Panagia Koumpelidiki – The symbol of Kastoria
A stop not to be missed is the 11th-century Panagia Koumpelidiki, one of the most important Byzantine monuments in Macedonia. It stands on the site of the former acropolis of the Byzantine castle. Its name derives from the Turkish word kümbet (“dome”), as it once was the sole domed church in Kastoria. At first glance, its brickwork decoration and distinctive architecture will impress you. Inside, among the rich wall paintings (mainly from the 13th and 17th centuries), you will notice a rare depiction of the anthropomorphic Holy Trinity, while outside you may witness the equally rare scene of the Dance of Salome, dated to 1496, beneath which appears the earlier Deesis (14th century). A large part of the dome was destroyed during a bombing in 1940 but was restored in 1949. Today, Panagia Koumpelidiki is considered an emblematic monument, as well as a symbol of the city and the Municipality of Kastoria.
