Prilep in Pelagonia – Macedonia is the 4th biggest city in the country and is best known as the tobacco capital of Macedonia. The city abounds with various churches and monasteries and has a scattering of a few archeological sites.
Location
Prilep in Pelagonia – Macedonia is situated in the southern parts of the country, along the northern section of Pelagonia.
It is approximately one hundred and twenty-eight kilometers or eighty miles from Macedonia’s capital city of Skopje; and forty-four kilometers or about twenty-seven miles off Bitola.
Getting There
You can easily get to Prilep in Pelagonia – Macedonia via public transportation in the form of buses traveling to and from two major cities in the country: Skopje and Bitola.
There are likewise several train schedules that run daily from both the above-mentioned major cities going to and from Prilep.
What to See and Do
When it comes to historical landmarks, the city of Prilep in Pelagonia – Macedonia is best known for a medieval fortress called the Marko’s Towers otherwise called Markovi Kuli.
The fortress sits atop a hill requiring you to take a thirty-minute hike to reach this historical landmark. The remaining ruins of the fortress date as far back as the tenth to fourteenth centuries.
There are also several notable churches and monasteries around the city. These include the Holy Archangels Monastery, constructed some time in the twelfth century. You can see frescoes inside the monastery and you may also visit the crypt.
Also, do not miss out on St. Nikola Church, considered as one of the country’s most beautiful churches. The frescoes within the church’s interiors are well-preserved and these also date back to the twelfth century.
Other churches include the St. Dimitrie Church, constructed during the thirteenth century and the ruins of St. Atanasie Church which was constructed during the fourteenth century.
Brief History
Prilep in Pelagonia – Macedonia is also known as the “City Under Marko’s Towers” because its close distance to the fortress that overlooks the city. The city was established on the remains of an ancient city called Styberra.
It was in the year 1014 however when the city was first acknowledged as “Prilep” when news of the death of Tsar Samuil broke out.
It was in the city that the tsar died of a heart attack when he saw his troops of about fourteen thousand blinded by the Byzantine troops following the Battle of Kleidon.
From the year 1918 up to 1991, the city was part of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia and then after which, it was within the Republic of Macedonia.
Today, the city thrives as the tobacco capital of Macedonia.
Cost
Accommodations around Prilep in Pelagonia – Macedonia cost about 30 Euros per night for single occupancy while double rooms cost about 40 up to 50 Euros per night.
Other Information
Sivec, considered as the whitest marble around the world is found in Prilep. This type of marble was used on the pedestal of the famous Liberty Statue of the United States as well as for construction of the White House.
