floorboards from a monastery cell below. Now severely wounded, he was dragged to the top of the staircase where his head was sliced from his shoulders ready to be sent to the Sultan – maybe on a plate, maybe not. Greece subsequently gained its freedom from the Ottomans after the successful Greek War of Independence.

What of Kyria Vassilki? She was taken prisoner and sent to the Ottoman capital in Constantinople. She was later pardoned and eventually returned to Greece where she died in later life. Now to go into the museum and see where it all happened!

I purchased my ticket from a small desk at the entrance to the site. The Monastery of St Panteleimon has housed the Museum of Ali Pasha since 2012. The monastery was established in the 15th century. Its location below the cliff resulted in several devastating rockfalls that damaged the temple of the monastery. During the rebuilding, the original structure was incorporated into the new structure.

An old canon in the courtyard of the museum was a gift from the King of England It was just one of many canons gifted to the Lion of Ioannina by the English. It was the most technologically advanced for the time and is the only one that still survives.

I entered the main part of the museum via a set of steps to the top floor. The museum is packed full of interesting artefacts and stories which would take much too long to describe here. Besides I urge everyone to come and visit and see for yourselves. The stand-out features are Ali Pasha’s famous gold-plated kariofili or rifle, protected in a glass case and other examples of elaborately engraved weaponry (if that’s your thing). The walls are adorned with pictures depicting his life including one of his head being presented to the Sultan! Also on the top floor, kept for posterity are the cracks in the floorboards that brought the lion down.

There is a tableau depicting a day in the life of AP and Kyra Vasiliki relaxing by the warmth of their fireplace in the winter living room. They are dressed in the contemporary costumes of the day. On the levels below you’ll find additional rooms exhibiting examples of exquisite Epirot silver jewellery and mannequins displaying beautifully embroidered traditional costumes.

Outside in the grounds of the monastery is a flower-filled courtyard that overlooks the lake. Now, I had to brace myself in preparation for the next part of the visit. There is a small annexe on the other side of the courtyard that houses an exhibit called The Drowning. If you don’t know the story of Kyra Frosini, let me give you an overview but this I guarantee will stick in the gall of anyone who is remotely a feminist.

Euphrosyne Vasileiou known as Kyra Frosini was a beautiful and intelligent socialite married to Dimitrios Vasileiou a wealthy merchant who spent much of his time trading in Venice. (A merchant of Venice but not THE merchant of Venice). She was very much part of the local social scene and it was through this that she met Muhtar, the son of Ali Pasha. Muhtar was also married but it didn’t prevent the two of them from developing an affection for each other and subsequently a passionate affair.

Neither of them had been particularly discreet about their shenanigans. Muhtar’s wife heard about the affair and approached Ali Pasha to complain. Maybe ‘complain’ was putting it too mildly. She was outraged and jealous and demanded that Kyra Frosini be severely punished. AP sent his guards to arrest Kyra Frosini along with 17 other women suspected of adultery.

Of course, no story is always as straightforward as it seems and the web was far more tangled than that. Rumour had it that Ali Pasha also had a thing for Kyra Frosini and he was jealous of her affections for his son and the influence she had over him. Another thought is that Kyra Frosini had been actively involved in the resistance against the Ottoman Empire (hmmm – pots and kettles!). Whatever the truth, all of the charges would be punishable by death.

The local community were in uproar about the arrests and showed their anger through violent protests. AP responded swiftly in order to curtail the dissent. Of the 18 women arrested, just one was released. The remaining 17 women were shown less mercy. It is said that they were sewn into sacks and in the depth of the night, were taken by boat to the middle of the lake. Here they were thrown overboard and left to drown. Was there any punishment for Muhtar? No of course there wasn’t.

The women’s bodies were later washed up on the shores of the lake. They were given a full burial with honours at Agios Anargyroi by Kyra Frosini’s uncle, the bishop Gabriel. Kyra Frosini became a hero and a symbol of Ioannina’s freedom from the clutches of the Ottoman Empire.

Now to enter into The Drowning. After taking a few steps down into the exhibit I was confronted with a representation of the horror that had taken place over two centuries ago. It almost took my breath away. A long boat surrounded by faceless spectres dressed in black, standing over a helpless Kyra Frosini about to be taken out onto the lake to meet her demise. This scene in itself was unnerving but to add to the chilling atmosphere, the 1959 black and white film The Lake of Sighs played on a screen in the background. Irene Pappas totally embodied the distraught Kyra Frosini with a melodramatic performance. If that wasn’t enough – my God the music! The music, a gut-wrenching lament sent visceral shock waves through my body and left me chilled to the core. There weren’t many people visiting the exhibit. Those that did came and went. I just sat and absorbed the sights and sounds in front of me.

After leaving the museum, I couldn’t get the music out of my head. It seemed to have seeped into my soul and taken up residence. I needed to find out more. I did go back to the museum several days later to ask the ladies at the ticket desk if they could give me further information. They told me the music was the theme tune from the film The Lake of Sighs. Towards the end of my stay in Ioannina, with the help of a friend I was told that the composer of the music was Takis Morakis. The lyrics were by the Greek poet Aristotelis Valaoritis. Even armed with this information I couldn’t find any trace of the music or the film online. I was able to find other examples of Epirot polyphonic singing and similar types of lament – but not the one I was looking for. The search goes on.

Anyway, I haven’t quite finished with the island today. A whole gamut of emotions had been through the wringer this afternoon and I needed food and more urgently, a swift drink! I found my way back to the square (that’s actually a triangle) in the centre of the village. Now where to eat? I usually head in the opposite direction of any taverna where the staff try to pull customers in. I don’t like being pressured into a place but in this case, I liked the look of the tavern. Like several tavernas on the island, With Miss Lioupi In Mind (waiting to be corrected on translation) specialises in the treasures of the lake such as eels, crayfish and carp some of which are displayed in a large tank. According to the menu, frog legs and trout are also on offer.

My repertoire of fish-eating is pretty limited to cod and haddock so I was never going to opt for any of these delicacies. There’s also something about picking out a live creature from a tank to eat that doesn’t appeal to me. I prefer to remain blissfully ignorant about how my food meets its demise. I mean, look at those imploring expressions. They may be ugly buggers but their faces are telling me “I’m a Carp. Get me Out of Heeeeeeeere!

Anyway, let’s get that ouzo ordered with Tzatziki, bread and meatballs to soak it up. I’m emotionally drained! The meatballs served are actually meat mountains – I’ve never seen such big balls but goodness that ouzo is good! Now where’s that boat to take me back?

Update. Even though this was my first full day in Ioannina, I realised that 6 days wasn’t going to be long enough. The place had already begun to get under my skin. I contacted my host and extended my stay to ten.