Tour promotion to Macedonia
day 3 Skopje to Tetovo - Debar - Ohrid.
Tetovo
Tetovo is tucked into the northwestern corner of Macedonia, in the shadow of Sar Planina (Sar Mountain).
Its mixed architecture and cultures exemplify the peaceful co-existence of the Christian and Islamic cultures. Tetovo's Christian heritage is most prominently displayed in the cathedral church of St. Cyril and Methodius, with its gallery of icons and other sacral objects.
Wonderful landmarks of the Oriental culture include the Turkish hamam from the 15th century, the Arabati Baba Tekke made famous by the dervishes, and especially the Painted Mosque, decorated in Turkish baroque style.
High above the town stands Bal Tepe fortress, a testament to the Ottoman past offering panoramic views of Tetovo and its environs.
Debar
The town of Debar, situated in the west of Macedonia near the Albanian border, was literally put on the map by Ptolemy in the middle of the 2nd century AD Much later, in the days of Balkan revolutionaries and brigands, it became famous for its handmade flintlock rifles.
St. Jovan Bigorski
St. Jovan Bigorski is a 19th century monastery standing on the slopes of Debar's Mt. Bistra, above the banks of the River Radika. While relatively new, St. Jovan was constructed over the remains of an older church dating from 1021.
Built on a steep slope surrounded by dense woods and rocky hills, St. Jovan is reminiscent of the cliff top monasteries of Mt. Athos in Greece.
Since the monastery is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the faithful believe that icons with his image are blessed with a miraculous healing power.
The monastery also has a small silver coffin containing alleged relics of St. John. The monastery complex includes a dining room and old monastic dormitory, a tower, a charnel house, and two fountains spilling over with fresh mountain water.
