Municipal Art Gallery of Ioannina

Since 2000, it has been located in the renovated Pyrsinella Mansion, an impressive neoclassical building dating back to 1890, situated at the corner of Korai and 28th October streets in the center of Ioannina. The mansion was built by the engineer Vergiotis for Vasileios Pyrsinellas, a bibliophile, art lover, and mayor of Ioannina during the 1920s and 1930s, who donated his property to the Municipality of Ioannina in 1958.

The establishment of the Gallery was the vision of the members of the cultural association “The Friends of Ioannina” as early as the 1950s. Important intellectuals and artists of the time supported this effort, while the painter Kostas Malamos played a significant role in the collection and organization of the artworks.

Today, the Municipal Art Gallery hosts more than 1,000 works of art, including paintings, engravings, sculptures, photographs, and icons, representing the development of Greek art from the 19th to the 20th century. Among the prominent artists featured in the collection are Nikolaos Gyzis, Georgios Jakobides, Nikiforos Lytras, Konstantinos Parthenis, Konstantinos Maleas, Yannis Tsarouchis, George Bouzianis, Panayiotis Tetsis, and Alekos Fassianos. Special collections also include engravings, portable icons from the 18th and 19th centuries, and photographs by the renowned Epirus photographer Kostas Balafas.

The Gallery is not limited to its permanent exhibition. It regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, cultural events, lectures, and educational programs for students and visitors of all ages. Through these activities, it promotes artistic education and maintains a dynamic relationship with the public.

Today, the Municipal Art Gallery of Ioannina stands as an important cultural landmark for the city and the wider region of Epirus, combining historical heritage with contemporary artistic expression.