The Panagia Pantanassa of Arta, with the ruins of the monastic complex rising at the northernmost edge of the region, near Lake Ziros, constitutes one of the most important Middle Byzantine monuments of Epirus. Located approximately 17 kilometers from the city of Arta and just 5 kilometers from Filippiada, on the old national road from Ioannina to Preveza, it uniquely links the natural landscape of the lake with the cultural heritage of the area.
The founding of the monastery dates back to the era of the Despotate of Epirus, around the middle of the 13th century (1250-1260). Despot Michael II Komnenos, as a sign of repentance towards his wife Theodora – who was later proclaimed Saint Theodora, patron saint of Arta – founded two monasteries, with Panagia Pantanassa being one of them. The choice of the location, near a natural water resource such as Lake Ziros, had both practical and symbolic significance.
In the late 13th century, through the care of Nikephoros I, son of Michael, a peristyle (portico) was added around the church, a fact that shows that the monastery was developing as a center of religious life. The katholikon (main church) was considered one of the largest in the Despotate, which demonstrates its importance for Epirus at the time.
Over the centuries, the monastery suffered damage from natural causes. Already by the 15th century, parts of it had been destroyed, while around 1692, according to the Metropolitan of Arta Serafim Xenopoulos, it was definitively abandoned. In his descriptions from 1820, the English traveler Thomas Hughes reports that the ruins still preserved impressive walls, while a few years later, in 1836, the Abbot Parthenios from the Monastery of Prodromos repaired the chapel of Saint Basil, offering a "breath of life" to the monument.
After 1970, when the area was cleared of dense vegetation and layers of earth, excavations began under Professor P. Vokotopoulos. The findings revealed valuable details about the form of the church and its architectural value, with sections of colonnades, bases supporting domes, and elements of ceramic-plastic decoration.
The catholicon (main church) of Panagia Pantanassa in Arta had impressive dimensions, approximately $27.30 \times 15$ meters. It belonged to a rare variation of the composite inscribed cross church, with strong influences from the architecture of Constantinople. On its roof there were five domes: one large central dome and four smaller ones in the corners, a system that lent imposing grandeur to the monument.
The masonry, with rich use of bricks and ceramic-plastic decorations, constitutes a characteristic example of the period of the Despotate. On the north side, a pillar with sculptural decoration of Western style was located, which testifies to possible artistic contacts with the West. The chapel of Saint Basil, which is preserved to this day, allows the visitor to grasp the scale and significance of the complex.
Although the original hagiographies are not preserved, excavations brought to light movable finds that prove the church had rich artistic decoration, commensurate with the glory of the era.
In our days, Panagia Pantanassa has been converted into an archaeological site, integrated into the protected areas of Epirus. Visitors can approach the site via the old national road from Arta to Preveza, approximately 4 kilometers north of the junction for Pantanassa. Although the catholicon no longer functions, the small chapel continues to hold religious value for the local community.
