Ohrid

(Macedonian: Охрид)

Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia.

It has about 55,700 inhabitants. It is the seat of Ohrid municipality. The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. It is located east of Elbasan and Tirana in Albania, southwest of Skopje, and west-northwest of Resen and Bitola. There are several explanations for the origin of the name Ohrid. According to one of them, the name Ohrid is entirely Slavic and it is derived from the expression "na hrid" which means "on a hill". Indeed the town of Ohrid is built on a hill. In 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Lake Ohrid, that came into being between four to ten million years ago, is Europe's oldest lake, and is amongst the oldest in the world. It is a typical oligotrophic lake, meaning that it contains low levels of nutrients. By its origin the lake is a tectonic one and belongs to the so-called group of "Dasaretian lakes" (named by an ancient region called Dasaretia). The Lake came about in the tertiary period, prior to the glaciations. Lake Ohrid lies in the valley between Ohrid and Struga, in the border region between Macedonia and Albania. It is situated on 41 degree northern latitude and 20 - 21 degrees eastern longitude, and its altitude is 695 metres above sea level. It covers an area of 358.2 square kilometres, two thirds of which belong to the Republic of Macedonia, and the rest to the Republic of Albania. The shoreline is 87.5 kilometres long - the maximum length being 30.8 kilometres, and its maximum of 14.8 kilometres. The average depth is 164 metres, and the maximum depth 289 metres. The Lake is sorrounded by mountain ranges of Mount Mokra (Mokra Planina - 1589 m.) and Jablanica (1945 m) on the Albanian side and by the limestone ridge of Mount Galicica (2255m) on the eastern side. The surrounding mountains are extremely karstic. Lake Ohrid is the seventh deepest lake in Europe.

In the beginning of this century J. Cvijic stated his assumption that the water of the adjacent Lake Prespa, with a water level 158 metres higher, will sink through the karstic areas of the mountains Galicica and Suva Gora. By using natural isotopes, in 1980 it was proved that the lakes of Prespa and Ohrid were connected hydrographically. Evidence have confirmed that more than 50% of the water from the springs near St. Naum come from the Lake of Prespa.

The climate of the Lake Ohrid is classified as a local-continental type. Medium annual temperatures average to 11.4 degrees Centigrade. Medium monthly temperatures average to about 21.2 degrees in July and August, and 34.4 being the absolute maximum in August. The lowest medium monthly temperature amounts to 1.5 degrees in January, whereas - 17.2 degrees is the absolute minimum. The average annual rainfall in the Lake basin amount to approximately 759 mm.

The water temperature in the deepest layers of Lake Ohrid is approximately 6 degrees Centigrade, whereas the surface layers may warm up to 24 degrees, and even to 26 degrees closer to the shore.

• Number of inhabitants: The city of Ohrid 55.749 in 2003
• Area: 383,93 sq. km
• Geographic position: 41°07′01.31″N 20°48′06.14″E
• Climate: Mild Continental
• Average temperature: 11,4C
• Time zone: Central European Time (GMT +1)
• Postal Code: 6000
• Local area code: 046

Well, being here you are not only in the cradle of Macedonian history but also in the centre of Macedonian gastronomy. And not only Macedonian. Should you wish a dish from your own country, you’re welcome. The old part of the town will open the gates in front of you.

Just across the Church of St. Sofia you may sit in the nice restaurant with the same name. If you’re one hundred metres far from there and see the Ancient arena, you’ll see “Gladiator” over it. And under the St. John of Caneo church, partly in the lake is the nice fish restaurant. Downtown will open Dalga (The Wave) in front of you and Antico across the narrow street, a lot of pizzerias between.

If you’re on your way to St. Naum monastery which has its own first class restaurant, you have to pass a little village named Trpeica, and if you see some place to park, don’t avoid “Ribar” (The Fisherman), so quiet, clean place on the coast, first class food and service.

The contemporary city of Ohrid is a descendant of the antique town of Lychnidos. This was confirmed by several Byzantine sources in which it was written "the town is situated on a high hill near the large lake of Lychnidos, by which also the town was named Lychnis, previously known as Dyassarites". According to numerous Roman documents, Lychnidos was located by the Via Egnatia, the oldest and most important Roman roadway in the Balkans. It started with two routes from Apollonia and Dyrachia and reached to Lychnidos through Candavian Mountains. Long before the Romans came into the region this route had been used as a communicational link between the coast and the internal parts of Illyria and Macedonia. Via Egnatia was the shortest route from Rome to the Eastern Empire. The earliest inhabitants of the widest Lake Ohrid region that can be identified by name were Brigians and Enhelians. Brigians are the same as Phrygians. Enhelians have been identified as Illyrians. However, it should be underlined that Herodotus, and some other historians, distinguish them from the Illyrians.

It is said that the Illyrians held Macedonia enslaved before Philip II of Macedonia come power. With the arrival of Philip II the power shifted. This happened after the battle that most probably took place in Lynchestidis, today the Bitola Plain. The victorious party was the Macedonians. This battle was crucial for the further development of the relations between Illyria and Macedonia. It marked the end of the Illyrian domination over Macedonia. The Illyrians had to leave the region east of the northern shore of Lychnidos Lake.

In the year 335 BC, while Alexander III of Macedonia was on the river Danube, the Illyrian king Klit organized an insurrection against Macedonia. The sources do not mention the consequences of Alexander's victory over Klit. Several indirect data have shown that as a result Illyria was annexed to Macedonia, probably as a province under the administration of a strategist, as was the case with Trachia ever since the rule of Philip II.

From the beginning of VI century the Slavs started passing the river Danube more frequently devastating and robbing the rich Byzantine towns, fortresses and villages, penetrating even the interior of the Balkan peninsula. Records tell us that even in 517 AD, when Anastasius I (419-518) was the sovereign of the Byzantine "the two Macedonias and Thessaly were devastated by the Ghetic (Slavic) cavalry that robbed all the way through Thermopylae and Ancient Epirus".

It is certain that towards the end of VI century the Ohrid region was exposed to a mass Slavic colonization. In the 3rd decade of VII century the region of Ohrid was completely colonized by the Slav tribe of Berzites. In the 2nd decade of VII century this tribe, alongside other tribes, including Draguvites, Sagudates and Velegizites, entered into a grand Slavic alliance lead by the Slav leader Hatczon.

Apart form the Ohrid region, the Macedonian Slavic tribe Berzites also colonized the entire territory that stretched between the contemporary towns of Veles, Kavadarci, Prilep, Bitola, and Debar. The Byzantine writers started to call this whole territory "Sclavinia".

In 969 a conflict between the Byzantine Empire and the state of Kiev occurred. During the most severe conflicts between the Bulgarians, Byzantine and Russians, the Bulgarian Czar Peter died. His death in Macedonia was used as an excuse to start-up for a liberation resurrection. From the very beginning of the uprising incited by the sons of a Slav prince Nikola: David, Moses, Aaron and Samuel, the town of Ohrid and its surroundings were in the very centre of the tumults. The uprising started in 969 and quickly stretched out throughout the territory of the former "Sklavinia" (province) Berzitia. This territory and other neighbouring regions were freed from the Bulgarian rule. The former Macedonian "sclavinias" (provinces) were united into a Macedonian Slavic state known as Samuel's Empire. Although still under the supreme rule of the Byzantine emperor, in the period from 971 to 976 princes David, Aaron, Moses and Samuel managed to gain international recognition for their state. Later, as a monarch, Samuel managed to develop a large army and well-trained soldiers so that by the end of X century the Macedonian state (Thessalonica excluded) was also covering the territories of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Albania and Croatia. After obtaining the Pope's blessing, Samuel promoted the Macedonian Church to the rank of a patriarchate. Ohrid then became the ecclesiastical and czaristic centre of the Macedonian State and grew into a true medieval metropolis. The town consisted of two territorially adjoining parts: the fortress, i.e., acropolis, and lower town. These two sections formed the entire urban dwelling at that time known as polis.

In the fall of 1015 the Byzantine emperor Vasileus II succeeded in seizing Ohrid. The fortress, however, remained in the hands of Czar Jovan Vladislav, the heir of Gavrilo Radomir, son of Czar Samuel. After the assassination of Jovan Vladislav in the spring of 1018, the Macedonian State ceased to exist. In a 1073 record it is written that the town of Ohrid was in ruins. Vasileus II who was afraid that the Macedonian palaces might become a large centre of uprisings carried out this devastation. As early as the second part of the VIII century the region of Ohrid was an area of affinity for the Bulgarian State. During the reign of the Bulgarian Czar Boris the Macedonian territories were incorporated into several "komitati" (units of local authority). Ohrid was under a "komitat" that covered the regions of Ohrid and Devol. By incorporating the majority of "sclavinias" into the Bulgarian State, their independent development was interrupted.

In Ohrid region Christianity was inaugurated as the official religion as early as IV century AD Since the first part of IV century the town of Lychnidos became an Episcopal centre. When the region of Ohrid fell under the reign of the Bulgarian State, Duke Boris imposed Christianity because he wanted to strengthen his power through the church. Christianization in the region of Ohrid became particularly intense after 846 AD when Boris approved the baptism of his subjects by Greek priests.

After a short stay on the Bulgarian court, in 886 Clement (of Ohrid) was sent to Macedonia on a mission of importance for the state. He was sent to the region called Kutmicevica as a teacher. This region covered southwest Macedonia and southern Albania, with their respective capitals of Ohrid and Devol. Both towns were religious centres with cathedrals. During his teaching activity Clement had numerous students. There were approximately 3,500 "chosen" students. By developing so many Slavic clergyman in a short period Clement succeeded to introduce the Slavic religious service in the reconstructed and newly built churches throughout Ohrid region and Macedonia. This activity of Clement denoted the foundation of the Slavic church in Macedonia. After seven years of teaching, in 893 the new Bulgarian ruler Simeon (893-927) promoted Clement into Bishop of Drembica (or Bishop of Velika) and his teaching post was entrusted to Naum. His teaching activity was mainly centered in Ohrid. This is evident form the existence of the Monastery built on the Lakeshore.

The teacher and Bishop Clement, together with Naum, were the founders of the so-called Ohrid Glagolitic Literary School. Clement also wrote or translated about 50 works, thus enhancing the bases of the Macedonian and pan-Slavic literature and culture. The pursuits of Clement and Naum in the second half of IX century lead to Ohrid becoming one of the most developed and most famous medieval centres of Slavic culture. The solid bonds of Clement and Naum with this region are evident from the fact that both were buried in the Monasteries built by themselves on the shore of Lake Ohrid. Naum died in 910 and Clement in 916.

Based on Turkish documents, it is assumed that Ohrid fell under the Turks in 1395 and that it was seized by Chandarli Hairudin Pasha who became the vizier, the position of the supreme military commander, the second in power after the Sultan himself.

The Turkish conquest, colonization, and islamization of the local inhabitants had a great impact on the external appearance of the town. The first Muslim buildings in Ohrid were built as early as the XV century. Thus, in Plaosnik (Imaret) the Turks converted the old Clement's monastery St. Patheleimon into a mosque. It is quite possible that this was the first mosque in Ohrid that was probably used by the first Turkish colonists. The mosque is known as the Imaret mosque. A school, a Turkish chapel and a number of other facilities were built near the mosque. Later, in XVI century, the cathedral church St. Sofia was also converted into a mosque.

During the Balkan wars Ohrid was an undesirable place to live. Bulgarians – who always dreamed about re-establishing of their Big Kingdom against the Serbs who were desperately trying to found domination on this part of the Balkans. Ohrid was (and still is) the most important point in the unhealthy minds of both. To ascend the throne of the Slavic Alphabet and Orthodox religion – what a beautiful aim, what a nice dream of the ambitious “conquerors”. The only one little obstacle is to over jump the fact that there is a people who lives here and the members of this people call themselves Macedonians, even brothers have different names and houses where they live.

So, in October 1915 Bulgaria decided to enter into an offensive war against Serbia. The target was Macedonia itself. Towards the end of November that year, the Second Bulgarian Army occupied the part that was under Serbian rule. After the conquest, the Bulgarians divided Macedonia into seven districts, one of which was the Ohrid District. That district covered the same territory as under the previous Serbian rule with a certain expansion in the municipality of Debar.

The presence of the Bulgarians in the Ohrid region will be remembered by the numerous robberies. A large number of objects, books, and other valuable chattel that were century-old testimonies of the growth and achievements of the Ohrid Archiepiscopate, as well as in art and literature were taken away.

During the Second World War Ohrid was occupied by Hitler and Mussolini ally Bulgaria (ambitious invaders, obviously), and finally liberated on October 15th, 1944, by Macedonian Liberating Army, which was a part of the Yugoslav People Army.

If you make a list of sports you want to practice here you’ll certainly find the place where to do it, except if you want to climb on a glacier. You may swim, fish, sail, paraglide; you may play soccer, handball, basketball, tennis .. whatever.

If you’re a mountain walker just take a look to east and you’ll see the beautiful Galicica mountain, choose your starting point in Velestovo or Pestani, choose your direction and go. If you want to ride your bike, do the same and a circle around the lake, or in the area of Ohrid and Struga only. You’re definitely on the right place to spend your holiday.

The article could also be named “Possibility of normal life”, because in Ohrid all the time is time for having fun. Dozens of night clubs will wait for you, just have on your mind that the new day comes with the sunrise, and the sunrise in Ohrid is beautiful.

• By car: 175 km far from Skopje if you take the western road through Tetovo Gostivar and Kicevo, 210 km if you choose Veles Prilep and Bitola for your direction.
• By plane: www.airports.com.mk (Skopje) Ohrid airport: Phone: ++389 46 252 820, Fax: ++389 46 265 212
• By bus: www.sas.com.mk (Skopje)
• By train: No railroad to Ohrid

A legend says that in Ohrid 365 churches and monasteries have been built, one for each day of the year. And it was so in some parts of the history. Nowadays the number is great, but someway far from that level.

Anyway, if you start visiting all these churches you are going to need a lot of days. And if you want to keep Ohrid in your memory and come again, visit the “most famous” only. Start from St. Sofia (if you happen to be here when the Ohrid Summer Festival takes place, provide tickets for some happenings here, the acoustic is almost perfect), then turn right to the Ancient Arena and then first go right to the church St. Holy Mother Perilepta (the name of the church is also St. Clement) and see the Icon Gallery. Continue to the glorious Plaosnik (St. Clement) and you’ll meet a great piece of the history on one place. The stone stairs will lead you then to the pearl of the coast – the beautiful St. John of Caneo church. One look at the lake and the rock over it, this church will make you feel the spirit of God surrounding you, relaxing your mind and your feelings of how beautiful is to be human and how beautiful is to be together in peace with all the humans of the world. On your back to downtown you’ll meet a certain number of holy places, too. The Ethnological museum is on your way, typical Ohrid architecture houses, unique in this part of the world, as well. Going on the other side of the lake, the road is following the coast and lead you to the landmark of Ohrid: St. Naum Monastery. You are following the path of St. Naum actually, listen to some of the legends about the church he built on the top of the rock. Before you reach there you may make a short break in Trpeica, hire a little boat and see the Zaum church, you may approach only from the lake there. And when you are in St. Naum, make a rowing-boat trip around the springs of the river Drim, the water sources of the lake.

Sometimes it will seem like you’re in the paradise, yes you’re in Ohrid.