RAJONI OHËR-PRESPË

Ohrid-Prespa Region is located in the Southwestern part of the Republic of North Macedonia and it is one of the most picturesque regions. This region occupies confluent parts of lake Ohrid and lake Prespa as well as the upper flow of the river Crn Drim.

LOCATION

This region is surrounded by Mountain Jablanica in the west, Karaorman on the north, llinska, Plakenska, and Bigla on the northeast, Baba with Pelister on the east, and on the south is the national border with Greece and Albania. Traffic communication is along Ohrid-Struga Valley towards Albania, Debar, Kichevo, and towards Prespa and Pelagonia Valley.

RELIEF

The magnificent erection of Galichica is between Lakes Ohrid and Prespa. Starting with the deep valley of Crn Drim between Jablanica and Stogovo with Karaorman, the relief goes up to an altitude of approximately 500-2.601 meters (the peak Pelister). Ohrid-Struga Valley and Prespa Valley where are situated the wonderful lakes of Ohrid and Prespa as well as the valley of Debarca at the drainage of the river Sateska. Geological-geomorphologic attributes of this region are diverse. Various relief forms are present here, such as: mountains, valleys, fields, peaks, caves, cliffs, etc.

SPRINGS, RIVERS AND LAKES

There are numerous hydrographic objects such as: Vevchani’s Springs, Biljana’s Springs in the vicinity of Ohrid, the spring of St. Naum as well as Golema Reka (the Big River), Brajchinska River, and some other rivers which flow into Lake Prespa, and it is scientifically proved that water flows underground (under the mountain of Galichica) and these springs fill Lake Ohrid, and directly from the lake about 15 m’/sec draws the wonderful river of Crn Drim across the city of Struga.

CLIMATE

Influenced by lake surfaces and high mountains, the average annual temperature in Ohrid is 11,2’C and in Prespa 9,7°C. In Ohrid average precipitation per year is 708 mm and 810 mm in Struga. There is variety in Prespa Valley ranging from 730 to 1.170 mm per year.

FLORA AND FAUNA

There are rich diversity of vegetation, ligneous and grassy species with extraordinary landscape characteristics particularly visible on the mountain Galichica which is promulgated as National Park. There is a similarity between the National Park Pelister and the mountain Jablanica. Fauna is rich in this region.

Besides the usual big game (bears, wolves, deer, chamois, wild boars) there are the lynxes and numerous species of birds and fishes, some of them endemic (Ohrid trout, white fish-belvica, etc.).

TOURISM

Ohrid-Prespa tourist region represents a modern and attractive area for all types of tourism and there has already been formed a complete basis for that.

In this region, there are the cities Ohrid and Struga located on the shore of Lake Ohrid, Resen in Prespa Valley, and numerous village settlements which are attractions for tourists (Vevchani, Radozhda, Peshtani, Ljubanishta, Trpeica, Oteshevo, Pretor).

Special landmarks of this region is numerous churches and monasteries.

EXPLORE OHRID

  • CHURCH OF ST. JOHN AT KANEO – Significant to the architecture of the church is the exquisite combination of Byzantine and Armenian elements, which creates a very favorable space for examining the medieval monuments in Ohrid.
  • TSAR SAMUEL’S FORTRESS – The Samoil Fortress is mentioned in descriptions in the chronicles dating from 476 and is the most monumental construction from this period. Depending on what viewpoint you will be standing you will be able to overlook the Old Town of Ohrid, the lake and so much more.
  • CHURCH OF ST. SOPHIA – Located right in the heart of Old Town Ohrid is surrounded by restaurants overlooking the church.
  • THE ANCIENT THEATRE OF OHRID – built by the end of the third or at the beginning of the second century BC and had about 4.000 seats. The open Ohrid theater has a perfect location: the two hills that surround it keep it protected from winds that could interfere with acoustics during performances.
  • ALI PASHA MOSQUE – The Ali Pasha Mosque is believed to be among the first mosques built in Macedonia. This square-shaped mosque is thought to have been built in stone and fired brick in the late 15th or early 16th century. In 1823, a madrasa was erected within the mosque complex, but no longer exists today. The remains of a minaret are located to the south of the mosque. It was demolished in 1912 and has not been rebuilt to date. There is thought to have been another minaret in the western part of the mosque, probably erected under Sultan Bayezid II (1481-1512).
  • ST.NAUM – The monastery was built by the monarch St. Naum of Ohrid, the student of St. Cyril and Methodius and cofounder of the Ohrid literature school. If you go inside the monastery and put your ear on his tomb, you can hear the sound of the water of lake Ohrid, beside you are 30 meters higher than the lake level.
  • THE OLD BAZAAR – The Old Bazaar starts at the main street of Ohrid and ends all the way at the waterfront. Lined with shops, small restaurants and many ice cream shops this is one of the busiest places in Ohrid. Take a stroll through the bazaar, go shopping, grab some ice cream or admire some of the cities mosques situated around the bazaar this is a place that will be hard to miss when visiting Ohrid. The Old Bazaar is the perfect place to go souvenir shopping, from Ohrid’s pearls to postcards and magnets, at Ohrid’s Old Bazaar you will find it all!
  • MUSEUM ON WATER – BAY OF BONES – Ohrid was enriched with another cultural and historical landmark as well as with a tourist attraction – Museum on Water – an exceptional archaeological complex, which is one of a kind in the region.
  • RELAX AT THE BEACH – The refreshing blue water is the perfect place to escape the summer heat.

EXPLORE OTESHEVO / PRESPA

  • GOLEM GRAD ISLAND – Golem Grad has an area of 18 hectares and is 700 meters long and 450 meters wide. The island is currently uninhabited and has been so since the mid-20th century when the small monastic community left the island. The island can only be reached by boat. The village of Konjsko is closest to the island with about two kilometers of water between the two. The island is also known by the name of Snake Island because of the large population of snakes that lived there in the past. It is also known for its biodiversity, as a home to a large number of endemic flora and rare birds.
    The third name of the Island is Saint Peter.
  • RESEN MUSEUM – settled in the Resen castle, which was built in 1908 by Ahmed Niyazi Bey. The museum of Resen contains a great collection of archaeological and ethnological finds from the Resen area.
  • SAINT GJORGI MONASTERY – it is supposed that the church was built in the year 1191. What impresses and amazes in this church is its fresco-painting, which, coupled by the one in the church Sveti Panteleimon near Skopje, represents an original and a peak of the artistic mastery in the times of the art of Komnens in Macedonia.
  • SLIVNICA MONASTERY – By the church, there is a spring of holy water, of which miraculous and healing properties people speak with admiration.
  • PRESPA LAKE – The Prespa lake is settled in the south-western part of the Republic of North Macedonia and lies in the Prespa valley, between the Resen field and Baba, Suva Gora, and Galicica mountain. South-eastern of the lake Golem Grad is the point that connects the Macedonian – Greek – Albanian border.
  • PRESPA AGREEMENT – This region is also known as the home of the historic Prespa Agreement, signed in 2018, by the Republic of North Macedonia and the Hellenic Republic.