Ioannina

Ioannina (Greek: ????????, often ???????? Giannena, Yiannena or ???????? Giannina, Yiannina); is a city in Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of approximately 100,000. It lies at an elevation of 600 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Ioannina Prefecture and of Epirus. The city lies on the western side of Lake Pamvotis (Greek: ?????????).

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The city has a General and a University Hospital; a University named University of Ioannina (5 km south of the city) with 16 departments and 13,000 students; as well as several departments of the ?echnological Educational Institute of Epirus, the headquarters of which are located in Arta.

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The wireless network operating in the city is called Ioannina Wireless Network. It was founded at the end of 2002 and began operations in 2003.

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The city is associated with Ali Pasha, the Ottoman-appointed ruler of Albania, Macedonia and Thrace, who was killed in 1822 by the Sultan's agents in the Moni Panteleimonos on the island at the center of Lake Pamvotis. The monastery (which was once Ali-Pasha's secret hideout) is now a museum containing paintings, information, and even re-creations of Ali-Pasha's living quarters on his island hideaway. Passengers are ferried back and forth from the mainland to the island (about a 15 minute ride each way) on small motorboats which run on varying schedules, according to the season. (About once every half hour, or more, in the spring and summer, much less in the winter.) The museum is not the only attraction on the island--there are many gift-shops, tavernas, churches and bakeries on the island's quaint, winding streets. Some of the people of Ioannina even choose to make the tiny island their yearlong home, with simple rowboats moored outside their homes, or in small marines, just in case they need to get to Ioannina proper when the motorboats are not running.

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Ioannina is famous for its spring water Zagori which is sold over much of Greece.

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Botanically, the region of Ioannina is dominated by robust, fragrant pine trees, many of which grow within the city itself, especially around the old castle, or fortress walls. Embarking into the castle walls is an adventure unto itself...just make sure you trace your steps so you don't get lost. The bizarre layout of the castle's streets, with roads going in circles or leading to dead ends was designed to confuse pirates of old who breached the castle walls, so that they would get lost within the fortress, and hopefully be captured before escaping with their bounty. (Most of the time, it did, in fact, work.) There are still some Greeks today who get a lost trying to exit the fortress, even if they've been there before...that's how confounding the street design is. So, if you decide to visit the fortress, make sure you have no deadlines to meet, and plenty of time on hand in case you get lost...because you probably will!

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The city's logo is orange and white with an the omikro, (a letter of the Greek alphabet) (it corresponds with the English letter "o") and portrays an orange drop on the top.

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Ioannina is mentioned in the book The Count of Monte Cristo.

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Greek: The noun Greek refers to:...

Epirus: Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, ?peiros; see also List of traditional Greek place names), is a province or periphery in northwestern Greece, bounded by West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, by the province of Sterea Ellada (Central Greece) to the south, the Ionian Sea an...

Ioannina Prefecture: Ioannina (Greek: ????????) is a prefecture of Greece, part of the north-western periphery of Epirus. Its capital is the city of Ioannina. It is bordered by Albania in the north, Kastoria in the northeast, Grevena in the east, the prefecture of Trikala in the east, Arta in the southeast, Preveza in t...