Оваа страница содржи мал вовед во овој голем град. Едноставно, им се овозможува на луѓето од другите делови на светот да добијат претстава за она што може да го доживеат кога ќе го посетат ова место. Доколку живеете во овој град или имате некаква поврзаност со него, ние од НДН би сакале да сме во тек и да знаеме за интересните настани или новости кои се случуваат тука.

Исто така, постои и можност за различни организации и компании да се рекламираат во склоп на Њу Дестинеишнс Нетворк (New Destinations Network),  и да се промовираат меѓународно, не само локално. Без разлика како би сакале да се вклучите, контактирајте нé веднаш, Ве очекуваме !

Ohrid is a city and municipality in the South West of the Republic Of Macedonia and boarders Albania. It is only a couple of hours away from the capital Skopje and an hour from Bitola the economic and industrial center of the country.  Ohrid is also the name of the famous lake that dominates the region and is one of the main reasons that many people visit the area.

The history of this city is very important to many and dates back to the 4th Century BC with the ancient Greeks and King Phillip 11 of Macedon. By the 6th/7th Century it began to be inhabited by Slavic Tribes called Berziti and settlements were formed throughout the region. In 886 Clement of Ohrid, established Ohrid Literary School, which was the first cultural center of the Bulgarian Empire. Therefore, Ohrid is known to many scholars as the ‘birth place’ of the Slavic language, the start of the Bulgarian civilization and center for the expansion of Christianity throughout the Balkans?

The lake is one of the deepest and oldest in Europe, being approximately 30 kilometers long, 15 kilometers wide, a shoreline of 88 kilometers in total and an impressive maximum depth of 288 meters. It has a unique aquatic ecosystem of worldwide importance, with 200 endemic species, thus it is a UNESCO protected area. A section of the west shoreline is in Albania, but the majority is in Macedonia, but both countries claim it as theirs, but peacefully share its waters. A lesser known, but nearly just as impressive ‘water’ is Lake Prespa, which is situated just over the Galicica Mountain east of the lake. It is believed that there are underground streams that actually connect the two? There is a National Park on the mountain, which gets a lot of visitors every year and many go for the added views of both lakes.

Ohrid Riviera, as it is known, is the length of shoreline that attracts visitors during the extremely popular summer months. Man-made beaches, great weather, beautiful mountain scenery, a multitude of different styles of accommodation, bars and restaurants make this a great destination. Then add the amazing lake itself, with its warm waters, impressive views, many sporting activities and boats trips, including ones to Albania. This is a great weekend away for many, but more and more visitors are staying for a week or more.

This region has a lot more to offer than just the famous lake, it is named after and the most prominent is Samuli’s Fortress. This impressive building can be seen from miles around and gives one of the best views of the lake. It dominates the ‘old town’ area of the city and was rebuilt over the original fortress which was dated back to the 4th Century BC. It has 2 meter thick walls, ramparts, upper and lower gates. The walk to get there is enjoyable too, as it takes visitors through the beautiful old town.

The Ancient Theatre of Ohrid is an impressive structure and was built in 200 BC. It was built to be shielded both sides by hills that protect it from wind and outside noise, which is why it is still used for performances today. In the past it was also used for musical performances, important gatherings, gladiator fights and religious executions.

Religion has always been synonymous with this region and to uniquely prove that fact it has over 365 churches’, one for every day of the year!

The Church of St Clements and St Paneleimon was founded by Clement of Ohrid a disciple of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius, who were the first to teach the Glagolitic/Cyrillic alphabet. The monastery stands on a hill, known as Plaosnik and is the most sacred of the churches in the country and has open views of Lake Ohrid and the surrounding mountains. The building itself has an impressive bell tower, mosaics, baptismal font, icons and crypt.

Holy Virgin Mary Bolnicka Church of single-nave design was built in approximately 1340 and houses icons from a famous master craftsman called Nikola from Debar. It has a communal tomb, where many Ohrid citizens’ remains were transferred from separate graves in the nearby churchyard.

The church of Saint John at Kaneo was dedicated to John of Patmos, considered by some to be John the Apostle. It is believed to have been built in the 13th Century on this cliff location overlooking the lake and beach at Kaneo, due to the aspect. It is of cruciform design with beautiful frescos, icons and apse.

The Church of Saint Vraci, which is also known as the Church of St Cosmas & Damian, named after the twin martyrs who practised healing. It has frescos from the 14th Century and one of the icons is pictured on the 1000 Denar Note.

A short distance out of the city and on the Albanian border is the Monastery of Saint Naum. It was established in 905 by Saint Naum himself, who is buried there. This Byzantine Church is an impressive looking building and is situated on a picturesque lakeside location. The icons in the church are some of the best in the Balkans and date back to 18th century. It also has an intricately wood-carved iconostasis which was made in1711.

A walk through the city itself is enjoyable, as it has many different aspects to view and enjoy. There are the traditional style houses that are constructed in a way that each floor gets larger as it gets higher. This enables the ground level to be used for pedestrians and transport and the upper, thus quieter and more spacious floors used for living in. The lighting around certain parts of the city has lamps that emulate this design.

There is a lovely waterfront promenade, which gives great views of the city, lake and mountains. Situated at the very start of it is the Monument of Saint Cyril and Methodius, who are the founders of the Cyrillic Alphabet. This monument is not only important to Macedonians, but Slovaks, Czechs and Bulgarians.

The ‘main street’ is very busy during the summer season, as it has many bars, restaurants and shops, plus the lovely Krushevska Republika Square. In the square is a Sycamore (Platanus Orientalis) tree, called Chinar, which simply means ‘plane tree’, which is at least 600 and maybe even 1100 years old? It is the oldest tree in the country and competes for the oldest one in the world. There are a lot of stories about this famous tree, ranging from; it was used as a location for executions to it was used as a barber shop?

Ohrid is also famous for its ‘pearls’, worn by no lesser person than Queen Elizabeth of Great Britian. The origin of the making of these pearls involves the Plasica Fish from Lake Ohrid, but how they are actually produced is a well-kept secret. Allegedly the Talevi family are one of the few holders of this secret, but that cannot be confirmed. These beautiful items are supposed to have eternal life and can be bought locally and all around the world.

Is Ohrid ‘The pearl of Macedonia’ or the ‘The best hidden gem of all the Balkans’? Either way it is a must visit destination, whether that be for a day, a weekend, a week or some people have gone and never returned!