kostur

Kostur is the Macedonian and several South Slavic exonym for the Greek city of Kastoria, located in western Greece. The city lies on the northern shore of Lake Orestiada and serves as a regional hub in the Florina regional unit. In Macedonian and some Balkan texts, Kostur is used to refer both to the town and to the surrounding historical region, reflecting long-standing linguistic and cultural ties in the area.

Historically, Kastoria dates back to ancient times and rose to prominence in the Byzantine and Ottoman periods as a major center of fur trade. The town is known for its scenic setting around a large lake, its traditional stone houses in the old town, and its Byzantine churches and local museums that preserve regional history and crafts.

In modern times, Kastoria remains an economic and cultural center of western Greece, with a notable fur industry and a draw for tourists attracted by the lake, historic architecture, and nearby natural landscapes. In contemporary usage, Kostur appears primarily in Macedonian-language sources and other Balkan historical writings as the local name for Kastoria; in Greek, the city is referred to as Kastoria.