The fantastic combination of beauty and history in one place makes Ohrid one of the few places where you can enjoy a complete experience. This town is located on the lake of the same name and is justifiably a target for tourists from all over the world. We are impatiently starting to discover it, so from the main square, which is located next to the city port, we reach the lower gate, where the walls of the fortification began. Here we find only the remains and a board with a short explanation. In the vicinity there are the hospital churches, which had a quarantine function during the Middle Ages.
Ever since the ancient period and the construction of the Via Ignacia road connecting Rome with Constantinople, the road has been used by merchants and distributed their goods from western to eastern Europe and vice versa, and Lychnidos was an important stop where they took breaks to get some rest. In quarantine, the newcomers would be checked to prevent them from bringing any infectious disease to the local population, in addition to the goods for sale. Narrow, winding cobbled streets and alleys climb to the top of the hill where the citadel, the highest part of the fortress, is located. Along the way, the smell of fresh fish spreads, and in the lower streets, those along the lake, can be seen stretch fishing nets, baskets and other fishing tackle. Furthermore, the road becomes even steeper and harder, so it makes you sigh and think that the Slovenian name of the city of Ohrid, oh, oh… is justified.
A striking edifice
Ohrid Fortress is visible from a distance due to its dominant position at the top of the hill. The city was once the capital of a powerful medieval empire. And vice versa, when you climb it, from the height there is a view of the valley that fills the lake and beyond: to the south of Albania, to the northwest are the town of Struga and Mount Jablanica, to the east Mount Galicica. Visibility meant an advantage over the enemy during the wars, as well as the possibility to give the subjects some sign e. g by displaying the flag. Note how the location of the northeastern shore of Lake Ohrid, rich in fish, surrounded by a forest full of wildlife, provides all the necessary resources easily accessible. But its strategic position was crucial to construction. The visibility of the surroundings at a time when barbarian tribes were ravaging the surroundings was a great advantage. He built it in the 4th century BC. Philip II, the Macedonian ancient king, the father of Alexander the Great, used it as a fortress from where he could fight against the Illyrian tribes that ravaged the north and for the defense of their northern borders of their, at that time, powerful empire.
Continuing with the climb, you will reach the ancient theater, which was built at approximately the same time as the fortress, for the needs of the then ancient metropolis. It was initially used for celebrations related to the cult of the god Dionysus twice a year, in spring and autumn during the grape harvest. Later, tragedies and dramas of the famous Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides were performed, and with the arrival of the Romans, the theater was turned into a gladiatorial arena.
The fortress served to defend the city during the Macedonian-Roman wars that followed the death of Alexander the Great and the weakening of the power of his empire. King Samuel took care of the present-day appearance of the medieval fortress. After moving his capital from Prespan Lake to Ohrid, he rebuilt the citadel and the massive ramparts that surround the old part of the city. Precisely because of his contribution, the fortress is known by his name.
Going through Samuel's Fortress, know that you are going through 25 centuries of Ohrid history. The change of the ruler, the demolition and damage of the fortress, the impact of the earthquake and numerous alterations and finishing are “woven” here. The fortress could be entered through 3 entrances - gates, so the lower gate or port near the lake and the city port, the front gate near the church of the Virgin Mary and the upper gate on the hill, above the Ancient Theater-Theater near which in 2002. was discovered golden mask and a gold glove with a gold ring, in the rich princely tombs. Passing by the lower gate, keep in mind that it was used mainly by merchants. The upper gate was for the army. The front gate is known for the legend about the murder of Jovan Vladimir, the son-in-law of Emperor Samuel, the husband of his daughter, Princess Theodora Kosara. Jovan Vladimir was the prince of the Duklja area, and today he is the protector of the port of Bar in Montenegro. Legend says that Kosari liked young prince, and she was taking care of him while he was trapped in one of the towers of the fortress. Fights for the throne were frequent at that time, so close relatives killed each other.
Inside the walls you can see numerous winding cobbled streets, wooden houses and a large number of multi-storey buildings. Fishermen were numerous, and their nets were crucified on all sides and the smell of dried fish dominated the area. Ohrid trout and carp were famous fishes, even at the Constantinople court. They dried it and kept it that way, because there was no refrigerator for storage at that time. In addition to fish, they also traded in leather. Later with silk that came from the east, and also with eastern spices. Cultural life took place mainly in the theater, as a reflection of the influence of different cultures and conquerors that changed.
The Slavic name that stands in historical records is Ohrid - a city built on a cliff, on a hill. According to one legend, Samuel's soldiers, while carrying heavy stones to the hill during the construction of the fortress shouted oh-rid!
Samuil’s revenge
One of the legends says that the Byzantine emperor Basil blinded 14,000 Samuel's soldiers at the moment of his victory, in order to take revenge on Samuel for all the previous defeats that the Byzantine army suffered. The long rule of Byzantium was replaced in the 14th century by the Serbian rule under Emperor Dušan, and then in 1395 the period of the rule of the Ottoman Empire began.
The bondmaid Tašula
At the end of the 13th century, an arbitrary ruler, "a destroyer but also a builder", Jaladin Beg did large interventions on the walls of the citadel and built the upper palace - a palace in the southern half, which is why the citadel became known as "Upper Palace". According to the legend, the slave Tašula strangled and buried their child, a daughter, on Palošnik (near the grave of Sinan Čelebi Ohrizade, a Turkish benefactor), tormented by the guilt of giving birth to a child of another religion.
The Transfiguration of Samuel's Fortress
In the 19th century, the fortress began its transformation into a cultural and historical monument, freeing itself from its previous historical role. In recent years, a large number of archaeological excavations have been conducted in the area of the Upper Town (Citadel), in which numerous valuable objects have been discovered. In addition to ancient and medieval pottery, pithos, numerous coins, silver objects (small carts, sandals), bronze figures of the mythical Daedalus, a golden mask was found, as well as a gold bracelet with a ring. The significance of the findings of these masks is that it confirms the assumption that they were an integral part of the ancient - Macedonian culture, since 4 such masks were found in the wider area of the city of Ohrid at the beginning of the 20th century.
A new reality
On the south side of the hill, you can see wild almonds blooming, church bells ringing and the muezzin's song echoing from the thin minaret. Walking towards the city center, you already feel hungry and you can think about the choice of food – and you can taste freshly caught trout and whitefish, seasonal salads, traditional dishes such as meat, gravche tavceta, stuffed peppers, moussaka, or kebabs in the Turkish bazaar. Ohrid pearls are perhaps the most popular brand of the Ohrid Bazaar, and the secret of their production is still a mystery.
St.Jovana Bogoslov Church
The Byzantine church of St. Jovan Bogoslov from the 13th century, on the extreme southwestern point of the hill on which the old part of the city was formed, rises on a rock above the lake, next to the former fishing village of Kaneo and the locals know it as the church of Kaneo. The popular Instagram video has always attracted viewers with its position. Some shots of Manchevski's film "Before the Rain", once awarded a golden lion in Venice, were shot there.
Restaurant „Letna Bavča Kaneo“
At the foot of the church, on the beach Kaneo, is the restaurant "Letna Bavča Kaneo". It is a family restaurant located in the owner's house, from where their ancestors went fishing from the shore, which used to be their main occupation. This restaurant has grown into one of the best in Ohrid in recent years. Apart from the traditional fish offer, the menu is quite original and rich, and the ambiance is fantastic. Walking through the so-called wooden Bridge of Wishes, you will reach it in 15 minutes from the center, more precisely the port, and an even better option is to do it by boat. For organized groups, transportation is provided by the restaurant itself.
Restaurant „Damar“
Located in the heart of the old town, next to the cathedral church of St. Sophia from the 11th century. Its name is archaism with the meaning pulse or pulsation, and the pulsation of positive energy is guaranteed by the owners who base their menu on traditional food, fish, as well as delicacies that few people have on offer, but also some newly created house specialties.
Vinary and the villa „Mal Sveti Kliment“
Originally a villa, it enriched its accommodation offer with other facilities. Thus, in a unique ambience, a combination of stone and wood, wine tastings of indigenous varieties are organized, which the owners cultivate in their vineyards 10 km from the city and for which they have been repeatedly awarded international recognitions. They also organize sailing for their guests. Villa and winery Mal Sv.Kliment is located 5 minutes from the central town square, across from the ancient church of the same name.
Ali Paša’s Mosque
Ali Pasha's Mosque or the White Mosque built by the Belgrade vizier Ali Pasha in the 16th century is a monument of Ottoman architecture in the central part of the promenade or bazaar, as they once called the commercial part of the city with various souvenir shops, pearls, filigree, boutiques, etc. In a certain period, it was also used as a „madrasa“, a religious school. It is believed that among the rare Balkan mosques, it had 2 minarets, which it later lost. However, reliable historical sources speak of only one minaret demolished in 1912. during the Balkan Wars. After more than 100 years, the mosque has been completely restored, and the minaret was renovated in 2019 with a donation from the Republic of Turkey and their Ministry of Culture.
Old towns Museum - The house of brothers Robevci
An outstanding example of Ottoman architecture of the 19th century is the former house of a family of rich merchants, which was turned into a nice museum of an intimate character after the Second World War. The ground floor is intended for archeological finds from the region, the first floor is of the residential type, dedicated to the family of the owner with typical furniture from that period, the ceilings of the second floor are dedicated to traditional carving. On the second floor, in addition to the carvings, there is also antique, gold jewelry on display. The museum is located in the heart of the old town, 5 minutes from the central town square.
Cuba Libre Beach Bar Restaurant
This building is located at the very opposite end of the city from the historic quarter, practically at the exit from the city in the direction of St. Naum, but from there it offers a fantastic view of the city as a postcard. For years, Cuba has successfully organized the best parties that are retold, mostly with Cuban players. The public knows them as innovators, they are always the first to introduce innovations. It is about a 20-minute walk from the port, and the number of visitors confirms its high reputation.
Restaurant Villa St.Sofia
Located in the heart of the old town, above Saraište beach and the cathedral church of St. Sofia after which it is named, this building is a restoration of old historic buildings, former houses of merchants who were an outstanding example of 19th century architecture and was obtained by merging two such houses so it exits on two parallel streets. Decorated in a modern ethno style with preserved original details, it exudes refined style and elegance and offers a traditional menu. In addition, there is a seasonal pizzeria within the villa, which is located on the beach.
St.Sofie Church
According to most experts, this is the most important cultural and historical monument on the territory of Northern Macedonia. There are several hypotheses about its founder, and that was most likely Samuel himself, who decided to choose Ohrid as the capital of his country. This medieval cathedral dates from the end of the 10th century, while the wall frescoes are the choice of Archbishop Leo from the beginning of the 11th century, about which there are precise records. It is dedicated to God's wisdom (gr: sofia - wisdom) and for more than three centuries, until the arrival of the Turks at the end of the 14th century, it was used as the cathedral church of the powerful Ohrid archbishopric. The Ottomans turned it into a mosque in the 15th century and it was in the service of the Islamic cult until 1912, but only after the Second World War did conservation work on the frescoes begin, which is a masterpiece of Byzantine art from the Komneni dynasty. Today, due to its outstanding acoustics, it is used to perform classical music concerts as part of the renowned Ohrid Summer Festival, which is traditionally held every summer from July 12 to August 20.
