Michael Powell's Blog, page 76

Plaošnik and the Church of St. Clement

Located halfway up Ohrid’s biggest hill, between the Church of Sv Jovan and Tsar Samoil’s Fortress, is the archaeological site of Plaošnik. With the arrival of St. Clement and the establishment of his monastery in 893, this location became the center of Slavic Christianity and learning. Today, the Church of St. Clement has been rebuilt and much of the site has been excavated, revealing medieval frescoes and Byzantine mosaics.

Scholars believe that St. Clement’s monastery was a university, whic...

After One Month in Macedonia

Our first month has come to an end, and we’re starting to realize how much we underestimated Macedonia! It’s small in size, but definitely not lacking in big-time sights. So far, our explorations have focused on Skopje and a few cities in the center and west. We haven’t been to the east, seen the wine fields, nor visited the major national parks. So, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Most Memorable

Mike: I’ll go with our hike from Marko’s Towers to the Treskavec Monastery in Prilep. That was a...

Silver Filigree with Ohrid’s Marta Pejoska

One can still find a number of traditional craftsmen toiling away within the picturesque buildings of Ohrid’s historic quarter. Craftswomen, too. During our time in Ohrid, we had the chance to hang out with Marta Pejoska, who had recently opened a downtown studio-gallery dedicated to silver filigree.

Filigree is the art of twisting metal threads and beads into elaborate and finely decorated objects. Silver filigree has a long history in Macedonia, and particularly in Ohrid. It’s a time-honored...

Šipokno and the Cave Church of Sv Stefan

Sveti Stefan is an ancient cave church found in the cliffs south of Ohrid. The trail continues upward past the church, into the hills, until eventually reaching Šipokno: an abandoned village whose forsaken houses are in the process of being reclaimed by nature.

We took a taxi to Hotel Beton, where we prefaced our hike with a leisurely breakfast along the lake shore. Hey, this is Ohrid; if you’re not taking it easy, you’re not doing it right. And it turns out that, in Ohrid, even hiking is easy...

A Walk Down Ohrid’s Promenade

There are a lot of activities one could choose to participate in during a trip to Ohrid. Scuba diving, paragliding, hiking and sailing are just some of the options for those who crave action. But “action” is the last thing which most of Ohrid’s visitors are looking for. This is where Macedonians come to escape their daily lives. For that, nothing’s better than laziness on the lake.

For our lakeside stroll, we began at Kaneo Beach, found below the ancient church of Sveti Jovan. Between the wate...

Ohrid’s Byzantine Churches

Throughout the Middle Ages, Ohrid was among the most important religious centers in the Balkans. There were reportedly 365 churches in the small city, one for every day of the year. Most have since vanished, because they were destroyed or converted into mosques by the Ottoman Empire, but Ohrid still possesses more than its fair share of amazing churches.

After descending from Tsar Samoil’s Fortress, we made a beeline for the Sveta Sofia (Church of St. Sophia), which looms large near the coast...

Ohrid: The Jewel of Macedonia

Glimmering in the southwestern corner of Macedonia is Lake Ohrid: one of the oldest lakes in the world. Both the lake and the town which shares its name are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Over the years, Ohrid has developed into Macedonia’s favorite summer retreat. Whether to play in the pristine water, dance the night away, or just escape the heat, Macedonians and visitors from across the Balkans descend upon the lake in droves.

We dedicated three days to our initial excursion to Ohri...

Skupi: Digging Up Skopje’s Ancestor

On the western edge of Skopje, we came across a large archaeological dig in full swing. A team was engaged in dusting off rocks, writing in notebooks, and carting off wheelbarrows laden with dirt. This was the site of the ancient Roman city of Skupi and we saw archaeologists at work slowly laying bare its massive theater.

Much of Skupi’s history remains clouded in mystery, but it’s generally believed that it was originally a settlement of Dardanians: a Balkan tribe who became part of the Roman...

Foreign Cemeteries from the Great War

The Balkans were a major theater during World War I, and the fighting was especially intense in Macedonia, which was part of the Serbian Kingdom at the time. The Allies and the Central Powers sent tens of thousands of soldiers into the land, many of whom would never return home.

Although their arrival in 1915 was too late to save the Serbian Army from the Bulgarian and Austro-Hungarian onslaught, British and French troops were able to advance north from Thessaloniki and establish a front in pr...

Skopje’s Museum of Contemporary Art

After the devastating earthquake of 1963, the international community turned its eyes to Macedonia’s capital, contributing generously to the rebuilding process with money, materials, manpower… and art. A Contemporary Art Museum was among the principal projects for post-earthquake Skopje, and the world’s artists were determined to help make it something special.

The Museum of Contemporary Art enjoys one of the best locations in Skopje, set high on a bluff with views that extend over the Kale Fo...