Ohrid
Ohrid (see also different names) is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in western Republic of Macedonia. It has about 41,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Ohrid district. The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. Historical names include Ochrida, Okhrida, and Achrida. 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 noun "hrid", hill.
In 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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History
The city was founded during classical antiquity with the name Lychnidos. It was located along the Via Egnatia, which connected the Adriatic port Dyrrachion (today Durrës) with Byzantium. Archaeological excavations (e.g., the Polyconhous Basilica from 5th century) prove early adaption of Christianity in the area. Bishops from Lychnidos participated in multiple ecumenical councils.
The name Ohrid first appeared in 879. Between 990 and 1015, Ohrid was capital of the Bulgarian Empire. Above the city still remain the ruins of the stronghold of Czar Samuil. From 990 to 1018 Ohrid was the seat of the Bulgarian Patriarchate. The Byzantine conquest of the city in 1018, however, led to downgrading of the Patriarchate to an Archbishopric and to its placement under the authority of the Patriarch of Constantinople.
The higher clergy after 1018 was almost invariably Greek, including during the period of Ottoman domination, until the abolition of the archbishopric in 1767. At the beginning of the 16th century the archbishopric reached its peak subordinating the Sofia, Vidin, Vlach and Moldavian eparchies, part of the former Peć Patriarchate (including Peć itself), and even the Orthodox districts of Italy (Apulia, Calabria and Sicily), Venice and Dalmatia.
As an episcopal city, Ohrid was an important cultural center. Almost all surviving churches were built by the Byzantines, the rest of them date back to the short time of Serbian rule during the late Middle Ages.
In the monasteries around Ohrid, numerous religious manuscripts have been written since the 9th century, which marks the beginning of Old Slavonic as a written language. Ohrid is credited as being the birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet.
Bohemond and his Norman army took the city in 1083. In the 13th and 14th century the city changed hands between Despotate of Epirus, Bulgaria, Byzantine Empire and Serbia. At the end of the 14th century it is conquered by the Ottomans and remained under them until 1912. Because of the Turkish pressure, the Christian population had significantly declined in the first centuries of their rule. In 1664 there were only 142 Christian houses. The situation improved in the 18th century when Ohrid developed into an important trade center on a major trade route. At the end of this century it had around 5 thousands inhabitants. Towards the end of the 18th century and in the early part of the 19th century, Ohrid region, like other parts of European Turkey, was a hotbed of unrest. Semi-independent feudal lords such as Mahmud Pasha Bushatlija and Djeladin Beg controlled Ohrid and openly defied the central government by not submitting taxes and by using tax money to bolster their own private armies. By the end of 19th century Ohrid had 2409 houses with 11900 inhabitants out of which 45% were Muslim while the rest was mainly Orthodox Christian. Before 1912, Ohrid (Ohri) was a township center bounded to Bitola (Monastir) sanjak in Bitola (Monastir) province.
Buildings and museums (selection)
There is a legend supported by observations by Ottoman traveller from 15th century, Evlia Celebia that there were 365 chapels within the town boundaries, one for every day of the year. Today this number is significantly smaller. However during the medieval times, Ohrid was called Slavic Jerusalem.
- Church of St. Sophia (11th century)
- Church of St. John of Kaneo (13th century)
- Church of St. Clement
- Church of St. George
- Church of St. Zaum
- Church of St. Naum
- Church of St. Petka
- Church of St. Stephan
- Vestiges of basilicas from the early-Christian time, e.g. Basilica of St. Erasmus (4th century)
- Ruins of Tsar Samuil's stronghold (10th/11th century)
- Museum of Slavic writing culture (18th century)
- Anthic Theatre
Note: Besides being a holy center of the region, it is also the source of knowledge and pan-Slavic literacy. The recently restored church at Plaosnik, previously destroyed by the Ottoman army, was actually one of the oldest Universities in the western world, dating before the 13th century.
There is a nearby airport, Ohrid Airport that is open all year round.
Recurring events
- Ohrid Summer Festival, annual theater and music festival from July to August
- The Balkan Festival of Folk Songs and Dances, annual folklore music and dance festival in the beginning of July
- Balkan music square festival, music festival in August in which participate ethno musicians from the whole Balkans
Places in the Ohrid district
- Konjsko
- Elšani
- Ljubanista
- Pestani
- Sveti Naum
- Trpejca
- Velestovo
External links
- Travel guide to Ohrid from Wikitravel
- Ohrid including information in English
- Municipality of Ohrid
- Ohrid Summer Festival
- Ohrid Photo Gallery
- The Village of Elshani
| Towns in the Republic of Macedonia | 
| |
|---|---|---|
| Berovo | Bitola | Bogdanci | Debar | Delchevo | Demir Kapija | Demir Hisar | Gevgelija | Gostivar | Kavadarci | Kichevo | Kochani | Kratovo | Kriva Palanka | Krushevo | Kumanovo | Makedonski Brod | Makedonska Kamenica | Negotino | Ohrid | Pehchevo | Prilep | Probishtip | Radovish | Resen | Shtip | Skopje | Struga | Strumica | Sveti Nikole | Tetovo | Valandovo | Veles | Vinica | Zletovo | ||
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