HISTORY

After almost three centuries, the 1863 mansion is living its renaissance, upscaling the area with a breath of authentic beauty. It was fully renovated in 2007 with the utmost care, attention and absolute respect for local architecture, to preserve all the original decorative and architectural elements that give the building its distinct value. It is built at an altitude of 1000 meters, in the mountain village of Dikorfo, Zagori, that is located on the Northeastern slopes of Mount Mitsikeli and belongs to the famous Zagorochoria (=villages of Zagori) complex. It is 26 km away from Ioannina.
Dikorfo is one of the few villages of Zagori that were not destroyed during the war. Thus, buildings of the 18th century have been rescued, keeping the unique traditional style of the village and taking you on a journey to an enchanting past.

The village dates back to at least 1431, a time when Zagori was a trade centre in Epirus, and the merchants' houses were symbols of their owners’ prosperity and prestige. This wealth was reflected in the construction of large houses with luxurious decorations.
The Guva area just outside the village is a canyon with a steep rock surface. Inside a hole of this rock, where wild pigeons lived, the inhabitants of the surrounding areas used to hide their belongings so that they would not be found by the bandits who often raided the village.

Dikorfo was at its greatest prosperity in the 19th century, when its population reached 1200 inhabitants. The people living in this area were the first in Greece to wear European-style clothes, also known as “frangika”. Women were equally progressive, as fashion from Europe first came to Zagori and then went to Athens, while silk fabrics and gold jewellery were a matter of competition among women. In fact, the women of Dikorfo were among the first to renounce the traditional uniform in the previous century and wear western clothes.
In the early 20th century, raids by bandits resulted in a decline of the population, while during the Occupation, Dikorfo was looted by the Germans, and a few houses were burnt down. In November 2008, the burnt areas of the village were reforested under the auspices of the Universities of Ioannina and Istanbul.
The traditional houses and mansions of the village have been built with stone and black slate and have been decorated with traditional works of local Chionadian painters. In the centre of the village lies the church of Agios Minas of Egypt, a three-aisled basilica, inaugurated in 1778. Its bell tower was reconstructed in 1896 by a villager who worked as a merchant in Romania.

The chapel of Agios Ioannis, a one-aisled basilica, was built in 1898 and is located on a hill above the village. The church was rebuilt with materials from the ruins of a Byzantine fortress. Near the village, you can also find Stoupaina monastery that was destroyed in 1841 by the Italians and was rebuilt in 1963, as well as the bridges of Kapetan-Arkouda, Stathi and Siamena.
Today, the population of Dikorfo is about 65 inhabitants who work in agriculture, livestock farming and agritourism. The village is surrounded by a forest of oaks, beeches, black pines and fir trees. The area is rich in fauna, and the subsoil consists of slate and limestone.