Dodoni, Ioannina

The village Dodoni is a historical region of Greece acquaintance mainly from the ancient theatre and the oracle of Dodoni that is found there here and many thousands years. It is two integral pieces of the Greek culture, the Greek history and the tradition. The Archaeological space of Dodoni is found in 22 km south-western of the city of Ioannina in the foot terms of the mountain Tomaros and is the jewel of the entire Epirus. It is not sure from where emanated the name Dodoni, likely however it emanated from the homonym ocean Nymph or from the Dodono River. Those who really interest to know closely the Greek antiquity, to see the cultural wealth of this country and to learn things for the history and the greatness, they should without fail visit the historical region of Dodoni. It is without exaggeration for his cradle culture, thing that is not said only by Greeks, but from the entire social world. Naturally, what you will see and you admire there, are not limited only in the theatre and the oracle of Dodoni. You could see astonishing monuments, ancient buildings, important museums and a lot of other interesting things that are going to fascinating you for sure. An excursion in the region of Dodoni is ideal because it combines many and different things. Apart from the archaeological space, you will have the occasion to visit the villages of Municipality of Dodoni that are built according to the traditional architecture of Epirus and are particular graphic. You will enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes and you will smooth, but might also to visit also other astonishing regions of the Epirus, that are found very near, as it is the city of Ioannina, the Konitsa, the Zagori etc. It is a magic roaming that we suggest to you with closed eyes. The region of Dodoni constitutes ancient cradle of Hellenism and there was space of big devotional delivery. Archaeological excavations did not answer in the question for the precise time of beginning the adoration in the Dodoni, we suppose however that it began in the season of Copper (somewhere between 2600-1100 before Christ) and it finished around in finally the 4^th after christ century. The bigger blossoming of holy is marked in the 3rd before Christ century. The first adoration is that of the God of Ground. Then however the oracle was dedicated in Zeus. The adoration to Zeus is imported in the Dodoni from the Thesprotous (19th - 14th before Christ century) and shortly we develop in sovereign adoration. With Zeus it is worshipped and the Dioni, that this season they considered thet she is the woman of Zeus and them together constituted the pair of Dodoni gods. The adoration was focused in the holy oak, that it was also the centre of th oracle. The oracles were given afterwards the hearing of the woods of the Holy Figos, the sound of the water of the holy Source and the sound of pigeons that resided above in the Figos.

The adoration of the god Zeus was made by priests that were named Selloi or Elloi. They were real priests, they should sleep in the ground, walk trumps, they do not wash ever their legs and they would be sure also condemned in abstention. The aim was in continuous and direct contact with the Ground and the Father of Gods and persons and they are in place that they interpret the divine marks. The priests of the oracle were initially only men, but later were engaged also three old women of "Peliades". On a lot of centuries, the Holy was into the nature and the Holy trials while and the clairvoyance was taken place round the space of Holy Figos. Afterwards the 4th after Christ century the adoration of Zeus succeeds the Christian adoration. Big tradition of holy figos (oak) and ancient buildings it is continued as it is proved by the ruins of the christian royal at the 5th and 6th century.

The Municipality of Dodoni took shape in 1998 in the frame of conjunction communities with the Law "Kapodistrias". Was realised conjunction the following communities: Meliggoi, Oracle, Dodoni, Eleftherochori, Dramesioi, Saint Anastasia, Kostaniani, Berko, Bina, Dragoba and Polygyros. All the villages are very beautiful and traditional, and each one has his personal character, but all have demonstrate monuments, museums, churches and other appreciable spaces of important cultural value. Naturally even in our days, the interest assembles at main reason and sure no unjustifiably the archaeological space of Dodoni. The first excavations became in 1875 from an indogenous named Konstantinos Karapanos and they brought to light important exhibits as signs of oracles, resolutions of Public of the citizens of Epirus etc. After the release of the region in 1913, the researches will be continued in order to stop again during the 2nd world war. From 1981 and afterwards the excavations become under the Archaeological Company with co financing of the University of the city of Ioannina. From 1961 however they had begun work for the restoration of the entire space that in the centuries had suffered absolute destruction. Up to 1975 the bigger part of the theatre and certain other departments had been restored.