Folklore Museum of Kastoria
Folklore museum in the 17th-century Nerantzi Aivazi mansion in Doltso, by the lake, with authentic rooms, furniture and utensils.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Folklore Museum of Kastoria is housed in the Nerantzi Aivazi mansion, a 17th-century mansion in the Doltso district on the shore of the lake. The name of the first owner has not survived. The house originally belonged to the Chontroyannis family and for years was known as the “Mansion of Tasia”, after the widow of the owner, before it later took the name of the Aivazi family.
The building has a U-shaped ground plan and opens towards the lake, while the north side remains blind for protection against the cold. It has tall boundary walls, iron-grilled windows on the ground floor, sachnisia (projecting upper floors) and timber bonding, the so-called chatilia, which act as an earthquake-resistant band. Since the 1970s its care and presentation have been undertaken by the Musical and Literary Society “Harmonia”, and the museum has been operating since 1972.
The visit includes the ground floor with the cellars and the kneading room (zymotari), the winter and summer ontades (rooms), the Doxatos, the large reception hall with its coloured stained glass, and the Parthenon, the hidden mezzanine where the women followed the social events. Authentic furniture, utensils and tools of everyday life are on display, as well as equipment of the furriery trade, such as the tezgiachi and a Jacoby sewing machine of 1884. The courtyard leads to the Avgati, the private access area to the lake.
Highlights
- 17th-century mansion with U-shaped ground plan and projecting sachnisia
- The Doxatos, the large reception hall with coloured stained glass
- The Parthenon, the hidden mezzanine of the house
- Furriery equipment: tezgiachi and Jacoby sewing machine of 1884
- Avgati, the mansion's access to the lake
- Virtual tour of the mansion's rooms
Permanent exhibition
- Το αρχοντικό Νεράντζη Αϊβάζη – The rooms of the mansion, with authentic furniture, utensils and tools, show everyday life, festivities and the art of furriery in 17th- and 18th-century Kastoria.
- Founded
- 1972
- Operated by
- Μουσικοφιλολογικός Σύλλογος Καστοριάς «Αρμονία»
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits take place with a guided tour by volunteers of the society. The museum's website offers a virtual tour of the mansion's rooms. For group bookings and educational visits, contact is made by email or telephone. |
