New museum in Fthiotida offers stroll through history
On the slopes of Mt Iti, the village of Ypati is home to the Fthiotida Byzantine Museum, set among a stunning landscape. Once used as a military camp, the building dates from the first half of the 19th century and has been designated both as a work of art and an historic monument. Today, having been restored by a dedicated team of people, the museum is a credit to the area and a focal point in the town. A permanent exhibition has been set up with the cooperation of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine Antiquities department, the Department of Museums, Exhibitions and Educational Programs, the 7th Byzantine Antiquities Ephorate and the Numismatic Museum. The museum itself is managed by the 24th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, based in Lamia. «The pioneering design and inspired museography,» said Yorka Nikolaou, a numismatologist and Byzantinologist at the Numismatic Museum, «highlight the permanent collection to the utmost.» Early Christian In the hall on the ground floor are the mosaic floors of Early Christian basilicas and other buildings; the first floor is devoted to thematic exhibitions of objects of worship and the coins that once circulated in the region. Mosaic floors, marble architectural pieces and sculptures are included, along with lamps and other every-day objects that were in use throughout the region.
