Kastoria: A Journey of Thousands of Years — From Ancient Orestis to the Byzantine Castle and the Fur Trade Center
Kastoria: From Antiquity to Today
-The history of Kastoria is long and particularly rich, with its geographical location playing a decisive role in its development as a strong Byzantine and later commercial center.
-The wider region is identified with ancient Orestis, where the Macedonian Orestae lived. According to ancient sources (Titus Livius), the city of Keletron (or Kilitron) was located at the site of the modern city, which was besieged by the Romans around 200 BC.
-Human presence in the area dates back to the Neolithic Era, as proven by the lakeside settlement of Dispilio (approximately 5,600-5,000 BC), which is considered one of the most important prehistoric finds in Europe.
-The Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century reformed and fortified the city (or rebuilt it on the site of the pre-existing Diocletianopolis), creating a strong castle. The city was referred to as Ioustinianoupolis or, more likely, got its name from the castle (Kastron) or the beavers (kastores), which were abundant in the lake.
-Its strategic location made it a focal point of various conflicts. During the 10th and 11th centuries, it was a bone of contention between the Byzantines and the Bulgarians. It was captured by Normans (1083), Franks (1204), and Serbs (14th century), before temporarily returning to Byzantine control.
-Despite the turmoil, the city experienced a great cultural and artistic flourishing, as evidenced by the large number (approximately 70-80) of surviving Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches, whose excellent frescoes form a unique collection.
-Kastoria was conquered by the Ottomans around 1385. The city, due to its geographical isolation and probably thanks to some agreement, acquired certain privileges and a form of local self-government, with the Orthodox Metropolitan playing a significant role.
-During the Turkocracy (Ottoman rule), Kastoria emerged as a global center of the fur trade. Kastorian merchants established commercial houses in wealthy European cities (Venice, Vienna, Leipzig, Constantinople, Moscow) and created enormous wealth. This economic prosperity led to the construction of the famous mansions in the neighborhoods of Doltso and Apozari (17th-19th centuries), which reflect the wealth and distinctive architecture of the area.
-Despite the occupation, the city remained a center of Hellenism, preserving national consciousness through the Church and the foundation of important schools (such as the Kyritsis Superior School in 1710). The Kastorians actively participated in the revolutionary movements of the 19th century, including the Macedonian Struggle.
-Kastoria was liberated by the Greek Army on November 11, 1912, during the Balkan Wars. The fur trade continued to be the main economic activity, reaching its zenith in the 1970s and 80s. The city was severely tested during World War II and the Civil War, due to its strategic location near the Grammos and Vitsi mountains.