JEWELS OF MACEDONIA AMONG MONASTERIES, NATURE AND CULTURE

We departure from Skopje, the city with tortuous tiny roads and a picturesque oriental aspect, capital of Macedonia. We visit: the Church of S. Spas, which preserves a ten meters high refined representation of a wooden-icon; S. Pantelejmon in Nerezi, one of the masterpiece of Byzantine painting of the XII century; and finally, in the spectacular canyon Matka, the Monastery of S. Andreja, whose frescos distinguish themselves from the traditionally patterned iconographies. Afterwards we make a stop at the fortress Kale, in order to admire the gorgeous scenery, and visit the  Macedonian Museum, which gathers precious art testimonies of different periods. After that, we continue our travel with the tasting of the famous local cheese in the village of Galičnik and keep on our journey towards Ohrid by crossing some of the most breathtaking sceneries. Along the trip we make a stop at the Monastery of S. Jovan Bigorski, well-known for the icons carved in wood by the masters of Mijak, who, contrary to the religious precepts, sculpted their own faces. Afterwards we visit the living house of Robev, a typical example of urban architecture, and the Church of S. Sofia (IX century), where along the edges of the altar were painted the portraits of the popes before the falling of the Roman Empire. We continue with the visit of the Church of the Holy Virgin, also known under the name of S. Clemente, a well preserved medieval monument famous for its architecture and frescos. Always at Ohrid, the Gallery of the Icons gives hospitality to one of the most precious collections of sacred art in the world. Ohrid is the capital of the Macedonian Slavs; here the czar Samuel (976-1014) built his fortress: even nowadays 3 kilometres of walls and towers surround the fortress. From the Church of S. Giovanni of the Theologian we are able to enjoy a splendid view on the lake, the city, the National Park Galičica and the Albanian mountains. On the lake of Ohrid, we visit the restructured Monastery of S. Naum, dedicated to the Saint famous for his curative powers, buried in  the year 910 in a little chapel marvellously decorated with frescos, located inside the church. Then we continue our journey to S. Gjorgji Kurbinovo, close to the mountain Pelister, on the top of the lake Prespa, a modest construction with extraordinary frescos of the 1191 representing one of the best examples of Macedonian medieval paintings, and we make a quick stop at the ancient fishermen village of Pestani, situated in one of the small bay at the feet of the mountain Galičica. Afterwards our travel continues to the archaeological site of Heraclea Lincestis (Heraklea), founded by Philip the II, a Macedonian man, in the IV century b.C.; during the Christian period it became the episcopal seat as well as an important economic centre. At least but not last, before we return to Skopje, our tour continues with the visit of the Church of S. Arcangelo Michele in the antique part of Prilep, where we find some of the most ancient Cyrillic inscriptions of the world.
 

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