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68-625: Bitola, known during the Ottoman Empire as Manastır or Monastir , is one of the oldest cities in North Macedonia. It was founded as Heraclea Lyncestis in the middle of the 4th century BC by Philip II of Macedon . The city was the last capital of the First Bulgarian Empire (1015–1018) and the last capital of Ottoman Rumelia , from 1836 to 1867. According to the 2002 census, Bitola is the third largest city in

136-579: A Greek tribe belonging to the Molossian group of the Epirotes . There are important metal artifacts from the ancient period at the necropolis of Crkvište near the village of Beranci . A golden earring dating from the 4th century BC is depicted on the obverse of the Macedonian 10- denar banknote, issued in 1996. Heraclea Lyncestis ( Ancient Greek : Ἠράκλεια Λυγκηστίς - City of Hercules upon

204-421: A domain of the earth. This mosaic dates from the end of the 6th century. The Great Basilica is built on top of another pre-existing one and it is believed to have been built sometime between the 4th and 6th century. The Great Basilica's mosaic floor is depicted on the reverse of the Macedonian 5000 denars banknote, issued in 1996. The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part

272-728: A military, political and religious center, Bitola played a very important role in the life of the medieval society in the region, prior to the Ottoman conquest in the mid-14th century. On the eve of the Ottoman conquest, Bitola (Monastir in Ottoman Turkish) experienced great growth with its well-established trading links all over the Balkan Peninsula, especially with big economic centers like Constantinople , Thessalonica , Ragusa and Tarnovo . Caravans carrying various goods came and went from Bitola. From 1382 to 1912, Bitola

340-410: A room of open porch colonnades, a room of exonarthex , one of narthex , two north annexes, and a room of three south annexes. The floors of these rooms have mosaics with geometric and floral designs. The mosaic in the narthex is of early Byzantine art , a big composition at a size of 100 m (328 ft). There are birds, trees, bushes, a red dog, which is a symbol of paradise, and animals beasts as

408-466: Is a village in the municipality of Bitola , North Macedonia . It used to be part of the former municipality of Bistrica . Porodin contains two major archaeological sites within its boundaries. Bara Tumba, a Neolithic settlement, was discovered in 1953 and its findings are kept at the Institute and Museum Bitola. Veluška Tumba is also a Neolithic site. According to the 1467-68 Ottoman defter,

476-433: Is a national park with exquisite flora and fauna, among which is the rarest species of pine, known as Macedonian pine or pinus peuce . It is also the location of a well-known ski resort. Covering an area of 1,798 km (694 sq mi) and with a population of 122,173 (1991), Bitola is an important industrial, agricultural, commercial, educational and cultural centre. It represents an important junction that connects

544-653: Is held in Bitola since 1979. In November 1905, the Secret Committee for the Liberation of Albania , a secret organization formed to fight for the liberation of Albania from the Ottoman Empire, was founded by Bajo Topulli and other Albanian nationalists and intellectuals. Three years later, the Congress of Manastir of 1908, which standardized the modern Albanian alphabet , was held in the city. The congress

612-421: Is located in the center of the city. It has a square base, topped with a dome. Near the mosque is a minaret, 40 m high. Today, the mosque's rooms house permanent and temporary art exhibitions. Recent archaeological excavations have revealed that it has been built upon an old church. The Ishak Çelebi Mosque is the inheritance of the kadi Ishak Çelebi . In its spacious yard are several tombs, attractive because of

680-412: Is not known when exactly it was constructed. At one point, it was heavily damaged, but after repairs it regained its original appearance: a façade with two large domes and several minor ones. Bitola is the economic and industrial center of southwestern North Macedonia. Many of the largest companies in the country are based in the city. The Pelagonia agricultural combine is the largest producer of food in

748-561: Is the Albanian name ( Manastir ), and the Ladino name ( מונאסטיר Monastir ). The Aromanian name, Bitule or alternatively, Bituli , is derived from the same root as the Macedonian name. Bitola is located in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. The Dragor River flows through the city. Bitola lies at an elevation of 615 metres above sea level, at the foot of Baba Mountain . Its magnificent Pelister mountain (2,601 m)

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816-467: Is the governing body of the city and municipality of Bitola. The city council approves and rejects projects that would have place inside the municipality given by its members and the Mayor of Bitola. The Council consists of elected representatives. The number of members of the council is determined according to the number of residents in the community and can not be fewer than nine nor more than 33. Currently

884-686: The Adriatic Sea to the south with the Aegean Sea and Central Europe . Bitola has a mildly continental climate typical of the Pelagonija region, experiencing very warm and dry summers, and cold and snowy winters. The Köppen climate classification for this climate is Cfb , which would be an oceanic climate , going by the original −3 °C (27 °F) threshold. There are a number of prehistoric archaeological sites around Bitola. The earliest evidence of organized human settlements are

952-597: The First Balkan War . After a victory at Sarantaporo , Greek troops advanced towards Monastir but were defeated by the Ottomans at Sorovich . The Battle of Monastir (16–19 November 1912) led to Serbian occupation of the city. According to the Treaty of Bucharest, 1913 , the region of Macedonia was divided into three parts among Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria. Monastir was ceded to Serbia and its official name became

1020-568: The Ottoman age , but there are some from the more recent past. Širok Sokak ( Macedonian : Широк Сокак , meaning "Wide Alley") is a long pedestrian street that runs from Magnolia Square to the City Park. It is unknown when Bitola's clock tower was built. Written sources from the 16th century mention a clock tower, but it is unclear if it is the same. Some believe it was built at the same time as St. Dimitrija Church in 1830. Legend says that

1088-574: The Slavic toponym Bitola . During World War I Bitola was on the Salonica front . Bulgaria, a Central Power , took the city on 21 November 1915, while the Allied forces recaptured it in 1916 . Bitola was divided into French, Russian, Italian and Serbian sections, under the command of French general Maurice Sarrail . Until Bulgaria's surrender in late autumn 1918, Bitola remained a front line city and

1156-622: The strategos George Gonitsiates, the Bulgarians were victorious and the Byzantine Emperor Basil II had to retreat from the Bulgarian capital Ohrid , whose outer walls were by that time already breached by the Bulgarians. Afterwards Ivan Vladislav moved the capital from Ohrid to Bitola, where he re-erected the fortress. However, the Bulgarian victory only postponed the fall of Bulgaria to Byzantine rule in 1018. As

1224-500: The zograph in 1889. There are many other items, including the chalices made by local masters, a darohranilka of Russian origin, and several paintings of scenes from the New Testament, brought from Jerusalem by pilgrims. The opening scenes of the film The Peacemaker were shot in the "Saint Dimitrija" church in Bitola, as well as some Welcome to Sarajevo scenes. Heraclea Lyncestis ( Macedonian : Хераклеа Линкестис )

1292-554: The 15th to the 19th centuries, was rebuilt, and many stores, often changing over time, were located there. Most of them were selling textile and other luxurious fabrics. At the same time the Bedisten was a treasury, where in specially made small rooms the money from the whole Rumelian Vilaet was kept, before it was transferred into the royal treasury. In the 19th century the Bedisten contained 84 shops. Today most of them are contemporary and they sell different types of products, but despite

1360-753: The Bishop of Bitola depended on the Archbishopric of Ohrid . During the reign of Samuil, the city was the seat of the Bitola Bishopric. In many medieval sources, especially Western, the name Pelagonia was synonymous with the Bitola Bishopric. According to some sources, Bitola was known as Heraclea since what once was the Heraclea Bishopric later became the Pelagonian Metropolitan's Diocese. In 1015, Tsar Gavril Radomir

1428-507: The Bitola region was planned in Smilevo village in May 1903. Battles were fought in the villages of Bistrica, Rakovo, Buf, Skocivir, Paralovo, Brod, Novaci, Smilevo, Gjavato, Capari and others. Smilevo was defended by 600 rebels led by Dame Gruev and Georgi Sugarev . They were defeated and the villages were burned. In 1912, Montenegro , Serbia , Bulgaria and Greece fought the Ottomans in

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1496-669: The Church Councils as bishop Evagrius of Heraclea in the Acts of the Sardica Council from 343 AD. A small and a great basilica, the bishop's residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography ; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of

1564-709: The Jewish population (3,276 Jews) to Treblinka extermination camp . After the end of the war, PR Macedonia was established within FPR Yugoslavia . In 1945, the first Gymnasium (named " Josip Broz Tito ") to use the Macedonian language, was opened in Bitola. In 1951–52, as part of an education campaign total of 40 Turkish schools were opened in Debar , Kičevo , Kumanovo , Struga , Resen , Bitola, Kruševo and Prilep . The city has many historical building dating from many historical periods. The most notable ones are from

1632-652: The Land of the Lynx ) was an important settlement from the Hellenistic period till the early Middle Ages . It was founded by Philip II of Macedon by the middle of the 4th century BC, and named after the Greek hero Heracles . With its strategic location, it became a prosperous city. The Romans conquered this part of Macedon in 148 BC and destroyed the political power of the city. However, its prosperity continued mainly due to

1700-496: The League's rebellion. In 1874, Manastır became the center of Monastir Vilayet which included the sanjaks of Debra , Serfidze , Elbasan , Manastır (Bitola), Görice and the towns of Kırcaova , Pirlepe , Florina , Kesriye and Grevena . Traditionally a strong trading center, Bitola was also known as "the city of the consuls". In the final period of Ottoman rule (1878–1912), Bitola had consulates from twelve countries. During

1768-422: The Ottoman authorities collected around 60,000 eggs from nearby villages and mixed them in the mortar to make the walls stronger. The tower has a rectangular base and is about 30 meters high. Near the top is a rectangular terrace with an iron fence. On each side of the fence is an iron console construction which holds the lamps for lighting the clock. The clock is on the highest of three levels. The original clock

1836-413: The Ottoman period. With its numerous cupolas that look like a fortress, with its tree-branch-like inner streets and four large metal doors it is one of the biggest covered markets in the region. It was built in the 15th century by Kara Daut Pasha Uzuncarsili , then Rumelia 's Beylerbey . Although the bazaar appears secure, it has been robbed and set on fire, but has managed to survive. The bedisten, from

1904-601: The Roman Via Egnatia road which passed near the city. A number of archaeological monuments from the Roman period can be seen today in Heraclea, including a portico , thermae (baths), a theater . The theatre was once capable of housing an audience of around 2,500 people. In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea became an important episcopal centre. Some of its bishops were mentioned in

1972-467: The Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius . Discovered in 1931, a small bone ticket for a seat in the 14th (out of 20) row is the earliest known proof of the theatre's existence. The theatre itself was not discovered until 1968. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during

2040-631: The Romans. Its ruins are situated 2 km (1.2 mi) south of the present-day town of Bitola , North Macedonia . In the early Christian period, Heraclea was an important Episcopal seat and a waypoint on the Via Egnatia that once linked Byzantium with Rome through the Adriatic seaport of Dyrrachium . Some of its bishops are mentioned in synods in Serdica and other nearby towns. The city

2108-466: The acts of the first Church Councils , including Bishop Evagrius of Heraclea in the Acts of the Sardica Council of 343. The city walls, a number of Early Christian basilicas , the bishop's residence, and a lavish city fountain are some of the remains of this period. The floors in the three naves of the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics with a very rich floral and figurative iconography ; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as one of

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2176-422: The apostles. Other engraved wood items include the bishop's throne made in the spirit of Mijak engravers, several icon frames and five more-recent pillars shaped like thrones. The frescoes originate from two periods: the end of the 19th century and the end of World War I to the present. The icons and frescoes were created thanks to voluntary contributions of local businessmen and citizens. The authors of many of

2244-498: The archaeological sites from the early Neolithic period, among which the most important are the tells of Veluška Tumba and Bara Tumba near the village of Porodin , first inhabited around 6000 BC. The region of Bitola was known as Lynkestis in antiquity, a region that became part of Upper Macedonia , and was ruled by semi-independent chieftains until the later Argead rulers of Macedon . The tribes of Lynkestis were known as Lynkestai . According to Nicholas Hammond, they were

2312-589: The area. In place of the deserted theater, several houses were built during that time. The Slavs also built a fortress around their settlement. Bitola was a part of the First Bulgarian Empire from the middle of the 8th to the early 11th centuries, after which it again became part of the Byzantine Empire , and in turn was briefly part of the Serbian Empire during the 14th century. Arguably, a number of monasteries and churches were built in and around

2380-405: The basilica and several rooms have been unearthed. The first room was used for baptizing, and the second room has a floor mosaic made in " opus tessellatum " technique. After the creation of the complex Great Basilica, the function of these rooms was changed. By discovering the walls, architectonic plastic and floors were reconstructed electronically. The Great Basilica is a monumental building with

2448-562: The city during the Medieval period (hence its other name Manastir ). In the 10th century, Bitola came under the rule of tsar Samuel of Bulgaria . He built a castle in the town, later used by his successor Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria . The town is mentioned in several medieval sources. John Skylitzes 's 11th-century chronicle mentions that Emperor Basil II burned Gavril's castle in Bitola, when passing through and ravaging Pelagonia . The second chrysobull (1019) of Basil II mentioned that

2516-408: The city suffered successive attacks by various tribes, and eventually the region was settled by the early Slavic peoples . Its imperial buildings fell into disrepair and the city gradually declined to a small settlement, and survived as such until around the 11th century AD. In the 6th and 7th centuries, the region around Bitola experienced a demographic shift as more and more Slavic tribes settled in

2584-465: The city the nickname "the city of consuls." Italy has also expressed interest in opening a consulate in Bitola. There is only one television station in Bitola: Tera, few regional radio stations: the private Radio 105 (Bombarder), Radio 106,6, UKLO FM, Radio Delfin as well as a local weekly newspaper — Bitolski Vesnik. The Bitola Municipality Council ( Macedonian : Совет на Општина Битола )

2652-588: The city. But in September 1944, Bulgaria switched sides in the war and withdrew from Yugoslavia. On 4 November, the 7th Macedonian Liberation Brigade entered Bitola after the German withdrawal. The historical Jewish community , of Sephardic origin, lived in the city until World War II, when some were able to immigrate to the United States and Chile. On 11 March 1943 the Bulgarians deported the vast majority of

2720-562: The council is composed of 31 councillors . Council members are elected for a term of four years. Following the 2021 local elections, the City Council is constituted as follows: Heraclea Lyncestis Heraclea Lyncestis , also transliterated Herakleia Lynkestis ( Ancient Greek : Ἡράκλεια Λυγκηστίς ; Latin : Heraclea Lyncestis ; Macedonian : Хераклеја Линкестис ), was an ancient Greek city in Macedon , ruled later by

2788-543: The country, after the capital Skopje and Kumanovo . Bitola is also the seat of the Bitola Municipality . The name Bitola is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word ѡ҆би́тѣл҄ь ([obitěĺь] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) , meaning "monastery, cloister"), literally "abode," as the city was formerly noted for its monastery. When the meaning of the name

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2856-425: The country. The Streževo water system is the largest in North Macedonia and has the best technological facilities. The three thermoelectric power stations of REK Bitola produce nearly 80% of electricity in the state. The Frinko refrigerate factory was a leading electrical and metal company. Bitola also has significant capacity in the textile and food industries. Bitola is also home to thirteen consulates , which gives

2924-414: The deserted city theatre several huts were built. The so-called Small Basilica was discovered in excavations made before the outbreak of World War II between 1936 and 1938. At first it was thought to be an ancient palace, but in the later research from 1960 to 1964, it became clear that it was an early Christian basilica . There is a decorated floor mosaic laid in the technique of " opus sectile " within

2992-515: The early Christian art period. Other bishops from Heraclea are known between 4th and 6th century AD as bishop Quintilinus mentioned in the Acts of the Second Council of Ephesus , from 449 AD. The city was sacked by Ostrogoth / Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and, despite a large gift to him from the city's bishop, it was sacked again in 479 AD. It

3060-628: The education level and the rate of literacy, caused the formation of a circle of intellectuals in Bitola. Bitola was also the headquarters of many cultural organizations at that time. In 1894, Manastır was connected with Thessaloniki by train. The first motion picture made in the Balkans was produced by the Aromanian Manakis brothers in Manastır in 1903. In their honour, the annual Manaki Brothers International Cinematographers Film Festival

3128-418: The finest examples of the early Christian art in the region. During the 4th and 6th centuries, the names of other bishops from Heraclea were recorded. The city was sacked by Ostrogothic forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and, despite a large gift to him from the city's bishop, it was sacked again in 479. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. However, in the late 6th century

3196-469: The icons had a vast knowledge of iconography schemes of the New Testament . The icons show a great sense of color, dominated by red, green and ochra shades. The abundance of golden ornaments is noticeable and points to the presence of late-Byzantine artwork and baroque style . The icon of Saint Demetrius is signed with the initials "D. A. Z.", showing that it was made by iconographer Dimitar Andonov

3264-512: The internal renovations, the outwards appearance of the structure has remained unchanged. The Gazi Hajdar Kadi Mosque is one of the most attractive monuments of Islamic architecture in Bitola. It was built in the early 1560s, as the project of the architect Mimar Sinan , ordered by the Bitola kadija Ajdar-kadi. Over time, it was abandoned and heavily damaged, and at one point used as a stare, but recent restoration and conservation has restored to some extent its original appearance. The New Mosque

3332-538: The late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity , the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire , and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment. In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. Some of its bishops have been noted in the acts of

3400-473: The main Roman road in the Southern Balkans, passed through Heraclea. The city became a significant stop and was consequently able to maintain its wealth. Objects discovered from the time of Roman rule in Heraclea are votive monuments, a portico , thermae (baths), a theatre and town walls. The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in

3468-538: The major east-west routes between Illyria and Macedonia . Philip' s founding of Heraclea prevented Illyrian incursions from the west into Macedon. The city was involved in the Macedonian Wars until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The Romans divided Macedonia into 4 regions and Heraclea became part of Macedonia Prima . The Via Egnatia ,

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3536-572: The name was Hellenized to Voutélion ( Βουτέλιον ) or Vitólia ( Βιτώλια ), hence the names Butella used by William of Tyre and Butili by the Arab geographer al-Idrisi . The Modern Greek name for the city ( Monastíri , Μοναστήρι ), also meaning "monastery", is a calque of the Slavic name. The Turkish name Manastır ( Ottoman Turkish : مناستر ) is derived from the Greek name, as

3604-597: The same period, there were a number of prestigious schools in the city, including a military academy that, among others, was attended by the Turkish reformer Mustafa Kemal Atatürk . In 1883, there were 19 schools in Monastir, of which 11 were Greek, 5 were Bulgarian and 3 were Romanian. In Bitola, besides the schools where Ottomanism and Turkism flourished in the 19th century, schools of various nations were also opened. These institutions, which were very effective in increasing

3672-434: The soft, molded shapes of the sarcophagi. The old bazaar ( Macedonian : Стара Чаршија ) is mentioned in a description of the city from the 16th and the 17th centuries. The present bedisten does not differ much in appearance from the original one. The bedisten had eighty-six shops and four large iron gates. The shops used to sell textiles, and today sell food products. The Deboj Bath is an Ottoman Empire -era hamam . It

3740-744: The town was ruled by the Albanian Ali Pasha as part of the Pashalik of Yanina . During the Great Eastern Crisis , the local Bulgarian movement of the day was defeated when armed Bulgarian groups were repelled by the League of Prizren , an Albanian organisation opposing Bulgarian geopolitical aims in areas like Bitola that contained an Albanian population. Nevertheless, in April 1881, an Ottoman army captured Prizren and suppressed

3808-484: The village had 68 houses, 4 bachelors and 8 widows. Some of the heads of families had traditional Albanian names, such as the following: Gjin Arnaut (t. Arbanas), Goja son of Vilan, Koja (Goja) son of Nikola, Koja son of Dragusha, Lazor Koja, Dimitri son of Koja ( Goja). In statistics gathered by Vasil Kanchov in 1900, the village of Porodin was inhabited by 300 Christian Bulgarians and 190 Muslim Albanians. According to

3876-545: The voluntary contributions of local merchants and craftsmen. It is plain on the outside, as all churches in the Ottoman Empire had to be, but lavishly decorated with chandeliers , a carved bishop throne and an engraved iconostasis on the inside. According to some theories, iconostasis is a work of the Mijak engravers. Its most impressive feature is the arc above the imperial quarters with modelled figures of Jesus and

3944-417: Was an important ancient settlement from the Hellenistic period till the early Middle Ages. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon by the middle of the 4th century BC. Today, its ruins are in the southern part of Bitola, 2 km (1 mi) from the city center. Situated near the city centre, the covered bedisten ( Macedonian : Безистен ) is one of the most impressive and oldest buildings in Bitola from

4012-691: Was bombarded almost daily by air bombardment and artillery fire and was nearly destroyed. At the end of World War I Bitola was restored to the Kingdom of Serbia , and, consequently, in 1918 became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Bitola became one of the major cities of the Vardarska banovina . During World War II (1939–45), the Germans (on 9 April 1941) and Bulgarians (on 18 April 1941) took control of

4080-413: Was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century. Bara Tumba Porodin ( Macedonian : Породин , Albanian : Porodin )

4148-453: Was gradually abandoned in the 6th century AD following an earthquake and Slavic invasions . It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles . The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built. Heraclea was a strategically important town in classical antiquity , as it controlled one of

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4216-803: Was held at the house of Fehim Zavalani . Mit'hat Frashëri was chairman of the congress. The participants in the Congress were prominent figures from the cultural and political life of Albanian-inhabited territories in the Balkans , and the Albanian diaspora . The Bitola region was a stronghold of the Ilinden Uprising . The uprising was conceived in 1903 in Thessaloniki by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO). The uprising in

4284-408: Was killed by his cousin Ivan Vladislav , who then declared himself tsar and rebuilt the city's fortress. To commemorate the occasion, a stone inscription written in the Cyrillic alphabet was set in the fortress; in it the Slavic name of the city is mentioned: Bitol. During the battle of Bitola in 1015 between a Bulgarian army under the command of the voivode Ivats and a Byzantine army led by

4352-456: Was no longer understood, it lost its prefix "o-". The name Bitola is mentioned in the Bitola inscription , related to the old city fortress built in 1015 during the ruling of Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria (1014–1015) when Bitola served as capital of the First Bulgarian Empire . Modern Slavic variants include the Macedonian Bitola ( Битола ), the Serbian Bitolj ( Битољ ) and Bulgarian Bitolya ( Битоля ). In Byzantine times,

4420-418: Was part of the Ottoman Empire , and was known as Monastir. Fierce battles took place near the city during the Ottoman conquest. Ottoman rule was completely established after the death of Prince Marko in 1395 when the Ottoman Empire established the Sanjak of Ohrid as a part of the Rumelia Eyalet and one of the earliest established sanjaks in Europe. Before it became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1395, Bitola

4488-462: Was part of the realm of Prince Marko . Initially, its county town was Bitola and later it was Ohrid , so it was sometimes referred to as the Sanjak of Monastir and sometimes as the Sanjak of Bitola. After the Austro-Ottoman wars , the trade development and the overall prosperity of the city declined. But in the late 19th century, it again became the second-largest city in the wider southern Balkan region after Thessaloniki . Between 1815 and 1822,

4556-420: Was replaced during World War II with a working one, given by the Nazis because the city had maintained German graves from World War I. The massive tower is composed of walls, massive spiral stairs, wooden mezzanine constructions, pendentives and the dome. During the construction of the tower, the façade was simultaneously decorated with simple stone plastic. The Church of Saint Demetrius was built in 1830 with

4624-416: Was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites , a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of

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