Folk Art Museum

Epiros


The Tossizza family mansion conjures life in this mountain town: a cosy dream of fireplaces and gorgeous carpets, and the reality of being snowbound for half the year. The guided tour, about 45 minutes, explains details like why Agia Paraskevi is the village's patron saint, and what the big wool pompoms on the shoes of Vlachs (and Athens' military guards, the evzones) are really for. All along are treasures you'd expect in far grander museums, such as 17th-century icons.

The top floor was Evangelos Averoff's apartment, after he had worked with Baron Tossizza to bequeath his family wealth to the town. As part of the deal, Averoff adopted the name Tossizza himself. Go up the zigzag stairs from the main street by Cafe Club Toxotes.


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