"Ohrid - A Pearl" Ohrid by elgin99

Ohrid Travel Guide: 899 reviews and 2,946 photos

The Town

Again, you shoul enjoy my pictures and stories with Macedonian music. That folling I like myself, too.
Gordo Makedonijo (mp3)

Ohrid, a pearl of light and water, a repository of ancient ruins from Macedonia’s earlier kingdoms – is the sublime lakeside town that for many represents the culmination of the Macedonian experience.

"Ohrid’s major attractions are all located within a remarkably concentrated and eminently walkable area, among and above the narrow streets of the Old Town, itself lined with restaurants and cafes perfectly suited for relaxing on cool summer evenings. Ohrid’s many café bars and nightclubs also make for vibrant nightlife."

The uniqueness of Ohrid’s lake and historical architecture have been attested by UNESCO, which honored the town with an official designation as one of the few places on the cultural institution’s “World Inheritance” list.

The Lake

Lake Ohrid

Lake Ohrid is the largest and most beautiful of Macedonia’s three tectonic lakes. Its astonishingly clean, clear waters together with the serene stillness of its mountain setting have captivated visitors since prehistoric times. The lake is enormous, at some 30 kilometers (18 miles) long and up to 288 meters (945 feet) deep.
While the lake is fed by water from three rivers, most of Ohrid’s water comes from another lake- Prespa, on the other side of the Galicica Mountain.

With its unique flora and fauna characteristic of the tertiary period (2-4 million years ago), Ohrid is one of Europe’s great biological reserves. Most of the lake’s plant and animal species are endemic and unique to Ohrid.

In 1980 Lake Ohrid was proclaimed a place of world cultural and natural inheritance by UNESCO.

The History

St. Clemen's

Archaeological finds indicate that Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. The lake itself is over three million years old. Ohrid town is first mentioned in Greek documents from 353 B.C.E. . The name probably derives from the Macedonian phrase “Vo Hrid” – meaning roughly, “the town on the hill.”
Under Roman rule it developed more of the typical Roman architectural traits, and became an important transit point on the Via Egnatia trade route that bisected the Balkans.
The town as we know it today was built mostly between the 7th and 19th centuries. At the beginning of the 11th century, Ohrid briefly became the capital of Macedonia’s greatest medieval ruler, Samuel.
During Ottoman times, Ohrid remained the seat of the autocephalous Ohrid archiepiscopacy. During its Byzantine apogee, the town was renowned for its 365 churches and monasteries. These, and a large number of sacral edifices, have been preserved and make up a large part of Ohrid’s rich medieval past.

Last visit to Ohrid: May 2007
Intro Updated Mar 19, 2009
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Reviews (18)

Orthodox Icons Local Customs (2)

As a traditional Christian orthodox creation, the icon has a number of meanings, which focus on man as a central figure... more travel advice

You should know... first university Off The Beaten Path (4)

The Ohrid Literary School was one of the two major medieval Bulgarian cultural centres, along with the Preslav Literary... more travel advice

Strolling, shopping, dinner, drink... Nightlife (1)

No Nightlife tip, more an evening tip: What does one do in Ohrid at evening? You go to the lake. There you can eat or... more travel advice

The Gates Things to Do (8)

The town was entered by three gates, of which only the Upper Gate has been preserved. From Downtown a steep road goes... more travel advice

Favorites (3)
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Comments (7)

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Maurizioago Sep 16, 2012 at 8:32 AM

I'm going to visit Ohrid soon.

Ciao!
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MacedonianUK Jan 18, 2010 at 4:58 PM

It is not major midival Bulgarian school,as all the services are done in Old Slavonic language,but for everyday use Old Macedonian. Nothing to do with Bulgarian language.In 10C AD,the Bulgarian state wasn't established at all, specialy not in Macedonia.
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alek Mar 11, 2008 at 8:27 AM

Nice!
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antistar Jun 24, 2007 at 12:50 PM

Looks like we missed each other in Ohrid and Skopje by days. Looks like you got the same moody weather :).
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Jim_Eliason Jun 2, 2007 at 6:42 AM

looks beautiful! I want to go!
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vichatherly Jun 1, 2007 at 5:10 AM

Excellent colourful photos!
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tini58de Jun 1, 2007 at 4:42 AM

Another fantastic page, Hildruth! One can see how much you enjoyed your stay there!