Day 5 Ohrid to Bitola & Prilep.

 

Bitola - Introduction

Macedonia's second city, Bitola is a grand old town that still bears the marks of its turn-of-the-century importance as a center for diplomacy while also exemplifying the country's time-honored cafe culture.

The many cafes lining the city's pedestrian main street (the Sirok Sokak) provide endless see-and-be-seen opportunities for Bitola's fashionable youth. The stately old architecture of Bitola hearkens back to more than a century ago when the town was a center for international diplomats to the Ottoman administration, supplanting Skopje and becoming known far and wide as the “city of the consuls.

Even today, some of the faded elegance of that bygone time can be seen in the neoclassical facades of downtown buildings and the old gentlemen conversing in Bitola's flowering park, all decked out in their finest Sunday suits and hats. A city of 125,000 inhabitants, Bitola has all of the characteristics of modern life: cultural events, professional athletics, hotels and nightlife. At the same time, its proud and patriotic people are committed to passing on the Macedonian cultural heritage. In addition to the famous Bitola Theater, the city has over 500 traditional songs dedicated to it.

 

Bitola- History

 

First mentioned in documents dating back to the 4th century BC, the town founded by Philip II of Macedon first bore the name of Heraclea Lyncestis. It was a bustling town during Roman times, and continued to grow until it was destroyed by an earthquake in the year 518 AD

 Later in the same century, migrating Slavs swept into the Bitola region from the north. The settlement they created is the direct descendent of modern-day Bitola. During Byzantine times Bitola languished somewhat, eclipsed by powerful Ohrid to the west. It was only after the town came under Turkish rule in the 14th century that Bitola recovered its lost regional importance. After the Ottoman Empire became more advanced, Bitola (under the name of Monastir) became a regional administrative center and was nicknamed "city of the consuls", in reference to the 12 European states that maintained consulates there. Until the outbreak of the First World War and the subsequent division of Macedonia, Bitola's influence extended southward. It was second in size and importance only to Thessalonica, and served as a diplomatic, commercial and cultural hub for the Macedonians

 

Heraclea -Bitola

 

Famous for its dazzling mosaics, ancient theater and Roman baths, Heraclea is the most vividly preserved city from the Ancient Macedonian empire surviving in the country. Founded in the 4th century Bc and conquered by the Romans two centuries later, it was built on the Via Egnatia and became one of the key stations on this trading route.

 

From the 4th-6th centuries AD Heraclea also had an Episcopal seat. The first excavations were done before the First World War, but only since then have the full glories of the ancient city been revealed. Beautiful Roman baths, the Episcopal church and baptistery, a Jewish temple, portico and a Roman theater now used for summer concerts and theater shows all survive in excellent condition.

 

Prilep

 

A large town located in the Pelagonia Valley of south-central Macedonia, Prilep has been inhabited since Neolithic times. In the later 14th century, it was for a time the capital of Macedonia's most famous medieval king, Kral Marko, a legendary warrior who became an important figure in Macedonian epic poetry. His impregnable fortress still adorns a hill above the town.

 

The other major attraction of the Prilep area is the cliff top monastery of St. Archangel Mikhail. This and the monasteries of Treskavec and Zrze are situated in close proximity to the town. (churches and monasteries) Today, Prilep is one of Macedonia's major agricultural centers, best known for its flavorful tobacco. The arid soil makes for perfect growing conditions for not only this but a wide range of vegetables besides. Prilep is also known for its valuable quarries, which contain some of the highest quality marble to be found in the Balkans.