Jaap van 't Veen's photos

The monastery Panagia Mavriotissa was founded in 1082/83 by Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos to commemorate the victory over the Normans and the recapture of Kastoria. It is referred to in documents dating back to the 13th century as the monastery of Panagia Mesonisiotissa (= in the middle of the island). In the second half of the 17th century the name changed to Panagia Mavriotissa, because the inhabitants of the village of Mavrovo (nowadays ‘Mavrochori’) ensured that it remained in good condition. The monastery played an important role in the history of the area, but remained closed for many years. It was reopened in 1998. Only a few buildings from the original monastery have survived. The church has a spacious narthex on the west side, which was added later. The interior is decorated with murals dating from the beginning of the 13th century. The icons on the outside date from the period 1259 - 1264. The murals and drawings were damaged - all eyes of saints were removed - during Ottoman period. Some of these old frescoes were restored in the 13th century, while the outer wall of the narthex was decorated with new ones.

Lake Kremasta (or Lake Kremaston) is the largest artificial lake in Greece. It was formed as a result of the construction of Kremaston hydroelectric dam between 1961 and 1965. The water that is accumulated in the lake is about 3.8 cubic kilometers. The creation affected the lives of the residents as 15 villages would be found under the lake and that forced them to leave their homes and properties. Unfortunately the same goes for many historical bridges and churches. The lake is continuously supplied by Acheloos, Agrafiotis, Tavropos and Trikeriotis rivers. The water of the lake penetrates along the beds of the four rivers and forms a lot of fjords and small islands. The artificial lake with its turquoise waters offers an incomparable Greek landscape.

Kastoria is well-known for its churches. It is also calles “city of 100 churches”. The amount of Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches proves the richness of the city through the different ages. Kastoria originally had 72 Byzantine and medieval churches, of which 54 have survived. Some of them have been restored and provide useful insight into trends in late Byzantine styles of architecture and fresco painting. Many of the churches are small structures, as they were built as private churches by wealthy fur traders or the katholika of small monasteries. They are either aisleless churches or three-aisled basilicas. Their façades often show rich masonry with decorative letters, geometrical patterns, bands of dentils and occasional sun motifs. The churches also have outstanding fresco decorations with diverse iconographic programmes, showing their donors’ and painters’.

In Ottoman times, Kastoria attracted a mass of people from all over the Balkans and beyond, resulting in a diverse, multi-ethnic community. The different ethnic communities, Bulgarian, Turkish, Greek and Jewish, were centred around separate neighbourhoods or 'quarters'. Two old lakeside Greek neighbourhoods "Doltso" and "Apozari" are among the best-preserved and last remaining traditional quarters of the city. Especially “Doltso” - with its cobbled alleys and streets - is characterised by historic traditional mansions so called archontika - and houses, built between the 17th and 19th centuries by wealthy Kastorian furriers. During this time, the processing and exporting of animal furs created wealth in Kastoria. Some of these mansions nowadays houses museums and hotels.

Kastoria is partly built on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Orestiada at an altitude of about 620 meters. The small city is tucked away in the mountains of Macedonia. The place was first mentioned in the 1st century AD of a town near a lake called Celerum, a town which was captured by the Romans during their war against Phillip V of Macedonoa in 200 BC. The name Kastoria was first referred to in the late 10th century, when it was held by Bulgaria during the Byzantine-Bulgarian wars. Most probably Kastoria derives from the Greek word kástoras , meaning beaver. Trade in the fur was traditionally an important element of Kastoria’s economy. The trade in beaver skins, which began over a thousand years ago, gave rise to the town’s chief industry. When the beavers from the lake ran out, the town imported furs. Nowadays the fur trade has almost stopped. Kastoria is well known for its many Byzantine churches and monasteries. From the 72 Byzantine and medieval churches there are still more than fifty in and around the city. Many of them have frescoes that are in very good shape. One of the most beautiful and interesting is Monastery Panagia Mavriotissa, located on the shores of Lake Orestiada. Lake Orestiada (or Lake Kastoria), the promenade and forests offer a perfect shelter for all kind of bird species. The lake is home for 200 different species, among them some rare and endangered ones. The most typical species are cormorants, pelicans, herons, swans, wild ducks and herons. Lake and surrounding wetlands also house frogs and Greek turtles.

The Holy Church of Saint Paraskevi (Agia Paraskevi) is a great example of post-Byzantine architecture. The church was built in 1677, in the shape of a domed three-aisled basilica. The hexagonal bell tower with a height of 25 meters was added in 1862. The building - a most precious monument of Byzantine art - dominates the central square of Geraneia district, one of the two city quarters. The church is considered being the most impressive of the years of the Turkish occupation in western Macedonia. The interior shows exquisite icons, a gilded wood-carved iconostasis and a gold plated pulpit. The stone built church, with oak transoms and beams, small windows, in Basilica order, is full with frescoes and precious icons.

The Poulko Mansion (also called Poulkidis Mansion) is located in the Geraneia neighbourhood in Siatista. According to an inscription over the entrance, its construction began in 1752 and probably completed in 1759. The building was commissioned by Theódoros Emmanouilídis, an Ottoman-era merchant from the town, and later purchased by tobacco merchant Lázaros Poúlkos (or Poulkídis). The mansion consists of a semi-buried ground floor and two upper floors overlooking a courtyard that includes an oven, a cistern and a garden. The ground floor was used for storage. The first floor was used as the family's winter residence, with bedrooms featuring fireplaces and cupboards richly decorated with frescoes. The top floor had the same layout as the middle floor and was used as a summer residence. The Poulko Mansion - a precious example of upper middle class daily life in 18th century western Macedonia - shows excellent decorative painting, stained glass windows and wood carvings. The plaster decorations on the mansion’s fireplaces are of amazing artistry. Its facade, in the section just under the roof, is decorated with stylized ornamental motifs (rosettes, stars) and a ship. After a restoration the Poulko Mansion - a juwel of the small city of Siatista - is open to the public again

The monastery of Timios Prodromos (Saint John the Baptist) is the most important of the monastic settlements ('sketai') in the area around Veria. The historic stone monastery has been operating since the 14th century. Known as the “Skete of Veria”, as the monastery was built in a Holy Skete that existed on the site since the 9th-10th century. The monastery was set on fire in 1822 by the Ottomans. The only structure that survived was the chapel of the Transfiguration of the Savior. In 1835 the monks rebuilt the cells, the new katholikon and a good part of the fortified wall; at this point the monastery assumed then the form it has today. Remains of several Saints are kept in the Monastery, while visitors can admire many works of hagiographic art, some of which have been saved from the period before the destruction of 1822. Its katholikon is also remarkable, in the type of the three-aisled basilica, with magnificent columns made of trunk trees and imposing images. Timios Prodromos is located at the verdant foothills of Pieria mountains, with an imposing view of the artificial lake of the Aliakmonas river; a fascinating landscape created by the river with the dense forests. The impressive entrance with the large, wooden medieval gates, the stone fountain, the relief of the buildings as they join the slope and the fresh air give visitors a warm welcome.

The church of Saint Demetrius (Agios Demetrios) is dating back to the year of 1570. It has been rebuilt with materilas from the royal palace of Philip II in Agaai, at the location of a Byzantine cemetery in the 16th century. The three-nave basilica is characterized by its lavish wall paintings made by a group of hagiographers from Lianotopi Kozani, the origin of famous hagiographers of that time. Shortly after its erection in 1591 a spacious narthex was added to the church. Rich interior decoration, with rare wall paintings, is added to the admirable architectural design of the structure and the refined construction. Half of the wall paintings were created by Nicholaos Zografos and “narrated” the life of Christ and Saint Demetrios, portrayed saints, prophets and martyrs of the Church, the Assumption of the Theotokos and the Platytera of Heaven. The rest of the wall paints, which belong to an unknown artist, depict the Last Judgment while among the figures of the triumphant and victorious stands Alexander the Great. This is a rare presentation of high aesthetics and great historical value. Some parts of the wooden iconostasis are preserved intact. The Church of Saint Demetrius, which is designated as a monument by UNESCO, remained closed and deserted for decades, until 2017 when its restoration and maintenance were approved. Nowadays the church is open to the public. The Church of Saint Demetrius is a real hidden gem. It is tucked away completely outside the little village of Palatitsia behind a cemetery. We were fortunately welcomed by a caretaker, who also opened the church and lit the lights.

The Old Metropolis/Cathedral of Veria (officially transliterated Veroia) is one of the largest mid-Byzantine in the Balkans, which was erected between 1070 and 1080 by Nikitas, the then bishop of the city. It is an architectural masterpiece of three aisled basilicas with a timber roof. This impressive church shows the prosperity of the town during the middle Byzantine period. The church was dedicated to Saint Paul. During the Ottoman period of the city it became an Ottoman mosque (Hünkar Mosque). The distinctive features that bring added uniqueness, specific architectural, artistic and historical value to the Old Cathedral is the incorporation of early Christian templates that gives the impression of a premier temple compared with the relevant monuments of the same period, as well as the wall painting decoration that presents some of the greatest painting works of the 12th, 13th and 14th century. For this reason it is regarded as the gem of Byzantine Veria. After the completion of the restoration works in 2016, the church is accessible to the public again, offering a unique tour of the Byzantine history of Veria.

Paleis Het Loo (Het LooPalace) was built in 1686 for Stadtholder William III and his wife queen Mary. It was used for almost 300 years as a (summer) palace by members of the Dutch Royal family. Queen Wilhelmina lived here till the year of 1972. After a huge restoration palace and gardens are back in their original state. Since the year of 1984 Paleis Het Loo is a national museum and open for public. In 2018 (again) major restoration work was necessary to ensure that the collection and the palace remain in good condition. Inside the palace was refurbished and outside the forecourt fully changed: instead of grass and a fountain there is now a wonderful water bassin, reflecting the palace. Surely the most striking thing is the expansion of the exhibition spaces underneath the new forecourt. One of them now houses the permanent presentation about the House of Orange-Nassau from Prince Willen van Oranje (1533 - 1584) till the present heir Princess Amalia (born 2003). This underground expansion of 5.000 m2 was officially opened April 2023.

The Monastery of Giromeriou (or officially: The Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary of Giromeri) was founded in the beginning of the 14th century (between 1310 and 1320), at the time of the prosperity of the Despotate of Epirus. It constituted an important monastic center and reached its greatest peak in the middle of the 16th century, when it numbered approximately 300 monks. The founder and first possessor of the monastery was Saint Nilos Erihiotis (1228-1334), who came from Constantinople. The katholikon (main church) of the monastery was gradually built. It is a church of small dimensions and is constructed of four cross-shaped columns with a domed roof. Possibly, it was at first a single-nave church, while its present form, namely the four parts of it, is a result of renovations at different times During our visit (May 2019) the brotherhood consists of four monks, who settled in the monastery in1989.

The Wimmenummerduinen (Dunes of Wimmenum) are located between the coastal villages of Egmond aan Zee and Bergen aan Zee. The inhabitants of Egmond aan Zee - so called “derpers” (villagers) - still call the dune area Duinen van Six . In 1679, Jan Six - a regent and writer descended from a wealthy family - bought the area around the village of Wimmenum. Six belonged to the in-crowd of Amsterdam and is friends with Rembrandt van Rijn. A portrait the painter painted of him is world-famous today. The dune area was the family's fenced-off hunting domain until it was sold to the of provincial water supply company of the province of North Holland (PWN) in 1992.This company has opened the site to visitors. The Wimmenummerduinen are characterized by an open dune landscape with several dune lakes, wet valleys and drifting dune tops. Large pieces of dune have been blown away here and there in the foredune (main picture). Horses graze the dunes here to keep the landscape open. It is considered one of the most beautiful stretches of untouched dune in the province of North Holland. Immediately north of Egmond aan Zee are the so-called duinlandjes (dune lands) - a kind of allotment gardens. These originated around the year 1850, when villagers started growing potatoes in dune valleys. In the past, these fields also existed around other fishing villages, but nowadays they only can be found in Egmond. (PiP5).

The Noordhollands Duinreservaat (North Holland Dune Reserve) is with its 5.300 hectare one of the largest natural areas in the Netherland. This reserve is managed by PWN (Water Supply Company North Holland) is used for drinking water production at three locations. The Buizerdvlak lies north of Bergen aan Zee and is known for the impressive drifting dune that dominates the landscape. It is fascinating to see how the drifting sand slowly 'walks' to the east (between 3 and 5 meters per year) and covers all shrubs and conifers in the way under a layer of sand. (PiP3 shows the dune almost nine years ago; it is clear to see how much the dune has moved)

The castle of Parga dominates a rock peninsula on the Ioanian Sea. It was originally built in the 11th century by the inhabitants of Parga to protect their city from the pirates and the Turks, but it was partially destroyed by several invasions. In 1401 Parga became Venetian possession enjoying important privileges that contributed to its gradual commercial and economic development. The castle was rebuilt by the Venetians at the beginning of the 15th century, but was again destroyed by the Ottomans in 1571and reconstructed by the Venetians one year later after the naval battle of Lepanto. The end of Venetian rule at Parga and its occupation successively by the French, Russian-Turks and British was followed by the sale of the city to Ali Pasha of Ioannina in 1819 by Thomas Maitland, the British High Commissioner of the Ioanian islands. Parga caste has the shape of an irregular polygon. Its stout fortification wall encloses a hil on which large of landfill suitable for building were created around the edges. The defence was completed by eight towers outside the castle. The arched entrance gate is protected by a semicircular bastion. During the period of Ottoman occupation Ali Pasha built an interior fortification wall with a polygonal bastion inside the castle, enclosing the citadel, which is at higher level. A large building complex, bathhouses, cisterns and a mosque were erected in the citadel, also during the Ottoman period. These building interventions entailed the demolition of large parts of the earlier defences and of the town and changed the form of the castle. From the castle one has wonderful views towards Parga (PiP3) and Valtos beach (PiP4).

The single nave Witte Kerkje (Little White Church) is dating back to the year of 1639. The tower is made of wood and has an octagonal spire. It is located on a so called “terp”, a man made elevation. In 1825 the church was thoroughly restored. During World War II the building was used as a school. German soldiers have pulled the bell from the tower for use of the material in the war industry. A new bell was donated and replaced by the municipality of Schoorl in 1949. Since 1972 the ‘Witte Kerkje’ has been recognized and protected as a Dutch national monument. Nowadays the church is still used for services. The statue near the church, Wasvrouwen (Laundry Women), is a reminder of the old days, when the lawn was used as a bleaching field for laundry.

“De Woude” is a hamlet in the Alkmaardermeer, nowadays part of the municipality of Castricum. The village is located in the “Westwouderpolder” (commonly also called “De Woude”). The picturesque village with its wooden houses has about 160 inhabitants and can only be reached by a ferry. The Dutch Reformed church De Kemphaan is a little wooden church which was rebuilt by the villagers in 2002. The old church from the 16th century had become derelict and beyond repair, and a village house was desired by the inhabitants of “De Woude”. The church is in use for meetings, cultural activities and can be rented for weddings and parties.

The Pantanassa (“Queen of All”) Monastery is the only monastery on the archaeological site of Mystras ( www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/49139868 ), which is still inhabited. This sacred monastery was founded by a chief minister of the late Byzantine Despotate of the Morea, and was dedicated in September 1428. The domed church with its tall bell tower reflect a unique combination of Byzantine and gothic styles; it has a beautifully ornate stone-carved facade. The arched interior is filled with colourful frescoes. When we arrived at the monastery after a steep climb, one of the friendly and helpful nuns welcomed us with a glass of cool water, a very sweet loukoumia and provided us with a wrap to cover our legs. We were surprised by the idyllic patio with lots of flowers and green plants. Pantanassa Monastery is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mystras.