Kastoria is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Greece. It lies in a valley of the peninsula that enters the beautiful lake Orestiada. It keeps its architectural heritage alive. The city was built in the 6th century AD on the ancient settlement of Keletron. During the Byzantine period it faced conflicts between foreign people (Bulgarians, Normans, Franks, Serbs) and Byzantine forces. With the privileges it retained and the development of the fur industry, it achieved an enviable economic growth. The existence of so many Byzantine churches and the frequent visits of emperors and Byzantine officials in the city, justify this prosperity. This development continued and after the conquest of the city by the Turks in 1385. During the Turkish occupation, several Greek schools were founded and important mansions and churches were built, showing the economic prosperity of its inhabitants, who were mainly engaged in traditional furs manufacture and trade. In the city and the region there were several movements for the throwing off of the Turkish yoke, culminating in the period of the Macedonian struggle, at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The city was liberated by the Greek army in November 1912.