Public Library of Zagora

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PUBLIC LIBRARY OF ZAGORA

The combined efforts of Ioannis Prigos and the Ecumenical Patriarch Kallinikos III, both prominent and leading figures of the 18th century Zagora, are to be thanked for the foundation and the acclaimed reputation of this historical establishment. Ioannis Prigos emigrated when he was just a sixteen-year-old boy, in order to learn more and educate himself better. Travelling around Alexandria, Venice and Smirna, he ended up in Amsterdam-Holland where he became very rich through trading. Being a deeply religious man he spent a large sum of money taking care of the Orthodox Community in Amsterdam. However, most of his great fortune was spent on his hometown Zagora. He had a great desire to improve his country, seeing the progress of Europe and comparing it to the misery and enslavement of Greece. His first generous donation of money, books teaching aids etc., came to Zagora in 1762.

The fame of “Hellinomouseion” spread quickly throughout the area. It was a School offering knowledge from High School to University level, as we would call today. Subjects such as Ancient Greek Philosophy, History, Geography, Physics, mathematics and foreign languages (Latin and French) were taught. Such a School then, with an enriched and well- organized Library, was certainly expected to attract the interest of many students as well as teachers. The most eminent of those who studied at Zagora’s “Hellinomouseion” were, the heroic fighter and folk poet Rigas Feraios from Velestino, Anthimos Gazis and Gregorios Constantas (leading figures in the Greek uprising), who later on, tried to establish a similar School and Library in their own hometown Milies (another village from Pelion). Amongst the late students and users of the Library at that time, was the Zagorian Philippos Ioannou, the first Philosophy Professor at the National University of Athens. The most well known teachers of that period, were the famous Zagorian scholar Constantinos Triantafillides and also the Zagorian Nikolaos Kassavetis. Finally in 1821, when the Great Greek Revolution broke out, the School closed down.

LIBRARY OF ZAGORA FROM 1821 TO THE PRESENT DAY.

After the closure of the School, the building where the Library was originally housed was demolished, and the books changed location from time to time. They were sporadically used by a few interested locals and foreigners, such as the Zagorian, Theodoros Afentoulis (who later became Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Athens), the French traveller Mezieres and others. As a rule though, the books remain closed, unprotected and unobtainable for any kind of scientific research. With the reunification of Thessaly to Independed Greece in 1881, the Community of Zagora started taking care of the Library. Prior to this time and up to the present day, new donations of books have been added by either prestigious or ordinary Zagorian people. Since 1955, the Library has been under the Ministry of Education. The donations of books have still continued either by individuals or by various organisations, ministries etc., so that today it includes more than 18.000 books.

THE PUBLICATIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS OF THE LIBRARY OF ZAGORA.

The books in the Library of Zagora are worthy of considerable attention for a number of reasons. They are related to many leading figures of our national history, while many of the manuscripts contain unpublished material of great importance. Moreover, many of the printed editions also contain notes, written by hand, in the blank margins of their pages, which include very illuminating information about Zagora’s history in particular, but also about Greek history of the 18th century in general. Nevertheless, many of them are valuable in their own right, because of the time and place they were published, the famous printers they came from, the care the publishers took in the artistic presentation of the volumes, the elaborate artwork on their leather-bindings, the nice copper or wooden plated printings they contain etc.. Many of the editions that still now exist in the Library of Zagora are first editions.

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