Albania, North Macedonia

Ohrid Region

WHS Score 3.4 Votes 91 Average 3.6

The Natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid Region comprises the ancient town of Ohrid and nearby Lake Ohrid, one of the deepest and oldest lakes in Europe.

Ohrid has been a cultural centre of great importance for the Balkan and the Slavonic language. Its Byzantine churches are renowned for their frescoes and icons. The lake, which is low in nutrients, holds many endemic species of fish, molluscs etc. The lakeshore reed beds and wetlands provide critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of wintering water birds.

Community Perspective: the site encompasses a large area and warrants multiple days to experience both its cultural and natural aspects. Visit outside of the summer months to avoid the tourist crowds. Clyde’s recent review focuses on the lesser-visited Albanian side.

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Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid Region (ID: 99)
Countries
Albania North Macedonia
Status
Inscribed 1979 Site history
History of Ohrid Region
WHS Type
Mixed
Criteria
  • i
  • iii
  • iv
  • vii
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources
News Article
  • Feb. 16, 2017 globalvoices.org — Mystery Oil-Like Substance Pollutes Macedonia and Albania's Lake Ohrid
  • Feb. 12, 2016 balcanicaucaso.org — The town and lake Ohrid are endangered by a vast urbanization plan
  • Sept. 5, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk — At least 19 people have died after a sightseeing boat sank in Lake Ohrid

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Natural landscape: Rivers, Wetlands and Lakes
  • Archaeological site: Pre-Columbian
  • Urban landscape: Urban continuity
Travel Information
Transboundary sites
Transboundary sites
North Macedonia and Albania
Recent Connections
View all (64) .
Connections of Ohrid Region
Geography
Trivia
  • Google Doodles
    8 September 2012, Macedonia Independence Day 2012

    See www.google.com

  • On Banknotes
    A golden mask from Trebenista is depicted on the obverse of the Macedonian 500 denars banknote, issued in 1996 and 2003; On the 10 denars banknote is printed "the torso of the goddess Isis" placed in the Robevi house, Ohrid

    See ii.mypivots.com

  • Dubbed as another WHS
    Ohrid is apparently known as the Macedonian (or "Slavic") Jerusalem - because of its one time 365 churches. Also, the lake itself is often referred to as the European Galapagos due to the high number of species found nowhere else but here.

    See www.bbc.com

  • Fatal Accidents or 'disasters'
    15 people died after a sightseeing boat sank in Lake Ohrid (2009)

    See news.bbc.co.uk

History
  • Bulgarian Empire
    Ohrid was the capital of the Bulgarian Empire between 990 and 1015. The city was conquered by the Bulgarians in 867.
  • Located in a Former Capital
    Bulgarian Empire 990-1015; also Ohrid, then named Lychnidos, was the capital city of the Illyrian Dassaretii.
  • Byzantine Empire and Civilization
    a testimony of Byzantine arts, displayed by more than 2,500 square metres of frescoes and more than 800 icons of worldwide fame (OUV)
  • Treaties
    The Ohrid Framework Agreement was the peace deal signed by the government of the Republic of Macedonia and representatives of the Albanian minority on 13 August 2001.

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Buried treasures
    On 10 October 2007, a deposit of approximately 2,383 Venetian coins was discovered by archaeologists while excavating the monastery at Plaošnik. A prominent archaeologist of the Republic of Macedonia, Pasko Kuzman, stated that the coins are of special significance because they indicate that Ohrid and Venice were commercially linked.

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Places of Execution
    During Roman times, the ancient theatre of Ohrid was also a site of executions of Christians by the Romans. Consequently, it rapidly turned to a highly disliked site by the locals. In fact, as a result of this dislike, the theater was abandoned and buried by the locals after the demise of the Roman Empire

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Sieges and Battles
    On 14–15 September 1464, 12,000 troops of the League of Lezhë and 1,000 of the Republic of Venice defeated a 14,000-man Ottoman force near the city in the Battle of Ohrid, which ended in an Albanian victory over the Ottomans. (wiki)
  • Ancient Greek colonies
    Lychnidos
  • Ottoman Empire
    "In the late 14th century Ohrid fell to the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans converted a number of churches and monasteries into mosques but tolerated the Ohrid Archiepiscopate"
  • Neolithic age
    "A great number of archaeological sites testify to origins from the Neolithic period, ..." (OUV statement)

    See ohrid.org.mk

  • Bronze Age
    Crit i: "encompassing archaeological remains from the Bronze Age up to the Middle Ages" (OUV)

    See ohrid.org.mk

Ecology
  • Living Fossils
    Lake Ohrid is so old and isolated by surrounding hills and mountains that a unique collection of plants and animals has evolved. These include a number of relict species, or “living fossils” (including Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica))

    See portal.unesco.org

  • Gray Wolf
    At Galičica National park
  • Notable Trees
    The small cobblestone square near the market is dominated by a large plane tree (Platanus Orientalis), one of Ohrid's best loved landmarks. The tree is 800-900 years old. Its trunk is approximately 20m wide. It has become hollow and in the past has been home to a small barber's shop and a small café.
  • Fish
    Crit vii - "Lake Ohrid provides a unique refuge for numerous endemic and relict freshwater species of flora and fauna. Its oligotrophic waters contain over 200 endemic species with high levels of endemism for benthic species in particular....and 17 endemic species of fish"
  • Bears
    Brown bear at Galičica National park
  • Molluscs
    "Its oligotrophic waters contain over 200 endemic species with high levels of endemism for benthic species in particular, including algae, diatoms, turbellarian flatworms, snails,"
  • Turtles and tortoises
    Hermann's tortoise, European pond terrapin
  • Ancient lakes
Architecture
  • Cave Temples or Churches
    Struga
  • Mosaic art
    Polyconhous Basilica
  • Vernacular architecture
    The region's culture reflects outstanding religious architecture from the 7th to 19th centuries, urban structures and vernacular architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries, all in Ohrid, and a concentration of archaeological remains some within Ohrid and others along the coast. (AB Ev)
Damaged
World Heritage Process
Religion and Belief
  • Legends and Folk Myths
    The existence of the ancient town of Lychnidos is linked to the Greek myth of the Phoenician prince Cadmus who, banished from Thebes, in Boetia, fled to the Enchelei and founded the town of Lychnidos on the shores of Lake Ohrid (Wiki).
  • Religious Relics
    Saint Clement's relics can be found in the Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon in Ohrid.

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Notable mosques
    Ali Pasha Mosque built at the end of the 15th century or the beginning of the 16th century. The largest in Ohrid.
  • Cathedrals
    The Church of Saint Sophia was basically rebuilt in the last decade of the 10th century as a patriarchal cathedral in the form of a dome basilica. It later became a seat of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, under the Patriarchate of Constantinople until the 18th century.

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Converted Mosques
    During the time of Ottoman rule St. Clement's Monastery church at Plaosnik was transformed into the Imater Mosque. The mosque did not survive the end of the Ottoman Empire.
  • St Paul was here
    St. Paul the Apostle preached Christianity in Lychnidos (present-day Ohrid) in the 1st century A.D.

    See en.wikipedia.org

Human Activity
  • Festivals
    Ohrid Summer Festival
  • Writing systems
    Slavic writing culture (and early Cyrillic alphabet)
  • Art Colonies
    Colony Ramazzoti - yearly "get together" (in August)
  • Via Egnatia
    The Via Egnatia went round the northern side of Lake Ohrid, passing through the towns of Lychnidos (Ohrid) and Enchalon (Struga).
Constructions
  • Protective Shelters
    The mosaics at the early Basilica are covered from the sun by a roof structure
  • Theatres and Opera Houses
    Ancient Theatre
  • Tombs
    In the vicinity of the newly rebuilt monastery church of St. Kliment and Pantelejmon there is a tomb where Sinan (Jusuf) Chelebi was buried in 1493.
  • Necropolises
    Trebenista
  • Freestanding Bell Tower
    Next to Sveti Kliment
  • Built on Stilts
    "The existence of Struga is connected with several fishermen settlements on wooden piles situated along the lake shore....Similar pre-historic pile dwelling sites have also been identified in the western margins of the Lake." (OUV)
WHS on Other Lists
Timeline
  • Built in the 9th century
    Earlier origins, but Church of Saint Panteleimon and birth of Slavic literacy and culture date from the time of St. Clement (886-916)
  • Pliocene
    The Ohrid and Prespa Lakes belong to a group of Dessaret basins that originated from a geotectonic depression during the Pliocene epoch up to five million years ago (Wiki)
WHS Names
  • Named after a Lake
    Lake Ohrid
  • Name changes
    From "Ohrid Region with its Cultural and Historical Aspect and its Natural Environment" to "Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region"
News
globalvoices.org 02/16/2017
Mystery Oil-Like Substance Pollute…
balcanicaucaso.org 02/12/2016
The town and lake Ohrid are endang…
news.bbc.co.uk 09/05/2009
At least 19 people have died after…
Recent Visitors
Reserved for members.

Community Reviews

Show full reviews
First published: 13/01/23.

Clyde

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Clyde

After visiting Ohrid in Northern Macedonia in 2016, six years later we decided to visit Lin and Pogradec, both locations on the Albanian side. The closest we had come to the Albanian border was when we visited the Church of St Naum in Northern Macedonia.

Pogradec is located on a narrow plain between two mountain chains along the southwestern banks of Lake Ohrid. It is a very laid back place which was once a favorite summer escape for many Communist government officials, particularly Enver Hoxha. Nowadays, it seems to be a place where many locals retire. In the morning, many elderly locals meet up along the Pogradec Beach waterfront and Drilon Park to have coffee and play draughts or cards. We stayed in Pogradec for 1 night just in front of Lake Ohrid. Just before entering the city proper, there is a narrow uphill unpaved road which leads to the ruins of the Pogradec Castle which offer a great panoramic view of the lake and city in the morning.

Half way between Pogradec and Lin, there are several reed beds (good for birdwatching) and small camping sites. There's also a bicycle lane if you'd like to cycle to and from Pogradec or Lin. We weren't impressed by Pogradec as a WHS, so we decided to give Lin a try, which turned out to be a wise choice. If you had to opt for visiting only one of these two locations, definitely go for Lin. Lin is a village …

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First published: 16/01/19.

Travel Addicts

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Travel Addicts

The mountains of the Balkans contain a world treasure: Lake Ohrid. As it happens, the lake is halfway between Tirana and Skopje, which made it a perfect break on our Balkans road trip. As we learned, this lake is more than the border between Albania and the Republic of Macedonia: it is one of the world’s most important lakes...and is Europe’s oldest geologically since it dates from the pre-glacial era.

Lake Ohrid is home to over 200 endemic species and is a critical habitat for migratory birds. As such, this is considered the most biologically diverse lake on earth. For this reason, Lake Ohrid was recognized as one of the first one hundred UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We were seriously disappointed that we didn’t have enough time to go scuba diving in the lake!

However, we learned Lake Ohrid is recognized by UNESCO both for the environment, but also for the incredible cultural contributions of the region. As it turns out, the town of Ohrid on the banks of the lake is one of the oldest areas of human inhabitation in Europe (and the world). The town dates from the Bronze Age.

In more recent times, this was an important Greek settlement and the ancient theatre here is one of the largest in the Greek world. It’s home to a popular summer music festival. The ‘Golden Age’ of Ohrid was the Tsar period and the fortress on the hill dates from this era (late 10th century).

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First published: 16/11/16.

Gary Arndt

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Gary Arndt

Ohrid is the largest lake in Macedonia and is located southern part of the country. The lake is shared with Albania, but the world heritage site portion is entirely within Macedonia.

Ohrid is very easy to visit and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Macedonia with plenty of hotels and restaurants in town.

Most of the cultural and historic can be reached by walking to taxi in town, but if you want to explore the rest of the lake you should either go on a boat trip, or rent a car.

Read more about the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region on my website.

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First published: 06/04/16.

Clyde

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Clyde

I visited this mixed WHS in March 2016. There are only 28 mixed WHS on the list and I must say that they rarely disappoint. Lake Ohrid is FYROM's/Macedonia's only WHS and also its main tourist attraction. However, tourist crowds flock mainly in the summer months, so I was really surprised to be able to enjoy the main sites alone most of the time. I drove from Skopje to Lagadin which is a very straightforward journey and it's signposted well from the airport. The Unesco road sign is already proudly displayed almost 190km away! The lake management is quite rigorous and no water sports are allowed. Only boats allowed are a couple of fishing boats mainly used for sunset trips from Ohrid to Sveti Johan over at Kaneo or else 2 ferries from Ohrid to Sveti Naum. There are a few dodgy concrete lake resort structures which have been built too close to the shores and have reduced the reed beds surrounding the lake. However, there aren't any high structures and Ohrid's landscape is really lovely with the city walls high above and several churches to visit. Although practically all the lake towns are included in the inscription, all the main sites are around Ohrid proper and then there's a lovely monastery 29km away, just 4 km from the Albanian border, that shouldn't be missed. It has some of the best frescoes inside and it's still used as a place of worship today. It's a very tranquil place with peacocks …

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First published: 29/05/15.

Els Slots

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Els Slots

The “Natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid Region” spans a large area in and around the Macedonian side of Lake Ohrid. The Republic of Macedonia owns about two-thirds of the lake, the remaining third is on Albania’s Tentative List as a transboundary extension. The site includes the lake, towns at the lakeshore (such as Struga, Pestani, Trpejca and of course Ohrid itself), and also single monasteries like Sveti Stefan and Sveti Naum. And it encompasses a part of Galičica National Park - a protected natural area that covers the mountains surrounding the lake on the Macedonian side.

I spent 3 nights in the town of Ohrid, and had 2 full days to explore. On my first day I ‘did’ the cultural circuit in Ohrid itself. First the short hike to the lovely Church of St. John at Kaneo. And then uphill to the archaeological site of Plaošnik. This was a big surprise: about half of the area is subject to an archaeological survey or under construction for who knows what. The church of Saint Panteleimon itself is an ‘instoration’ – it was almost completely rebuilt (using the old materials) over the last years under the watchful eyes of ICOMOS. The result is too brand new to my taste, but it still is the most sacred place of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. The mosaics of the old basilica on the same grounds are worth a visit though.

I did see many more churches, icons and related objects, but …

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First published: 13/07/06.

Anonymous

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Els Slots

Ohrid town has much of architectural interest and there is a lot of attractive scenery around the lake. Bear in mind, though, that it is also a major tourist resort - more so for Macedonians that others - with all that entails. There is some distinctive domestic architecture in the town, although this is rather limited and the principal interest is in the churches and their frescoes. There are many but St. Sophia, for its size and age, and St. John, Kaneo, for its site above the lake are arguably two of the best. (It is also worth mentioning that other such churches are dotted around Macedonia, e.g. Nerezi near Skopje.)

If there are a few too many tourists in and around Ohrid, drive over the mountain road (with good views of both lakes) to Lake Prespa, rather wilder and much less developed but with some interesting villages (such as Brajcino and Maloviste) and churches (e.g. Kurbinovo) within easy reach.

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First published: 06/04/06.

Anonymous

Ohrid Region

Ohrid Region (Inscribed)

Ohrid Region by Els Slots

I have been to Ohrid many times and i must tell you it is the best place to be. It lake looks like dazzeling beads in the sun and the city reminds you of the olden days. Not all the city is old. Part of it has a new landscape to it. There are many beautiful churches there with millions of Byzantine-style icons. Trust me, you will love it if you go there!

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