Kozani is a city in Macedonia and the capital of the Regional Unit of Kozani in western Macedonia. It is also the seat of the Region of Western Macedonia. It is 120 km from Thessaloniki and 470 km from Athens.
It was founded in 1969 and was officially inaugurated on October 10, 1987. It is a creation of the Association of Letters and Arts of the Prefecture of Kozani, while it is located in the city center.
Includes seven thematic categories:
Natural History Exhibition from the Paleolithic Age to modern times
Archaeological-Byzantine exhibition from 7000 BC. to 1453 AD
Historical report from 1453 to 1944
Folklore exhibition, considered the most important, from 1640 to 1960
Gallery of modern times
Stamp Collection (1861-2004)
Radio Collection (1930-1960)
The purpose of the establishment of the Museum was to save the cultural heritage of the place through the recording and collection of objects, with the ultimate goal of educating and training visitors.
The Museum is housed in a neoclassical building, known as Panagiotideio Mansion, donated by the Municipality of Kozani to the Archaeological Service.
The building has been restored and is temporarily unavailable.
The most important exhibits of the Museum are considered:
The bronze periapte from Apidea, 7th century BC.
The Marble Head
The marble head of a female statue from Elani, 4th century BC
The inscribed Silver Bottle
The inscribed silver bottle from Kozani, beginning of the 5th century BC
The Golden Twin Buckle
The Golden Twin Buckle from a tomb of the 4th century BC. from Apidea.
The Copper vessels
The copper vessels from a tomb of the 4th century BC. from Apidea.
The Gold Earrings
The Gold Earrings of the 4th century BC. from the Kozani Necropolis.
The Tomb Rewards
The Tributes from the tomb of the Kozani Necropolis.
The Inscription of Philip V
The Inscription with a letter of Philip V from the Kozani Valley.
The Marble Statue
The Marble statue of a child from the Mediterranean, Roman era.
The Gold Earrings
The Gold Earrings from Ano Komi, second half of the 4th century BC
Museum of Contemporary Local History
It was founded by the Municipality of Kozani and the Historical Archives Rescue Company in collaboration with local resistance organizations and was inaugurated on Wednesday, September 20, 2006.
Museum of the Macedonian Struggle
It is built on Mount Vourinos, near the village of Chromio, and is 12 km from Aiani.
In this museum the visitor will get to know the history of the Macedonian Struggle! He will see exhibits and documents and learn historical facts related to the revolution of 1878.
Archaeological Museum of Aiani
The museum occupies an area of 4,000 acres and includes finds of the ancient city of Aiani and the surrounding area.
The Aiani Museum is also a Cultural Center, as it is staffed with excellent scientists and conservators, has a developed material and technical infrastructure and laboratories of archaeometric research and anthropological studies.
It is a living ark of civilization, which brings the visitor in contact with the historical and archaeological wealth of Aiani and preserves important archaeological findings, which come to light with systematic archaeological research, especially after 1983.
The exhibition of the Museum of Aiani, with a total area of 975 sq.m., includes in 6 rooms findings from ancient Aiani and its country, while the 7th room is intended for temporary exhibitions of findings from the prefecture of Kozani.
Aianis Outdoor Archaeological Site
The ancient city of Aiani is built in a wooded area, west of the artificial lake Polyphytos.
There, you will see three large public buildings and many private residences brought to light by excavations.
Near the ancient city is the Necropolis with extensive cemeteries from the Late Bronze Age to the Late Greek years. The tombs have a unique quality and aesthetics, testifying to the high cultural level of the area.
Lassani Mansion – Stationery
The mansion was built inside a large property, protected by a tall stone fence.
The dimensions of the mansion were not as imposing as others in Kozani. However, it was characterized by urban architecture and was shaped by the weather conditions of the place.
Also, the Lassani Mansion houses the Municipal Paper Library with the permanent exhibition and periodic map exhibitions.
Grigoriou Vourka Mansion
It is a building of the 18th century, a typical example of urban Macedonian architecture and has been designated as a historical monument.
Although there is no organized exhibition in the mansion, inside there are interesting wooden decorated ceilings and rafters.
In addition, it houses many marble architectural members and mosaics from Komanos and other areas of the prefecture of Kozani, as well as several portable icons and liturgical books from the Towers and Aiani of the prefecture of Kozani.
Church of Agios Nikolaos
The building complex of the parish of Agios Nikolaos consists, in addition to the main church, of the bell tower, the Church of Agios Nikolaos, the office of the priests, the storage areas and the exhibition of a Christian book. All the above are located in the courtyard of Agios Nikolaos. The style of the church is a three-aisled vaulted basilica with a gabled roof with slabs and tiles. It has a pronao and newer side extensions. In its two aisles it has two chapels: Agios Ioannis Prodromos and Panagia.
The lighting of the temple is low and evocative, as the windows are very small. The little lighting gives the pilgrim the feeling of deep immersion and mystery.
The iconostasis of the temple is ornately carved in wood, covered with gold leaf, as well as the pulpit, the despotic throne and the ark of the Holy Table. The hagiographies of the Temple are the work of brothers Nikolaos and Theodoros of 1730. Most of the temple is below ground level, like all the temples of the Ottoman period, since the Turks, at that time, did not allow the construction of large Christian temples. , so that the cross is not on the same level with the Muslim red crescent.
In the context of these prohibitions was the use of bells, with the result that in 1728, when the Sultan issued a decree for the use of only wooden and iron beacons, the people of Kozani waited for their release and their happy percussion. The bell tower, according to its inscription, was built in 1855. It is 26 meters high and consists of 7 floors, a dome and a quadrilateral clock.
The church celebrates the memory of St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra in Lycia, on December 6, with the participation of neighboring High Priests and a crowd of Kozani people who come from the ends of the universe, to honor their patron saint.
Kozani Carnival
The Kozani Carnival aims to overthrow the established order of things, as it challenges values, hierarchies and limits of actions and words. At the same time, it is still a celebration of an entertaining nature, a combination of feasting and pleasures in coexistence with the worship of the dead.
Today, it lasts 12 days, starts on Swan Thursday and ends on Shrove Monday.
Some of the events of the Kozani Carnival
Outdoor daily festivities at Fanous.
Chariot Parade.
Dances and improvised theatrics in the Central Square.
Doom in the shops and on the streets with brass bands, who roam and stir up locals and visitors.
Children’s Carnival.
Sourd Games.
Specific treasure hunt for elementary and high school children.
However, the core of the Kozani Carnival remains Fanos. It is a festive fire that has been lit for centuries at the crossroads of the city, proving its deep roots in the hearts of the people of Kozani, who cannot imagine Halloween without him!
Fanos is handed down from generation to generation, it changes, it adapts to the new living conditions, without losing its essence.
It is a feast and spree around the altar of the festive fire with food and drink, song, dance and athyrostomy without limits!
Of course, this is not a spontaneous gathering that is easy to set up without preparation. Shortly after Christmas, people from the neighborhood gather at their hangout and offer their services to make the big party a success.
The night Dionysian festival begins on the night of the Great Carnival after dusk. With the lighting of the Fan, the old songs begin that pass almost unchanged from generation to generation. The fun goes up fast, as wine and kichia circulate and warm the mind and feet!
Among the songs of Fanos, the most important place is occupied by the so-called xinentrapa or maskaralitka or even housewives by euphemism, which are full of sexual references, hidden or exposed!
Other categories are mocking songs, with the sole purpose of satirizing and mocking the social and political order.
Also, songs of love are heard, lyrical folk songs that sing love and finally the stealthy, epic songs, which praise the achievements of the Thieves or tell how the guerrilla groups lived in their captivity.
However, one thing is for sure. Without these idiosyncratic folk creations, the Kozani Carnival would be an ordinary open-air festival! And it would not upset so many visitors to come to meet it and party in such a special atmosphere!
Lazarines
This is a popular custom event, which takes place in the villages of the Municipality of Kozani, during the three days of Lazaros – Vai.
It is part of the cycle of spring rituals for the rebirth of nature, which was associated with the Christian faith, the Resurrection of Lazarus, who is both the forerunner and herald of the Resurrection of Christ.
Young girls return to the houses of the village and announce the fruition of nature and the resurrection of the dead, singing and sharing lazaropita.
Get to know Kozani Cuisine
Kozani has in its tradition many dairy products, meats, legumes, handmade pasta, strong wine and tsipouro, sweets and jams, chestnuts, hazelnuts and walnuts.
More specifically, it is famous for its excellent feta cheese, manouri air, kefalotyri, touloumotyri and a spicy, hard cheese for saganaki, Batzo.
Lovers of legumes will enjoy boiled or baked beans from Sisani Voio. Those who love fruit will go crazy with the aroma of Eordea apples, while in the summer months they will enjoy the famous Velvento peaches.
All meals are accompanied by the excellent red wines of the prefecture and the strong tsipouro with or without anise. The only product is the sun-dried wines of Siatista, which stay in the open for 40-50 days and offer a velvety, sweet wine.
Kozani Crocus
The world famous Kozani yolk comes from a type of cyclamen, which blooms for 20-25 days a year in specific areas.
The truth is that in the market you will find it at an expensive price. However, it flavors all foods and gives them a warm golden color.
Κιχιά
Gourmets, like all Macedonians, Kozani make mainly dishes rich in fat, to withstand the cold, and use plenty of spices. Sheet openers for pies and especially for spiral kichia, which are filled with onion, leek, spinach, minced meat and many cheeses.
Boiled or baked beans from Sisani Voio
During the holidays, at all family tables you will find giaprakia, cabbage stuffing with minced meat and rice, which are said to have a symbolism with the swaddled Christ.
Climate
The climate of the region is continental, with cold, dry winters and hot summers.
