Syrrako, Ioannina

Architecture - Sightseeing

The village has retained its traditional character, since the construction of the road has tremendously delayed, whereas now the road leading to the village is fully paved with asphalt.

The local craftsmen have managed, in a perfect way, to coordinate residence to its natural environment as well as to the financial, social and cultural elements of the village of that era. This way they expressed the social needs and aesthetic perceptions of the local community.

The construction of the house is not arbitrary but follows a specific order: house-pavement (cobbled lane)- fountain – public place.

The houses consist of two or three floors. Being built on a steep slope, it is necessary to have a graduated access, which has the form of a constructed stone staircase attached on the one side to the main construction and on the other side it is based on an arched wall.

The opening of this arch allows entrance to people, things and many times to animals towards the basement ("Katogi"), which is the utility room of the house formed by the inclination of the ground. The main material used for construction is stone for walls and “schistolith” for roofs.

The cobbled lanes are narrow, made of stone, as well as the fountains which are plenty all around the village.

Maybe the most interesting of these fountains is the construction of “Goura”, the central fountain with the vaulted roof made of special light stone. It is located near the square, the center of the village, the “chorostassi”, the most carefully designed place of the village paved with cobbles which has a spectacular view.

It is also next to the stone made school with the three floors, which is the largest building in the village.

Syrrako has six churches, two of which are country chapels. Protector of the village is Saint Nicholaos, to whom a church is dedicated in the center of the village. It has an amazing “templo”, nice domes, a gorgeous vault and a gold embroidered ossuary (“Epitaphios”) of Russian style, donated by the benefactor Sp. Baltatzis.

The visitor can admire the church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary (19^th century), the church of the Transfiguration (Metamorphosis), the monastery of Saint Elias (19^th century), the church of Saint Georgios at the entrance of the village, which used to be the place of welcoming the emigrants or a place of farewell for those who were leaving.

Also the temple of St. Apostles (Haghioi Apostoloi) on the Priza peak (at an altitude of 2048m), above the village is the protector of the shepherds and used to be a shelter against bad weather conditions; being protected from the strong winds the church is curved in the rock. This is a unique place, from which you can admire the largest part of the Ioannina basin including the lake and the city of Ioannina.

Pasture lands in Syrrako
and cattle breeder

Traditional house
- architecture

The "Goura" (market)

Local assembly

"Nerotrives" places where
they washed heavy clothes
and woolen blankets

Saint Nicholaos

The watermill, which is at the entrance of the village, is under reconstruction. The other (watermill) that used to be a place where they washed heavy clothes (nerotriveio) is located on the Chroussias ravine. The path that unites Syrrako to Kalarrytes is in a very good state. It is an hour’s hiking through the wild ravine with the rich flora. Its characteristic sight is the stone made flight of steps, which has a great inclination. Visitors are impressed by most of the village’s pastureland because of its expanse and vegetation. The most well known pastureland is the “Galarokambos” tableland. An ideal place for climbing is the “Tsoukarella” peak (2195m), one of the highest peaks of Pindos. Other places of interest to the visitors are the house of the poet Kostas Krystallis, which is converted into a library and museum, and also the old boarding house, which is used as a hotel nowadays.

Elements of the Syrrakiotes’ lifestyle, 150 years ago, like authentic furniture, embroidery, knitwear, hand-made woven textiles and traditional costumes of the village are exhibited in the traditional house-museum (of K. Avdikos) which is open every August or whenever a visitor wants to visit it.

Having Syrrako as a center the visitor can visit, within an hour’s route on foot, the historic bridge of Plaka, the monastery of Kipina, situated in a rocky landscape, the villages of Kalarrytes, Agnanda, Pramanda and other natural and man-made attractions.