This one of a kind museum
was built by Paul Vrelli. The museum is found just a
few kilometers south of the city Ioannina. It displays
scenes from Greek History. The Museum began in 1983 and
completed in 1994. Paul Vrelli began this project when
he was 60 years old. The wax figures in the museum
represent a classical sculpture. There are three
thematic units in the Museum: the Prorevolutionary
period (the Concealed School, the foundation of the
Friendly Company, the martyrdom of Dionysiou Skylosofou
etc.), events of 1821 (the Thieves, the death of Ali
Pasha e.t.c.) and themes from the World War II (the
women of Pindos e.t.c.).
Paul Vrellis – was born on
March 25, 1923. His passion and love for Greek history
led him to this creation of the Wax Effigies Museum. The
museum displays 150 wax figures in a life- like
environment.
The Paul Vrellis Wax
Museum, 13 km south of Ioannina, is worth a visit. As
you wind through the enormous complex along dark, dank,
rock-encased walkways, revolutionary figures peek out of
simulated cave environments. There are surprises at
every turn, many involving soldiers with ghastly bloody
wounds or otherworldly historical figures. Undoubtedly
the favorite scene is the Murder of Ali Pasha. Set in
Ali's monastery hideaway, it features "kra Vassiliki"
Ali's Greek wife, walking serenely away from a comically
gory scene, a severed head at her feet. In one corner, a
man looks in horror at his realistically-rendered
severed foot, while overhead Ali's headless body hangs
over a balcony. At the end, you are treated to a
hologram of the Acropolis and a reproduction of Vrellis
himself, in his workshop creating the wax figure of an
Orthodox priest. If you are lucky, Vrellis himself, a
former war captive and algebra teacher, might greet you
and explain to you his vision for the museum,
The second museum, Museum
of Wax Effigies Athanassios Vrelli , of this type is
found on the Karamanlis Street 15, by the castle walls.
The creation of the representations has developed in the
space of the exhibition which is functional since 1997.
The total of representations is 14 and the dolls which
participate are 70. The making craft is different from
the others and the result reveals to the visitor the
taste of Athanassios Vrelli for this unique type of
museum in Greece.
