Museum Ali Pasha and Revolutionary Period on the Island of Ioannina Lake
Located on the island of Nissaki in Lake Pamvotis, Greece, the Museum Ali Pasha and Revolutionary Period has been open since 2012, displaying some 6,000 items from the collection of Fotis Rapakousis, including personal belongings of Ali Pasha.
Ioannina is a Greek city on the shores of Lake Pamvotis. Within the lake lies the largest lake island in Greece, simply called the Island (Nissaki). It is one of the few inhabited lake islands in Europe.
Historical Background
From the 13th to the 15th century, prominent Byzantine families founded monasteries on the island, and by the 17th century a settlement was established. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, Ioannina came under Ottoman rule. During the reign of Ali Pasha (1788–1822), the city became a major economic, cultural, educational, and commercial center of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1820, Ali Pasha turned against the Sultan and was accused of treason. In March 1821, when the Greek War of Independence broke out, 60,000 of the Sultan's soldiers besieged Ioannina. In February 1822, Ali Pasha took refuge in the Monastery of Agios Panteleimonas on Nissaki, where he was killed.
The Museum
The monastery's caves, used as hermitages in the 15th–16th centuries, served as shelters for the island's residents during Italian air force bombings in November 1940.
Since 2012, the monastery and caves have housed the Museum Ali Pasha and Revolutionary Period. It exhibits approximately 6,000 items from the Fotis Rapakousis family collection, including personal belongings of Ali Pasha, artifacts, and weapons. The bullet holes that killed Ali Pasha are still visible on the floor.
The museum on Nissaki bears witness to a 700-year history.
