Byzantine Museum of Kastoria: A treasure trove of Byzantine religious art

After its recent renovation, the Museum reopened its doors to the public in October 2016, featuring a new permanent exhibition. It’s a unique case of a thematic museum, since its collections mainly consist of portable religious paintings dating back to the Byzantine and post- Byzantine periods.The galleries, positioned around a central atrium, trace the artistic heritage of Kastoria in three distinct units: “Byzantine Kastoria”, “Post- Byzantine Kastoria” and “Post-Byzantine Artistic Workshops”.

The exhibition includes portable icons of exceptional craftsmanship of various types, including processional icons, despotic icons, devotional icons, epistyle icons, and iconostasis sanctuary doors. A few fragments of detached frescoes, coins and jewelry complement our insight into the thriving society and art of the period. Informative panels with visual material weave together a series of captivating human stories that illuminate lesser-known aspects of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Kastoria. Particular emphasis is placed on the founders of the churches, local officials, noblewomen and renowned artists who shaped the history of the city. Additionally, interactive digital applications encourage visitors to discover the numerous monuments of the city, while discovering the secrets behind the technique of creating a Byzantine icon.

The new exhibition highlights Kastoria’s significance and influence within both the Byzantine Empire and the Post-Byzantine period, while showcasing the unique richness of its iconographic heritage. The exhibition instigates an open dialogue with the churches in the historic city center, where these precious icons were originally found. This way, the museum becomes the starting point for a journey through the neighborhoods and cobbled alleyways of the Byzantine castle – a voyage through space and time in a city that is often dubbed an “open-air museum”.