Struga
Encyclopedia
Struga is a town
and popular tourist destination situated in the south-western region of the Republic of Macedonia
, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid
. The town of Struga is the seat of Struga Municipality
.
. There are two theories regarding the name, both of which are espoused by the local inhabitants of the Struga region.
The first theory is that the name of the town originated from the geographic location of the town. Located at the foot of an open valley and subject to a windy climate, it was suggested that the name originates from the Old Slavonic term: струже ветер (it blows wind). The second theory says that the name of the city origins from the old Slavic word straga, meaning a cross.
The old name of the city is Ενχαλών Enchalon, the ancient Greek word for eel
, a kind of fish that lives in the Lake Ohrid
.
river starts at the lake and divides the city.
Struga is also a place of important cultural significance in the Republic of Macedonia, as it is the birthplace of the poets Konstantin and Dimitar Miladinov
. The main event of the cultural life in Struga is the world's largest poetry gathering, Struga Poetry Evenings
, whose laureates have included several Nobel Prize for Literature winners such as Joseph Brodsky
, Eugenio Montale
, Pablo Neruda
, Seamus Heaney
, Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca
and many others since 1966.
There are several cultural monuments in Struga and in its vicinity such as the Monastery of Kališta
, a few kilometers away from the town center, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. It is believed that it dates from the 16th century, with frescoes from the 14th and the 15th centuries. Another rock church is present in the neighbouring village of Radožda
with frescoes from the 13th and 14th centuries. The Church Sveta Bogorodica (St. Mary) in the village of Vraništa, is believed to be the one where Tsar Samuel
was crowned. The church has many doors and far fewer windows and often the people call it "the king's church" especially at nighttime when it's cold.
The church of St. George is also located in the town; built on top of Samuel's church, it has many icons from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Near the village of Radolishta, a basilica
from the 4th century has been discovered, with a mosaic
. Struga's old architecture
, dating from the 18th and 19th century is also a cultural highlight.
Much of the town's meager income is through internal tourism. Struga's location on Lake Ohrid makes it a slightly quieter and more peaceful experience than the more bustling Ohrid
.
When visiting this quiet town of the Republic of Macedonia, there are a few other places that show the beauty and culture, like the clay chamberpots at the house of the Miladinov Brothers
, the old Struga bazaar, the century old churches and mosques. Before the evenings you can enjoy on 3 kinds of beaches called Male beach(maska plaza), Female beach(zenska) and the most beautiful called Galeb. Out of the town there is another tourist place near the lake called Purl(Biser). At night you can walk in the center or go at the most popular discos like Glamour, Alibi, Empire, Oaza, Stefano and others. There's also bars and pubs such as Irish Pub "The Harp", Tullamore Dew, Art Cafe, Plivalishte, Sweet Cafe, Cinema and many others
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and popular tourist destination situated in the south-western region of the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance...
. The town of Struga is the seat of Struga Municipality
Struga municipality
Struga is a municipality in western Republic of Macedonia. Struga is also the name of the town where the municipal seat is found. Struga Municipality is part of the Southwestern Statistical Region.-Geography:...
.
Etymology
The origins for the name Struga are from Old SlavonicOld Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek...
. There are two theories regarding the name, both of which are espoused by the local inhabitants of the Struga region.
The first theory is that the name of the town originated from the geographic location of the town. Located at the foot of an open valley and subject to a windy climate, it was suggested that the name originates from the Old Slavonic term: струже ветер (it blows wind). The second theory says that the name of the city origins from the old Slavic word straga, meaning a cross.
The old name of the city is Ενχαλών Enchalon, the ancient Greek word for eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
, a kind of fish that lives in the Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance...
.
Geography
Struga is located in an open valley on Lake Ohrid. The Black DrinBlack Drin
The Black Drin is a river in Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. It flows out of Lake Ohrid in Struga, Macedonia. After approximately it crosses the border to Albania, west of Debar. It merges with the White Drin in Kukës to form the Drin, which flows into the Adriatic Sea...
river starts at the lake and divides the city.
Culture
Miladinov Brothers
The Miladinov Brothers , Dimitar Miladinov and Konstantin Miladinov , were Bulgarian poets and folklorists from Macedonia, authors of an important collection of folk songs, Bulgarian Folk Songs...
. The main event of the cultural life in Struga is the world's largest poetry gathering, Struga Poetry Evenings
Struga Poetry Evenings
Struga Poetry Evenings is an international poetry festival held annually in Struga, Republic of Macedonia. During the several decades of its existence, the Festival has awarded its most prestigious award, the Golden Wreath, to some of the most notable international poets, including: Mahmoud...
, whose laureates have included several Nobel Prize for Literature winners such as Joseph Brodsky
Joseph Brodsky
Iosif Aleksandrovich Brodsky , was a Russian poet and essayist.In 1964, 23-year-old Brodsky was arrested and charged with the crime of "social parasitism" He was expelled from the Soviet Union in 1972 and settled in America with the help of W. H. Auden and other supporters...
, Eugenio Montale
Eugenio Montale
Eugenio Montale was an Italian poet, prose writer, editor and translator, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1975.- Early years :...
, Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
, Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
, Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca
Fazil Hüsnü Daglarca
Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca was one the most prolific Turkish poets of the republican Turkey with more than 60 collections of his poems published as of 2007, laureate of the Struga Poetry Evenings Golden Wreath Award .-Biography:His purist use of the Turkish language brought a new dimension to...
and many others since 1966.
Kališta
Kališta is a village in the southwest part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the city of Struga....
, a few kilometers away from the town center, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. It is believed that it dates from the 16th century, with frescoes from the 14th and the 15th centuries. Another rock church is present in the neighbouring village of Radožda
Radožda
Radožda is a village in the Struga municipality in the southwestern region of the Republic of Macedonia.-Geography:Radožda is situated on the western shore of the Ohrid Lake. It is south of the town Struga. It is from the Macedonian-Albanian border crossing Ćafa San. The closest village is the...
with frescoes from the 13th and 14th centuries. The Church Sveta Bogorodica (St. Mary) in the village of Vraništa, is believed to be the one where Tsar Samuel
Samuel
Samuel is a leader of ancient Israel in the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. He is also known as a prophet and is mentioned in the Qur'an....
was crowned. The church has many doors and far fewer windows and often the people call it "the king's church" especially at nighttime when it's cold.
The church of St. George is also located in the town; built on top of Samuel's church, it has many icons from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Near the village of Radolishta, a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
from the 4th century has been discovered, with a mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
. Struga's old architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, dating from the 18th and 19th century is also a cultural highlight.
Tourism
Ohrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
.
When visiting this quiet town of the Republic of Macedonia, there are a few other places that show the beauty and culture, like the clay chamberpots at the house of the Miladinov Brothers
Miladinov Brothers
The Miladinov Brothers , Dimitar Miladinov and Konstantin Miladinov , were Bulgarian poets and folklorists from Macedonia, authors of an important collection of folk songs, Bulgarian Folk Songs...
, the old Struga bazaar, the century old churches and mosques. Before the evenings you can enjoy on 3 kinds of beaches called Male beach(maska plaza), Female beach(zenska) and the most beautiful called Galeb. Out of the town there is another tourist place near the lake called Purl(Biser). At night you can walk in the center or go at the most popular discos like Glamour, Alibi, Empire, Oaza, Stefano and others. There's also bars and pubs such as Irish Pub "The Harp", Tullamore Dew, Art Cafe, Plivalishte, Sweet Cafe, Cinema and many others