Ohrid – Macedonia’s forgotten gem

Ohrid, the cradle of Christianity and cyrilic letter, home of more than 300 churches in the region, mostly of Byzantium period.

This is the front and the revers view of Macedonian 1000 denars (~16EUR), issue 1996 and issue 2003. Front view is taken from the church of St.Vrachi-Mali, Ohrid, early XIV century. The Icon of the Madonna Episkepsis is depicted in its true dimensions, with an image of the Christ Child in the right. The presence of tow angeles in the upper corners of the icon symbolize the depiction of the Sorrowful Virgin.  Reverse view represents detail (external additions built by Archbishop Grigorie in the 14th century) from the church of “St. Sofia” in Ohrid, originally built in X-XI centuries. This church was the seat of the Ohrid archbishopric, and contains many invaluable frescoes from XI ond XIV centuries.

Rich with prehistory and remains form antique period, such as the Ancient theatre, that what is visible currently in Ohrid, is built mainly between the 7th and 19th centuries; it has the oldest Slav monastery (St Pantelejmon) and more than 800 Byzantine-style icons dating from the 11th to the end of the 14th century. After those of the Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow, the Icon Galerry in Ohrid is considered to be the most important collection of icons in the world.

I am guiding a tour in Ohrid. In the back is the church of
St. Jovan Kaneo, 13th century (1,2).

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region, since 1980, is listed on UNESCO heritage list. Ohrid, personally for me is one of the most adorable cities in Macedonia. This is a reportage coved by CNN about Ohrid – Macedonia’s forgotten gem.

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