What you will see
The Rigas Feraios School or Ellinomouseio (GreekMuseum) of Zagora was founded in the early 18th century and is the oldest school in Pelion. It contributed to the intellectual development not only of Zagora but to the entire region of East Pelion, being an educational institution of high education, in which famous men attended. Among the students were the Greek revolutionary advocate and fighter Rigas Feraios, Anthimos Gazis and Gregorios Konstantas.
As the village of Zagora grew its school, which was within the monastery of Sotira, could not cover the educational needs, so it was decided to build a new, bigger school in the churchyard of St John the Baptist. It was the year of 1702 or 1712 according to others when it started and a few decades later in 1777 faced moments of great glory. To this success helped the Patriarch Calinicus III who came back to the village after years and overlooked for its development along with the assistance and funding of John Prigkos, an emigrant and merchant from Amsterdam, and other inhabitants of the village, the school was rebuilt and was converted into a higher grade school, with the name "Ellinomouseio." Alongside the school, operated the famous library of Zagora that had been housing thousands of important and rare books. Both library and Ellinomouseio ceased to operate at the beginning of the Revolution.
The well-maintained school building with the wooden shutters and the stone base, a sample of traditional architecture, is located in a site smothered in chestnut trees and greenery. It features a beautiful courtyard and a large wooden sign that informs the visitor his arrival to the school of Rigas. Inside, the visitor can admire copies of manuscripts and antique maps from the 16th to the 18th century and sections devoted to the crop of silk that flourished in the village over past years, and to Rigas Feraios.
Regarding the library’s historic material, it can be found in Zagoras Public library located in the central square, next to the church of Agios Georgios.
