Ταξιδιωτικές Σημειώσεις σχετικά με την Κορυτσά Θ. Βελλιανίτης Β Μέρος (1919)- Shënime nga udhëtimi në Korçë T. Vellianitet 1919 - Pjesa e 2të -Traveling Notes On Corytsa by T. Vellianites (Part B) 1919

Traveling Notes On Corytsa by T. Vellianites Essayist, Historian, and Deputy to the Greek Parliament Translated by NICHOLAS CULOLIAS, LL.B1 Published by the Pan-Epirotic Union of America 7 Water St., Boston, Mass.   Printed by the PURITAN LINOTYPE   Cambridge, Mass. 1919 Part II   For Part I just click here         III. In the narrow alleys one can study the life of thepeople of this city, distinguish even their ancient ways and efforts with which for centuries they were preparing to regain their political independence through the creation of an intellectual superiority. There are to be found still in those little alleys the Turkish calderims which are the scourge of the un-accustomed feet of the inhabitants of the new cities. In the somewhat broader streets, however, there are new houses, and on the edges of the side-walks rows of thick-leaved trees, whose foliage unites with the gardens of the houses; their towering plants conquer the garden walls and overflow so abundantly that they present an emerald green network similar to 'the theatrical scenery of the ancient idyls. In the depths of the courtyards which have been transformed into flower gardens by the artistic sense of the women of Corytsa, are to be seen the houses. I visited many of them. The comfort, luxury and abundance of the Oriental rugs, the mentorlike those immense divans by the broad hearth, the silver shyrets made by the Venetians and the Calorytes of Epirus, the ancient gilded crystal articles which come also from Venice, 'the courteous manners of the ladies, their natural artistic taste in dress, their Greek precision in speech all' these show that one is in the midst of a city which always had an advanced civilization and which has indeed been one of the centres of Greek culture during the years of slavery. What is also a surprise is the extreme cleanliness of this city. The houses, the hallways, the courtyards, all shine brightly. This cleanliness extends also to the streets and thoroughfares, a phenomenon in this handsome Greek city, truly wonderful. Turkey has not accustomed the East with such phenomena. The sense of civic cleanliness is not at all developed among the Turks, much less among the Albanians. It is an exclusively Greek virtue, inherited from the ancient civilization of the race. Strictly speaking, Corytsa does not belong to Epirus. It belongs much more to Macedonia, or rather to both. It is undoubtedly the cleanest and the most 'beautiful city of Epirus and Western Macedonia. One can safely say it is the centre which unites Western Macedonia with Epirus. Through it passes the broad' thoroughfare which joins these two sections of the Greek state. Without Corytsa their contiguity is interrupted. It is naturally, therefore, impossible to separate Corytsa from these two districts of the Grecian land. But independently of this, 80 per cent of the' population of Corytsa is purely Greek. All their interests are inseparably bound together with those of Greek Macedonia and Epirus. If this beautiful city is forcibly separated from' them it is bound to suffer inevitable decay and to see its people expatriated seeking to live elsewhere in accordance with their racial conscience and material interests. History, as far as I know, does not relate in what manner and when Corytsa was founded, as it tells about Ochrida (Lychnidon), Castoria and other nearby cities. The geographers mention that until 1487 Corytsa was an obscure village called Episcope, numbering about fifteen houses of peasants. At that period the Sultan, Mahomed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, much before the conquest, passed through this country and reached Panarite of Premete; he took with him Elias Bey,' a young Ottomanized Macedonian who distinguished himself in many battles and especially during the capture of Constantinople when he took Hypsomatheia, one of the densely inhabited suburbs of the city. In his old age Elias Bey asked of the Sultan Bayiazet IV, the successor of Mohamed, permission to return and die in his own country. Bayiazet as a mark of special favor towards Elias Bey, who bore 'the title Mirahor-Ebel, i. e., first keeper of the Horse, granted him the usufruct of that country and made him governor with hereditary rights. Elias Bey returned to his 'country and established himself at Corytsa. When he died, he turned his lands into Vacouphia or sacra so that they would become inalienable. His descendants until today receive the income from them. Since that time Episcope, the unimportant village, little by little grew into a town and the town into the handsome modern city. Yet this historical note does not solve the question, for I saw in the code of one of the monasteries of Mt. Athos that some 1monk from Corytsa was named as its founder way back in 1320. From this it becomes evident that the Corytsa of Mirahor-Elias Bey pre-existed him. In the ancient times this district was called the land of the Kallekini and was included in the territory of Illirian Eordaea. During the Byzantine times there was issued an imperial golden bull dated 1020, which among other episcopates coming under the jurisdiction of the first autocephalus archbishopric of Justinian, mentions that of Castoria within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of which fell Corytsa under the name of Corestos. As it is well known the autocephalus archbishopric of Ochrida was maintained until 1767 when it was 'abolished through the efforts of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Samuel III. To the advancement of Corytsa, contributed, to be sure, the central position she occupied between southwestern Macedonia and southeastern Epirus; but to a great extent it was the result of the energetic and enterprising spirit which distinguishes the Greek race. Until the beginning of the tenth century Corytsa does not show any special progress. She does not have, one might 'say, a great history, nor does she play an important role, due to the superority of the neighboring city, Moschopolis. She does not appear at all as a commercial centre. But from that period she becomes one of the most important centres of Greek culture, and intellectual activity is transferred from Moschopolis to here. By this I do not mean to say that before that time Corytsa was entirely lacking in cultural life. On the contrary, from the year 1700 the church of Zoodochos Peige had been erected with its peculiar colonnade and its wonderful altar, the work of Epirotic wood carving which developed and received an altogother artistic character among the Ionian Islanders. People who decorate their city with such works of art could not have been altogether barren of the sense of the beautiful. They must have tasted of the fruit of culture. But from the beginning of the nineteenth century Corytsa takes a foremost position among the Greek cities of Western Macedonia and surpasses eve Kozane, which flourished in the eighteenth century, maintaining a lyceum in which one of 'the greatest teachers of that century, Eugenios Boulgaris from Corfu, taught.

Shënime nga udhëtimi në Korçë T. Vellianitet Eseist, Historian, dhe Deputet në parlamentin grek Përkthyer nga NICHOLAS CULOLIAS, LL.B1 ^ Botuar nga Pan-Epirotiku Bashkimi i Amerikës 7 Water St., Boston, Mass. Shtypur nga LINOTIPI PURITAN Kembrixh, Mass. 1919   Përkthimi nga origjinali në Shqip: © Pelasgos Koritsas T.B Pjesa e II. Lexoni pjesën e I duke klikuar këtu     III. Në rrugicat e ngushta mund të studiohet jeta e njerëzve të këtij qyteti, dallohen edhe vetë mënyrat dhe përpjekjet të lashta me të cilat për shekuj ishin duke u përgatitur për të rifituar pavarësinë e tyre politike nëpërmjet krijimit të një epërsie intelektuale. Ka ende për të gjetur në ato rrugica të vogla dhe kalldrëmet turke te cilat jane plagë  për  këmbët e pamësuara të banorëve të qyteteve të reja. Megjithatë, në rrugët disi më të gjera, ka shtëpi të reja, dhe në trotuaret anës rrugës rreshta pemësh me gjethe të trasha, gjethja e të cilëve bashkohet me kopshtet e shtëpive, bimët e tyre të larta pushtojnë muret e kopshtit dhe vërshojnë aq me bollëk sa paraqesin një rrjetë  jeshile smeraldi të ngjashme me 'peizazhet teatrale të idileve të lashta. Në thellësi të oborreve të cilat janë shndërruar në kopshte lulesh nga ndjenja artistike e grave të Korçës, duken shtëpitë. Kam vizituar shumë prej tyre. Komforti, luksi dhe bollëku i qilimave orientale, dhe rehatllëku i atyre divaneve të pamasë nga gjerësia pranë vatrave, shiretat e argjendta të bëra nga venecianët dhe Kaloritët e Epirit, artikujt prej  kristali të praruar e të lashtë të cilët vijnë gjithashtu nga Venecia, dhe sjelljet e hijshme të zonjave, shija e tyre natyrale artistike në veshje, saktësia e tyre greke në të folur të gjitha këto tregojnë se njeriu është në mes të një qyteti i cili ka pasur gjithmonë një qytetërim të përparuar dhe që ka qenë vërtet një nga qendrat e kulturës greke gjatë viteve të skllavërisë. Ajo që është gjithashtu surprizuese është pastërtia ekstreme e këtij qyteti. Shtëpitë, korridoret, oborret, të gjitha shkëlqejnë. Kjo pastërti shtrihet edhe rrugëve dhe bulevardeve, një fenomen në këtë qytet të bukur grek, vërtet i mrekullueshëm. Turqia nuk e ka mësuar Lindjen me fenomene të tilla. Ndjenja e pastërtisë qytetare nuk është aspak e zhvilluar ndër turqit, aq më pak ndër shqiptarët. Është ekskluzivisht një virtyt grek, i trashëguar nga qytetërimi i lashtë i racës. Që të flasim drejt, Korça nuk i përket Epirit. Ajo i përket shumë më tepër Maqedonisë, ose më mirë të dyjave. Është padyshim 'qyteti më i bukur i më i pastër Epirit dhe i Maqedonisë Perëndimore. Me siguri mund të thuhet se është qendra me të cilën bashkohet Maqedonia Perëndimore dhe Epiri. Përmes këtij qyteti kalon rruga e gjerë që bashkon këto dy seksione të tokës greke. Pa Korçën, afërsia e tyre ndërpritet. Është e natyrshme, pra, e pamundur të ndash Korçën nga këto dy zona të tokës greke. Por pavarësisht nga kjo, 80 për qind e popullsisë së Korçës është puro greke. Të gjitha interesat e tyre janë të lidhura në mënyrë të pandashme me ato të Maqedonisë dhe Epirit grek. Nëse ky qytet i bukur  ndahet me forcë prej tyre' është e detyruar të vuajë nga kalbja e pashmangshme dhe do të shohë njerëzit e saj të shpërngulen e të kërkojnë të jetojnë diku tjetër në përputhje me ndërgjegjen e tyre racore dhe interesat materiale. Historia, me sa di unë, nuk lidh me çfarë mënyre dhe kur u themelua Korça, siç tregohet për Ohrin (Lychnidon), Kastoria dhe të tjera qytete të afërta. Gjeografët përmendin se deri 1487 Korça ishte një fshat i panjohur i quajtur Episkopi, dhe numëronte rreth pesëmbëdhjetë shtëpi fshatarësh. Në atë periudhë sulltani, Muhamed i II, pushtuesi i Kostandinopojës, shumë përpara pushtimit, kaloi nëpër këtë vend dhe arriti në Panariti i Përmetit  ai mori me vete Ilias Beun, një maqedonas të ri të osmanizuar, i cili u dallua në shumë beteja dhe veçanërisht gjatë pushtimit të Kostandinopojës, kur mori Hypsomatheian, një nga periferitë e dendura të banuara të qytetit. Në pleqëri, Ilias Beu kërkoi nga Sulltani Bajazit i IV, pasardhësi i Muhamedit, ta lejonte të kthehet dhe të vdesë në vendin e tij. Bajaziti si shenjë vlerësimi të veçantë ndaj Ilias Beut, i cili mbante titullin Mirahor-Ebel, d.m.th. e rojtari i parë i Kalit, i dha atij uzufruktin e atij vendi dhe e bëri guvernator me të drejta trashëgimore. Ilias Beu u kthye në vendin e tij dhe u vendos në Korçë. Kur ai vdiq,  i ktheu tokat e tij në Vakëfe ose të shenjta në mënyrë që ato të bëheshin të patjetërsueshme. Pasardhësit e tij deri më sot marrin të ardhurat prej tyre. Që prej asaj kohe Episkopia, fshati i parëndësishëm, pak nga pak u rrit në një qytet dhe qyteti në një qytet të bukur modern. Megjithatë, ky shënim historik nuk e zgjidh çështjen, sepse pashë në kodin e njërit prej manastirit të Malit Athos që një murg nga Korça u emërua si themelues i saj në vitin 1320. Nga kjo bëhet e qartë se Korça e Mirahor-Iiaz Beut kishte ekzistuar më parë. Në kohët e lashta ky rreth quhej toka e Kallekinëve dhe përfshihej në territorin e Eordesë Ilire. Gjatë kohës bizantine u lëshua një hrisovul (urdhër) perandorak i datës 1020, i cili ndër episkopatat e tjera që ishin nën juridiksionin e kryepeshkopatës së parë autoqefale të Justinianit, përmend atë të Kosturit në juridiksionin kishtar të së cilës ra Korca me emrin  Korestos. Siç dihet autoqefalinë kryepeshkopata e Ohrit e mbajti deri në vitin 1767 kur u 'shfuqizua me përpjekjet e patriarkut të Kostandinopojës, Samuel III. Për përparimin e Korçës, kontribuoi, për të qënë të sigurt, pozicioni qendror që ajo zinte mes Maqedonisë jugperëndimore dhe Epirit juglindor; por në një masë të madhe ishte rezultat i shpirtit energjik dhe sipërmarrëse që dallon racën greke. Deri në fillim  të shekullit të dhjetë Korça nuk tregon ndonjë përparim të veçantë. Ajo nuk ka, mund të thuhet, një histori të shkëqyer, as nuk luan një rol të rëndësishëm, për shkak të superoriteti të qytetit fqinj, Moskopolit (Voskopojës). Ajo nuk shfaqet fare si qëndër komerciale. Por që nga ajo periudhë ajo bëhet një nga qendrat më të rëndësishme të kulturës greke, dhe aktiviteti intelektual transferohet nga Voskopoja këtu. Me këtë nuk dua të them se para asaj kohe Korçës i mungonte plotësisht jeta kulturore. Përkundrazi, nga viti 1700 kisha e Burimit Jetëdhënës ishte ngritur me kolonat e saj të veçanta dhe altari i saj i mrekullueshëm, vepër e gdhendjes epirote në dru e cila u zhvillua dhe mori një karakter krejt artistik ndër ishujt e Jonit. Njerëzit që dekorojnë  qytetet e tyre me vepra të tilla arti nuk mund të jenë plotësisht të shterpë mbi ndjenjën e së bukurës. Ata duhet të kenë shijuar frytin e kulturës. Por nga fillimi i shekullit të nëntëmbëdhjetë Korça zë një pozicion kryesor ndër qytetet greke të  Maqedonisë Perëndimore dhe ia kalon madje dhe Kozanit, i cili lulëzoi në shekullin e tetëmbëdhjetë, dhe mbajti e një lice në të cilin një nga 'mësuesit më të mëdhenj të atij shekulli, Eugenios Boulgaris nga Korfuzi, dha mësim

Ταξιδιωτικές Σημειώσεις σχετικά με την Κορυτσά Θ. Βελλιανίτης Δοκιμιογράφος, Ιστορικός, και Βουλευτής της Βουλής των Ελλήνων Μεταφράστηκε από NICHOLAS CULOLIAS, LL.B1 Έκδοση της Πανηπειρωτικής Ένωση της Αμερικής 7 Water St., Βοστώνη, Mass. Τυπώθηκε από το ΠΟΥΡΙΤΑΝΙΚΟΣ ΛΙΝΟΤΥΠΟΣ Cambridge, Mass. 1919     Μετάφραση στα Ελληνικά: © Πελασγός Κορυτσάς 2023 T.B Μέρος Β’ Διαβάστε το Α’ Μέρος πατώντας εδώ III. Στα στενά της σοκάκια μπορεί κανείς να μελετήσει τη ζωή των ανθρώπων αυτής της πόλης, ξεχωρίζουν ακόμη και οι αρχαίοι τρόποι και οι προσπάθειες με τις οποίες για αιώνες ετοίμαζαν να ανακτήσουν την πολιτική τους ανεξαρτησία μέσω της δημιουργίας μιας πνευματικής υπεροχής. Υπάρχουν ακόμα σε εκείνα τα σοκάκια, τα Τουρκικά καλντερίμια που είναι η μάστιγα για τα μη-συνηθισμένα πόδια των κατοίκων των νέων πόλεων. Στους κάπως ευρύτερους δρόμους, ωστόσο, υπάρχουν νέα σπίτια, και στα πεζοδρόμια σειρές από πυκνόφυλλα δέντρα, των οποίων το φύλλωμα ενώνεται με τους κήπους των σπιτιών. Τα πανύψηλα φυτά τους κατακτούν τους τοίχους του κήπου και ξεχειλίζουν τόσο άφθονα που παρουσιάζουν ένα σμαραγδένιο πράσινο δίκτυο παρόμοιο με «το θεατρικό σκηνικό των αρχαίων ειδυλλίων. Στα βάθη των αυλών που έχουν μετατραπεί σε κήπους με λουλούδια από την καλλιτεχνική αίσθηση των γυναικών της Κορυτσάς, φαίνονται τα σπίτια. Επισκέφτηκα πολλά από αυτά. Η άνεση, η πολυτέλεια και η αφθονία των ανατολίτικων χαλιών, Τα άνετα εκείνα τα απέραντα ντιβάνια κοντά στην ευρεία Εστία (τζάκι), τα ασημένια σιδεράκια που έφτιαχναν οι Ενετοί και οι Καλορρύτες της Ηπείρου, τα αρχαία επίχρυσα κρυστάλλινα είδη που προέρχονται επίσης από τη Βενετία, «η οι ευγενικοί τρόποι των κυριών, το φυσικό τους καλλιτεχνικό γούστο στο ντύσιμο, η ελληνική τους ακρίβεια στον λόγο. Όλα αυτά δείχνουν ότι κάποιος βρίσκεται σε μια πόλη που είχε πάντα προηγμένο πολιτισμό και που όντως υπήρξε ένα από τα κέντρα του ελληνικού πολιτισμού στα χρόνια της σκλαβιάς. Αυτό που προκαλεί επίσης έκπληξη είναι η εξαιρετική καθαριότητα αυτής της πόλης. Τα σπίτια, οι διάδρομοι, οι αυλές, όλα λάμπουν. Αυτή η καθαριότητα προεκτείνετε  επίσης στους δρόμους και τις λεωφόρους, ένα φαινόμενο σε αυτή την όμορφη ελληνική πόλη, πραγματικά υπέροχο. Η Τουρκία δεν έχει συνηθίσει την Ανατολή με τέτοια φαινόμενα. Η αίσθηση της αστικής καθαριότητας  δεν αναπτύχθηκε καθόλου μεταξύ των Τούρκων, πολύ λιγότερο μεταξύ των Αλβανών. Είναι αποκλειστικά αρετή του Έλληνα, που κληρονόμησε από τον αρχαίο πολιτισμό της φυλής του. Για να μιλήσουμε ακριβοδίκαια, η Κορυτσά δεν ανήκει στην Ήπειρο. Ανήκει πολύ περισσότερο στη Μακεδονία ή μάλλον και στα δύο. Είναι αναμφίβολα  η πιο καθαρή και η πιο όμορφη πόλη της Ηπείρου και της Δυτικής Μακεδονίας. Μπορεί κανείς να πει με ασφάλεια ότι είναι το κέντρο που ενώνει τη Δυτική Μακεδονία με την Ήπειρο. Μέσα από αυτό περνά η ευρεία οδός που ενώνει αυτά τα δύο τμήματα του ελληνικού κράτους. Χωρίς την Κορυτσά η γειτνίασή τους διακόπτεται. Φυσικά, επομένως, είναι αδύνατο να διαχωριστεί η Κορυτσά από τις δύο αυτές συνοικίες της ελληνικής γης. Αλλά ανεξάρτητα από αυτό, το 80 τοις εκατό του πληθυσμού της Κορυτσάς είναι καθαρά ελληνικός. Όλα τους τα συμφέροντα συνδέονται άρρηκτα με αυτά της Ελληνικής Μακεδονίας και της Ηπείρου. Αν αυτή η όμορφη  πόλη διαχωρίζεται βίαια από αυτές τις περιοχές που συνδέεται άρρηκτα θα υποφέρει από αναπόφευκτη φθορά και για θα δει τους ανθρώπους της, να εκπατρίζονται  και να επιδιώκουν να ζουν αλλού σύμφωνα με τη φυλετική τους συνείδηση και τα υλικά συμφέροντα. Η ιστορία, από όσο ξέρω, δεν σχετίζει τον τρόπο και το πότε ιδρύθηκε η Κορυτσά, όπως αναφέρει για την Αχρίδα (Λυχνίδων), την Καστοριά και άλλες κοντινές πόλεις. Οι γεωγράφοι αναφέρουν ότι μέχρι το 1487 η Κορυτσά ήταν ένα ασήμαντο χωριό που ονομαζόταν Επισκοπή, αριθμώντας περίπου δεκαπέντε σπίτια αγροτών. Την περίοδο εκείνη ο Σουλτάνος Μωάμεθ Β', ο κατακτητής της Κωνσταντινούπολης, πολύ πριν από την κατάκτηση, πέρασε από αυτή τη χώρα και έφτασε στο Παναρίτη Πρεμετής  πήρε μαζί του τον Ηλία Μπέη, έναν νεαρό Οθωμανοποιημένο Μακεδόνα που διακρίθηκε σε πολλές μάχες και ιδιαίτερα κατά την κατάληψη της Κωνσταντινούπολης όταν πήρε την Υψομαθεία, ένα από τα πυκνοκατοικημένα προάστια της πόλης. Σε μεγάλη ηλικία ο Ηλίας Μπέης ζήτησε από τον Σουλτάνο τον Μπαγιαζίτ Δ', τον διάδοχο του Μωάμεθ, να του δώσει άδεια να επιστρέψει και να πεθάνει στη χώρα του. Ο Μπαγιαζίτ ως ένδειξη ιδιαίτερης εύνοιας προς τον Ηλίας Μπέη, ο οποίος έφερε «τον τίτλο Mirahor-Ebel, i. ε., Σταβλάρχης, του παραχώρησε την επικαρπία εκείνης της περιοχής και τον έκανε κυβερνήτη με κληρονομικά δικαιώματα. Ο Ηλίας μπέης επέστρεψε στη χώρα του και εγκαταστάθηκε στην Κορυτσά. Όταν πέθανε, μετέτρεψε τα εδάφη του σε Βακούφια ή Ιερά για να γίνουν αναπαλλοτρίωτα. Οι απόγονοί του μέχρι σήμερα λαμβάνουν τα έσοδα από αυτά. Από εκείνη την εποχή η Επισκοπή, το ασήμαντο μικρό χωριό,  σιγά σιγά μεγάλωσε σε πόλη και η πόλη σε όμορφη σύγχρονη πόλη. Ωστόσο, αυτό το ιστορικό σημείωμα δεν λύνει το ερώτημα, γιατί είδα στον κώδικα μιας από τις μονές του Αγίου Όρους ότι κάποιος μοναχός από την Κορυτσά ονομαζόταν ως ιδρυτής της το 1320. Από αυτό γίνεται φανερό ότι η Κορυτσά του Μιραχόρ-Ηλία Μπέη  προϋπήρχε. Στα αρχαία χρόνια η συνοικία αυτή ονομαζόταν χώρα των Καλληκίνης και περιλαμβανόταν στην επικράτεια της Ιλλυρικής Εορδαίας. Κατά τους βυζαντινούς χρόνους κυκλοφόρησε ένας αυτοκρατορικό χρυσόβουλο του 1020, το οποίο μεταξύ των άλλων επισκοπών που υπάγονται στη δικαιοδοσία της πρώτης αυτοκέφαλης αρχιεπισκοπής του Ιουστινιανού, αναφέρει αυτή της Καστοριάς στην εκκλησιαστική δικαιοδοσία της οποίας περιήλθε η Κορυτσά με το όνομα  Κόρεστος. Όπως είναι γνωστή η αυτοκέφαλη αρχιεπισκοπή της Αχρίδας διατηρήθηκε μέχρι το 1767 όταν «καταργήθηκε με τις προσπάθειες του ο Πατριάρχη Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Σαμουήλ Γ'. Στην πρόοδο της Κορυτσάς, συνέβαλε, επιβεβαιωμένα, η κεντρική θέση που κατείχε μεταξύ της νοτιοδυτικής Μακεδονίας και νοτιοανατολικής Ήπειρου. αλλά σε μεγάλο βαθμό ήταν το αποτέλεσμα του ενεργητικού και επιχειρηματικού πνεύματος που διακρίνει την ελληνική φυλή. Μέχρι στις αρχές του δέκατου αιώνα η Κορυτσά δεν παρουσιάζει ιδιαίτερη πρόοδο. Δεν έχει, θα έλεγε κανείς, σπουδαία ιστορία, ούτε παίζει σημαντικό ρόλο, λόγω της υπεροχής της γειτονικής πόλης, της Μοσχόπολης. Δεν εμφανίζεται καθόλου ως επιχειρηματικό  κέντρο. Αλλά από εκείνη την περίοδο γίνεται μια από τα σημαντικότερα κέντρα του ελληνικού πολιτισμού, και η πνευματική δραστηριότητα μεταφέρεται από τη Μοσχόπολη εδώ. Με αυτό, δεν θέλω να πω ότι πριν από εκείνη την εποχή στην Κορυτσά έλειπε εντελώς η πολιτιστική ζωή. Αντίθετα, από το έτος 1700 είχε ανεγερθεί ο ναός της Ζωοδόχου Πηγής με την ιδιόμορφη κιονοστοιχία του και τον υπέροχο ιερό  του, ένα έργο της ηπειρωτικής ξυλογλυπτικής που αναπτύχθηκε και έλαβε έναν εντελώς καλλιτεχνικό χαρακτήρα στα Επτάνησα. Άνθρωποι που στολίζουν την πόλη τους με τέτοια έργα τέχνης δεν θα μπορούσε να ήταν εντελώς άγονη από την αίσθηση του ωραίου. Πρέπει να έχουν γευτεί τον καρπό του πολιτισμού. Αλλά από τις αρχές του δέκατου ένατου αιώνα Η Κορυτσά κατέχει πρώτη θέση μεταξύ των Ελληνικών  πόλεων της Δυτικής Μακεδονίας και ξεπερνά ακόμη και την Κοζάνη, που ήκμασε τον δέκατο όγδοο αιώνα, διατηρώντας ένα λύκειο στο οποίο ένας από τους «μεγαλύτερους δασκάλους εκείνου του αιώνα, ο Ευγένιος Βούλγαρης από την Κέρκυρα, δίδαξε.

 

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