Ohrid lake

MAVROVO NATIONAL PARK

Mavrovo National Park is the largest of the three national parks of Macedonia. It was founded in 1949 and is located in the west of the country in the Bistra mountain located South of Korab mountain. The national park, the lake, and the region are named after the village of Mavrovo. 

Area: 282.2 mi²

Hours: 

Open 24 hours

Established: April 19, 1949

Mavrovo National Park

BABA MOUNTAIN

➤ Baba Mountain  or also known by the name of its highest peak, Pelister, is a mountain in Macedonia. The Pelister (peak (2601 metres, or 8533 feet) overlooks the city of Bitola. Baba Mountain is the third highest mountain in Macedonia. 

➤ Other peaks besides Pelister are Dva Groba (2514 metres), Veternica (2420 metres), Musa (2350 metres), Rzana (2334 meters), Shiroka (2218 metres), Kozji Kamen (2199 metres), Griva (2198 metres) and Golema Chuka (2188 metres) in Macedonia, and Belavoda (2.179 meters), Kirko. The Baba massif splits up the rivers in the region, so that they either flow towards the Adriatic.

Baba mountain

CHURCH OF ST. SOPHIA, OHRID

➤ The Church of St. Sophia is located in the city of Ohrid,  Macedonia. The church is one of the most important monuments of North Macedonia, housing architecture and art from the Middle Ages. The church was built during the First Bulgarian Empire, after the official conversion to Christianity. Some sources date the building of the church during the rule of Knyaz Boris I (852 – 889). 

➤ Originally a synod church of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, later of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, it was subsequently converted into a mosqueduring the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The interior of the church has been preserved with frescoes from the 11th, 12th and 13th century, which represent some of the most significant achievements in Byzantine painting of the time.

St. Sophia

 THE ROBEVI HOUSE

The Robevi House is a famous and historic building in Ohrid, Macedonia. It was built in its current state in 1863–1864 by Todor Petkov from a village Gari near Debar. Today the house is a protected cultural monument and belongs to the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments and National Museum. 

The Robevi house

ANCIENT THEATRE OF OHRID

The Ancient theatre of Ohrid of the Hellenistic period is located in Ohrid,  Macedonia. It was built in 200 BC and is the only Hellenistic-type theatre in the country as the other three in Scupi, Stobi and Heraklea Lynkestis are from Roman times. It is unclear how many people the original theater used to seat, as only the lower section still exists. The open theater has a perfect location: the two hills that surround it keep it protected from winds that could interfere with acoustics during performances. During Roman times, the theater was also used for gladiator fights. However, since the theater was also a site of executions of Christians by the Romans, it rapidly turned to a highly disliked site by the locals. In fact, as a result of this dislike, the theater was abandoned and buried by the locals after the demise of the Roman Empire. 

Ancient Theatre of Ohrid

PELISTER NATIONAL PARK

Pelister National Park is a national park in the Municipality of Bitola, Macedonia. The park is located in the Baba Mountain massif and covers an area of 171.5 square kilometres. The altitude of the park varies between 927 and 2,601 m above sea level and is filled with exquisite flora and fauna. It was established in 1948. Aflora elements, the presence is especially significant of the five-needle pine molica, Pinus peuce - a unique species of Cenozoic age being present on only a few mountains in the Balkan Peninsula. The beauty of the landscape is enhanced by the diverse wildlife: bears, roe deer, wolves, chamois, deer, wild boars, rabbits, several species of eagles, partridges, red-billed choughs, and the endemic Macedonian Pelagonia trout.

Pelister National Park

MATKA CANYON

Matka is a canyon located west of central Skopje, Macedonia. Covering roughly 5,000 hectares, Matka is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in North Macedonia and is home to several medieval monasteries. The Matka Lake within the Matka Canyon is the oldest artificial lake in the country.There are ten caves at Matka Canyon, with the shortest in length being 20 metres (65.6 feet) and the longest being 176 metres (577.4 feet). The canyon also features two vertical pits, both roughly extending 35 metres (114.8 feet) in depth. Matka Canyon is home to a wide variety of plants and animals, some of which are unique to the area. Roughly 20% of the plant life found at Matka is endemic and only found here. The canyon is also home to 77 indigenous species of butterfly. The canyon is also home to the most venomous snake in south Europe the Viper. The canyon's caves are home to large populations of bats.

Matka artificial lake

OLD RAILWAY STATION IN SKOPJE

➤ Today's old railway station in Skopje                               began to be built in 1937. Before that, there was a railway station that was built back in 1873, when railway transport in Macedonia was introduced. For the improvement of the railway traffic, the Banque decided to build a new railway station in Skopje. The foundation stone was laid in 1937, and the construction lasted for 3 years.

➤ The railway station was put into operation in 1940 and was the most beautiful in the Balkans at that time. Prior to the construction of this station, there was only one station in Gradsko with underground passages which, according to its beauty, was separated from the others, but with the newly built station in Skopje no one else could compete.

SAMUEL'S FORTRESS

➤ Samuel's Fortress is a fortress in the old town of Ohrid, North Macedonia. It was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the rule of Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria at the turn of the 10th century. Today, this historical monument is a major tourist attraction and was heavily restored in 2003 with the addition of entirely new battlements where none had survived.

➤ According to recent excavations by Macedonian archaeologists, it was contended that this fortress was built on the place of an earlier fortification, dated to the 4th century BC, which was probably built by King Philip II of Macedon.

Top view of Samuel's Fortress

Macedonia

MACEDONIA

Macedonia is a country in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Macedonia is a small country with 2 million people. The Macedonian language is the official speaking language. People also speak Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian, English and other... Macedonia has such beautiful places you can visit. Macedonia has fifty-three natural and artificial lakes. The three largest lakes are of tectonic origin: Ohrid, Prespa, and Dojran. Lake Ohrid is in the southwestern corner of Macedonia, covering 348 square kilometers (134 square miles).

The Macedonian flag

PLACES YOU CAN VISIT IN MACEDONIA

1. Skopje city center

City center of Skopje was recently completely rebuilt and has some new fountains, city lighting and statues. You should visit bridges over the Vardar River, Mother Teresa Memorial House, Macedonia gate and square and old bazaar.

2. Skopje Fortness Kale

The Skopje Fortress also known as Kale Fortress is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje. It is situated on the highest point in the city with beautiful view of Skopje and Vardar River.

3. Matka Canyon

Matka canyon is artificial lake in Matka Valley, which is located only 12km far from Skopje. It is beautiful natural reserve. There is also Vrelo cave that could be the deepest underwater cave in the world.

4. Vodno mountain

Vodno Mountain is located southwest of the capital city Skopje and it is famous for local people. There are some hiking trails which lead to the top of the mountain, where Millennium cross is situated.

5. Millennium cross

The Millennium Cross is tall 66-metre and is situated on the top of the Vodno Mountain near Skopje. It was built to serve as a memorial of 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia. You can take cable car to the cross from middle Vodno.

6. Ohrid ancient theater

Ancient theater in Ohrid was build in 200BC and since 1980s is again a site of public performances. It is located in city center of Ohrid near Ohrid upper gate.

7. King Samoil Fortress in Ohrid

Samuel’s Fortress  is a fortress in the old town of Ohrid. This historical monument is a major tourist attraction in Ohrid. From the top of fortness is amazing view of city Ohrid, Lake Ohrid and mountains around.

8. Church St. Pantelejmon

This church in Ohrid is also known as Plaoshnik and it is famous because Cyrillic alphabet was created here and it is the site of the 1st university in Europe, which was opened in the 10th century.

9. St. Kaneo Church

Saint John at Kaneo is a magnificent Orthodox church, which is situated on the cliff overlooking Lake Ohrid in Ohrid.

10. Natural laundry in Recica

Recica is small village in municipality of Ohrid. It is only 17km far from Ohrid and it is famous for its natural laundry.

11. Snake Island

Snake island or Golem Grad is only one island in Macedonia in Prespa lake. It has rich fauna and flora. You can see many pelicans, snakes, turtles and black cormorants as well as some endemic species of tress there.

12. Saint Naum Monastery

Saint Naum Monastery was built on a high cliff above the Ohrid lake, in its southernmost point, 30 km far from Ohrid in very beautiful environment. It is possible to get there by boat trip which starts in port of Ohrid city.

Hi everyone and welcome to our blog. Here we will post interesting things about our gorgeous country, Macedonia. 
Hope you will enjoy,
Team from Dimo Hadzi Dimov💜💜