BH Towns and regions
BITOLA AND ENVIRONS

Bitola http://www.bitolainfo.com is the second biggest town in Republic of Macedonia (100 000 inhabitants). It is located in the country’s largest valley of Pelagonia (Southwestern Macedonia) in the bottom of Baba Mountain (2601 m), 13 km from the border with Greece. The town is dispersed along the banks of the Dragor river at an altitude of 615 m above sea level.
Major roads pass across the town:

  • from Albania and Ohrid to both Thessalonica (Greece) and Southwestern Bulgaria;
  • from Skopje and Northern Macedonia to Western Greece;
  • Eurocorridor 8: Italy– Albania– Macedonia – Bulgaria – Caucasian countries;

Bitola is an important industrial, agricultural, commercial, educational, and cultural center. It represents an important junction that connects the South of the Adriatic Sea with the Aegean Sea and Central Europe. Here are: one of the oldest and most prestigious theaters in the country, an university and the seat of the Prespa-Pelagonian bishop of Macedonian-Orthodox church.

Traditionally a strong trading center, Bitola is also called the city of the consuls because at the time of the Ottoman rule, Bitola had consulates from twelve countries. Nowadays ten countries have their Consulates General here. During the same period, there were a number of prestigious schools in the city including a military academy that, among others, was attended by the famous Turkish reformer Kemal Atatürk. Bitola hosted also headquarters of many cultural organizations and institutions of almost every Balkan nation, established at that time.

Peripheral geographic location of Bitola in post-Ottoman period (after 1913) has reduced town’s economic role and affected negatively the urban and spatial planning as well as caused decrease of population.

History
During the history Pelagonia valley was a preferred area for inhabitance due to its favorable geographic position and fertile lands. Many prehistoric sites dating back to the Early Balkan Neolithic (6000 BC) are found in Bitola area. Two important ones are Velushka Tumba and Tumba Bara near the village of Porodin. Philip II of Macedon (the father of Alexander the Great) founded by the middle of the 4-th century B.C. Heraclea Lyncestis remaining an important settlement from the Hellenistic period until the Middle Age. It was and named after Heracles, whom Philip II considered his ancestor. As an important strategic point, it became a prosperous city. Romans conquered this part of Macedonia in 148 B.C. and destroyed the political power of the city. The prosperity continued mainly due to the Roman Via Egnatia road which passed across the city. Several monuments from the Roman times remain in Heraclea, including a portico, a theatre (for 3,000 people), thermae (baths) and a number of basilicas. In the Late Antique period Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. Twice the Ostrogoths led by their king Theodorich in 472 A.D. and again in 479 A.D. sacked it but it was restored in the late 5-th and the early 6-th century A.D. Finally the Slavs in the late 6-th century conquered Pelagonia and the Heraclea’s urban history came to the end.

The new medieval town rising near the Heraclea’s ruins was conquered and remained part of the First Bulgarian Empire from 9-th to early 11-h century A.D. gaining its present name. The baptizing of the local Slavs after 864 was assisted by St. Clement of Ohrid and St. Naum of Preslav – now the town’s patrons. Many monasteries and churches were built in that time in the town. Byzantine emperor Basil II captured Bitola in 1015 but the town remained an Episcopal centre. After that time prior to the Ottoman conquest in late 14-th century Bitola was possessed by Byzantine and Second Bulgarian empires and Serbian kingdom and principalities. As a military, political and cultural center it played very important role in the life of the medieval society in the region having well-established trading links all over the Balkan Peninsula, especially with big economic centers like Constantinople, Thessalonica, Dubrovnik and Tarnovo. From 1395 to 1912, Bitola was part of the Ottoman Empire - a main trade centre, called in 19-th century "city of consuls", because of 12 diplomatic consulates residing here in the period 1878–1913. Demographically the town represented a picturesque mix of almost all Southern Balkan nations. In 1894 Bitola was connected with Thessalonica by train. Manaki brothers here recorded the first motion picture made in the Balkans in 1903. In their honour, the annual Manaki Brothers International Film Camera Festival is held in Bitola.
For the period of 15 years after 1903 Bitola region was a battlefield. First in 1903 the rebels of Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising led by Internal Macedonian-Odrin Revolutionary Organization (IMORO) fought against Ottoman troops and paramilitary groups. Then in 1912 during the Balkan wars Serbian army occupied the city and refused to hand it to Bulgaria as it was in pre-war agreements, what made Bulgarian forces return it in 1915 during WW I but turning the area into a front line against Allies. Until 1918 Bitola remained a frontline city and was almost every day bombarded by airplanes and battery and suffered almost a total destruction. After the end of WW I (1918) Bitola was included in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later called the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After the end of the WW II, Bitola remained part of the Macedonian Republic (established in 1944 within Socialist federation of Yugoslavia, independent after 1991).

Bitola sightseeings: Saat Kula (16-th century clock tower), St. Dimitrija Church (1830), Ajdar-kadi mosque (1561-1562), Jeni and Ishak mosques, the 16-th century Old bazaar, Turkish bath Deboj, Orthodox bishop’s residence (1901), Shirok sokak (Broadway), buildings of foreign consulates, the Museum and Gallery arranged in the edifice of the old Ottoman military academy, Heraclea Lyncestis archaeological reserve, numerous religious monuments (Christian, Islamic, Jewish) and military graveyards from the WW1, Porodin Neolithic sites.

The town offers all connections and services required for your pleasant stay as well as nice shopping areas, crowded streets with town cafes and attractive opportunities for nightlife and sports. Baba Mountain overlooks Bitola from the east. Its magnificent Pelister part (2601 m) is a national park with exquisite flora and fauna, and a well-known ski resort.