The castle of Ioannina was built in 528 p. C. in
the frames of Emperor Ioustinianos's plan for
the fortification of the Byzantine state. It is
the oldest Byzantine castle, which was the
biggest administrative centre of entire Greece
during Ali Pasha's era. The Greek letters
were developed in the Castle, where Ali
Pasha lived his big love with dame-Vasiliki,
where he also fell in love with dame-Frosini,
his son's mistress. The great teachers
of the Nation taught in the Castle and the
big chieftains studied the art of war. This
castle of historical importance is constituted
by four sections: the exterior grounds, the
NW citadel with Aslan Pasha Mosque, the SE
citadel with Its Cale and Kastropoliteia, the old
city of Ioannina. The area inside its walls is
about 200 acres, the perimeter is 2.000 metres
and its width is 10 m. There are a lot of buildings
that you will admire in the Castle, such as:
 
Soufari Serai
It is a magnificent two-storied building, in
which Ali Pasha's Faculty of Cavalry was
accommodated. The upper floor is supported
in a system of galleries and has 50 windows.
 
Τhe Cookshops
It is a building with characteristic
chimneys in the citadel of Its Cale.
Today a very picturesque coffee shop
worth visiting is accommodated there.
Voimoundos Tower
It was built in the frames of the Byzantine
fortification in the centre of Its Cale citadel during
the period of Norman Voimoundos' expedition in
Ioannina in 1082. Ali Pasha built his glorious
serai in its ruins, which was set on fire in 1822.
 
Three of the most important museums of
Ioannina are also situated in the Castle:
Τhe Byzantine Museum
It is situated in the citadel of Its Cale. Findings
from the Byzantine and the post Byzantine period,
sculptures, currencies, but also heirlooms, icons
and other objects from the 16th until the
19th century are exposed there.
Opening hours: 08:30 to 17:00 except
Mondays and official holidays.
Entrance ticket: 1,47 euro standard, 0,88
euro for students and overage people.
 
The Municipal Ethnographic Museum of Ioannina
It is situated in the Mosque of Aslan Pasha.
Before you enter the museum you will see the
Turkish barracks on your left, the baths and a
small building which was used as a library. The
museum contains exhibits of the Greek, the
Turkish and the Jewish community. You will
admire Karaiskakis' damask sword, local
costumes, weaving and silver collections,
woodcut exhibits and other findings.
Opening hours : 08:00 to 15:00 in winter
from Monday until Friday and 09:00 to
17:00 at the weekend. In summer it
is open every day from 08:00 to 20:00.
Entrance ticket: 3 euro standard,
1 euro for pupils and students.
 
The Museum of Fotis Rapakousis
It is opposite the mosque of Aslan Pasha. It is
a museum of weapons, in which swords,
knives, sabres and other kinds of weapons
are exposed from the ante-revolutionary
period until the Balkan wars. Various other
objects such as currencies, domestic
utensils, jewels etc are also exposed.
Opening hours : Every day from 08:00
to 20:00 in summer and from 08:00
to 15:00 in winter.
Entrance ticket: 3 euro standard,
1 euro for pupils and students.