Strumica
Encyclopedia
Strumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia
, near the Novo Selo-Petrich
border crossing with Bulgaria
. About 100,000 people live in the region surrounding the city. The city is named after the Strumica River which runs through it. The city of Strumica is the seat of Strumica Municipality
.
and Pliny
. It was later known by the Latin name Tiveriopolis, it received its present name from the Slavic
settlers of the Middle Ages
. In modern Greek
the town is known as Στρώμνιτσα (Strómnitsa), and its name in Turkish
is Ustrumca.
.
In 1395 after another two centuries of Bulgarian control it fell under Ottoman rule
. During the National awakening in the second half of the 19th century a Bulgarian school and church opened in the town. According to the 1873 Ottoman statistics the Strumica had 2,400 households with 3,300 Muslim and 3,120 Bulgarian citizens. In 1895 an Internal Macedonian-Odrin Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) committee was founded in the town by revolutionary leader d-r Hristo Tatarchev
. In 1897 Strumica became part of the Bulgarian Exarchate
. The census three years later showed that the population consisted of 6,100 Macedonian-Bulgarians, 3,100 Turks, and 700 Jews.
During the First Balkan War
the city was liberated from the Turks and for some six years became part of Bulgaria. Following Bulgaria's defeat in World War I
, under the 1919 Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine
Bulgaria was forced to cede Strumica to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later to be called Yugoslavia. Strumica was occupied by Bulgarians in World War II
. Following the conflict's end, Strumica remained in Yugoslavia and in 1945 became a part of the newly established Federative People's Republic of Macedonia. This federal republic remained in Yugoslavia until 1991, when it declared its independence as the Republic of Macedonia.
. Out of the many written documents, the two most prevalent are the marble plaques on the lintel of the entrance door of the monastery. The first one says, in Greek: “This church of the Holy Mother of God the Merciful (Eleusa) is built from the foundations by the monk Manuel, who became episcope of Tiberiopolis
in the year 6588 (1080 AD) indiction 3”; the second one reads: “Since I have placed my entire hope in You, oh immaculate Mother and fountain of mercy, I, shepherd and monk Manuel, Your servant, offer to You, Sovereign Lady, this temple”. These marble plaques are of recent date because during World War I the original ones were taken to the Archeological Museum in Sofia. The second important document is the Gramota of the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus of July 1085, by which the monastery was granted autonomy and the status of a royal monastery. The Rule (typikon) of Manuel in 22 points has also been preserved. It talks about the founding of the monastery, about Manuel himself, about the codes of dress, the codes of taking meals, and other duties of the monks. The Rule (typikon) of Manuel I Comnenus of 1152 has also survived. It documents the land property granted to the monastery, and contains an inventory of monastery possessions dating from 1164, where all valuables of the monastery were listed. However, in the 13th century the monastery lost its autonomy and until 1913 was under the authority of the Iviron monastery on Mount Athos.
In 1913, having decided to abandon the monastery, the monks set it on fire. This event damaged the fresco painting to a great extent. Today, the monastery’s original architecture has been preserved and it represents a rare structure of the 11th century in Macedonia. The monastery is a four-apse building and has three domes embellished with ceramic and polychrome decorations. The exonarthex of the southern porch of the monastery shows the Cross of Veljusa as well as the figure of St. Onuphrius in the desert when visited by the monk St. Panfnutius. The esonarthex
displays the figure of Manuel holding the Veljusa monastery in his hand. The fresco painting had been done in three phases: the first one in 1081, the second one in 1164, and the third one, considered non canonical, in the 19th century. The fresco in the dome represents Christ the Pantocrator (“Almighty" or "All-powerful”) and the fresco in the nave portrays the Holy Mother of God – “Theotokos oranta”- flanked by St. John the Baptist, two archangels and four prophets. The altar space shows a fresco of the Holy Mother of God – Theotokos nikopoia and Christ enthroned, and a liturgical service of the holy hierarchs with the Hetimazia (the Sacrifice of Jesus). The north apse shows the Descent of Christ into Hell, the east one the Holy Mother of God with Christ, the south one the Annunciation, and the west one The Meeting of our Lord. The southern chapel, which is dedicated to St. Spas, shows Jesus Christ Emanuel as a twelve-year-old child. The eastern wall shows Jesus in Glory together with a portrait of St. Nyphon; the western shows St. Panteleimon. The church’s naos contains a reconstructed altar partition from marble, and the floor is decorated with mosaics that form geometrical shapes.
Today, the monastery is the home of the monastic sisterhood of Strumica. There are auxiliary buildings on the premises including a clock tower, a bakery, an inn, and a small chapel dedicated to the Apostle and Saint Paul and to Saint Gregory Palamas.
A stone plaque with inscription in old Slavic was once found in the monastery, but at some point it was lost. If the plaque had not been brought from somewhere else, one could conclude that the monastery originates from much older times. The monastery was destroyed once in 1923, but it was built again and extended in the period between 1975 and 1984. The monastery represents a single-domed structure with a painting of Christ the Pantocrator in the dome, while the apses contain the paintings of the four evangelists Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. The iconostasis of the monastery is made of wood. Lodging quarters have recently been built on the premises of the monastery.
’s state. Parts of its altar apse, proskomide (or prothesis) and diakonikon still remain. Its oldest fresco shows an unidentified saint from the late 10th century. The western church, a small cross-shaped domed structure, was built in the period between 1018 and 1037, and was dedicated to the Presentation of the Holy Mother of God–Eleusa.
The fresco painting of this church showcases the deacons Isavrios and Euplos, saintly figures, the cycle of the main church holidays and scenes from the Childhood and Life of the Holy Mother of God. The third and biggest church, placed in between the first two, is a domed structure that represents an Episcopal Church, a fact suggested by the synthronos in the altar apse. Built in the late 11th and early 12th century, it was dedicated to Saint Leontius
, a Christian martyr killed at the time of the Roman emperor Vespasian
. Presentations of the six Hierarchs and the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebastea are the only frescoes that remain preserved until this day. Within the church complex, research was also done in the two monastery baths, the guest-house with other auxiliary structures, and the necropolis with over one thousand graves from the period between 18th and 20th century. This church was destroyed in the 13th century. Following the destruction, it was completely abandoned, and a necropolis was built there in the Middle Ages. The remains of this church underwent reconstruction in 1979, and by looking at the lead divide today, one could easily tell how much of the remains had actually survived. In 1996, monastic life was revived, and the place has since become the home of the monastic sisterhood of the Strumica diocese.
The only other frescos of the forty martyrs are located in the churches St. Leontius in Vodocha, in St. Sophia in Ohrid, and in Morozvizd. Judging by the synthronos, a place in the church reserved for the Episcope, it was originally built as an Episcopal church. The architectural style and what remains from the fresco painting suggest that the church dates back to 12th or 13th century, though work had been done on it during the Ottoman period as well. The foundation of the church has the shape of a cross. The iconostasis is made of marble, and most of the interior space is reserved for the proscomedia and the diakonicon. A necropolis was discovered near the church originating from the 13th century.
. Preserved also are the floors of all rooms that are made of ceramic tiles and mortar, as well as the base sections of the domed construction. The complete system of floor and wall heating remains intact including the water piping system and the drainage. The most recent excavations uncovered new buildings with multi colored floor mosaics dating from the 4th century AD.
Czar’s Towers is a fortress located at the top of a steep hill overlooking Strumica from the south. The fortress lies on a plateau at 445 meters above sea level
. The edges of the plateau are lined with remains from the protective walls. Today, a forty-meter section of the west wall stands partially preserved, including layers of ruins from the northern wall. Part of the tower on the southwest side, which has been preserved, together with the tower on the southeast side, which collapsed in the earthquake of 1931, used to form the southern gate. It is very likely that the gate functioned with a draw bridge. Within the fortress, there used to be a central tower or dungeon, used as a command centre and lodging place for the head of the fortress and the officers. About fifty meters north of the dungeon, there is a rectangular room a few meters deep, which was used for storing wheat, wine, water etc. Inside the fortress, there are remnants from structures that were used for residence or as shops. South of the gate, there used to be a necropolis that had been used from the 1st century BC, which is the time the fortress originates from, – to the Ottoman period. Up until the 15th century, the fortress was serviced by a crew, but, due to the stabilizing factors in the Ottoman Empire
, the fortress had already been abandoned at the time of Evliya Çelebi (1670). This dominating hill boasts a continuity of life that dates back to the 4th millennium BC, when a rich eneolith and early bronze culture flourished in the region.
In the late 11th and early 12th century, a triple-apse church was raised, most likely dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, of which mention is made in the charters of the Serbian ruler Stefan Dushan (1331–1355), and the Byzantine emperor John VI Cantacuzenus (1347–1354). A synthronos found in the church suggests the Episcopal rank it had. The fresco paintings date back to the time when the church was built. One of the most remarkable frescoes are The Apostle Paul from the composition of the Apostles taking Holy Communion, the Apostle Luke, the Apostle Simon, female hieromartyrs of noble descent, the cycle of the big holidays and the Passion of Christ. The church burnt down in the 13th century, and a necropolis was built on the same place which was used from the Middle Ages up until 17th century. In 1613/14, or 1022 according to the Islamic calendar, a mosque was built on the same place. It was called Orta, or Middle Mosque. The site of the Orta Mosque is still under archeological scrutiny. A conservation project intended to reinforce the structure by steel frames and concrete blocks is under way, which will also result in opening up more space in the mosque’s yard.
It is a medieval tomb located 3 kilometers to the west of Strumica, near the village of Banica. The tomb looks like a mausoleum and is composed of 9 layers of carved freestone. It is 230 cm high, 240 cm wide and 400 cm long. There are three legends among people that refer to the origin of the tomb: they assign it, respectively, to Struma, sister of the King Marko; to Perseus, a prince relative of Alexander the Great; and to Struma, daughter of a commander of the Slavs in the area of Strumica. This legend says that the town was surrounded by strong Byzantine armed forces but they did not succeed in conquering the town. Then the treason of Struma happened because she was in love with the Byzantine military commander and thus revealed the secret of the unconquerable Czar’s Towers to him. The secret was that the horse’s shoes should be nailed reversely, and by that, the horse climbed the steep rocks around the fortress easily. The Byzantines conquered the fortress and the father cursed his daughter: when she dies, the earth will pitch her out nine times. The nine layers of carved freestone, according to the legend, are related to the nine times of pitching out and burying of Struma. However, whether one of these legends is true or the tomb has a history of its own, is not yet known.
It is dedicated to the late Macedonian president Boris Trajkovski
(died in 2004). The monument is 5.6 meters high and consists of a marble base two meters high and a 3.6-meter high V-shaped section cast in bronze. The background of the bronze section represents the figure of a woman holding a cross and an aureole in her hand, and the foreground the bust of Boris Trajkovski. The monument was unveiled on December 11, 2005 and is the work of the Russian fine artist Grigori Pototski.
. It has many textile factories and a developed trade network.
clubs. FK Horizont Turnovo
plays in the Macedonian first division, while FK Belasica
play in the second and FK Tiverija
in the third
.
Two basketball
clubs train and play in Strumica after reorganization of KK Strumica 2005: KK Aba and KK Milenium. Volleyball clubs in Strumica are OK Makedonija-Gio, OK Strumica, and women's team OK Makedonija-Maks. Handball team RK Zomimak-M is also present.
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...
, near the Novo Selo-Petrich
Novo Selo-Petrich
Novo Selo-Petrich is the southernmost of three international border crossings between the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria....
border crossing with Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. About 100,000 people live in the region surrounding the city. The city is named after the Strumica River which runs through it. The city of Strumica is the seat of Strumica Municipality
Strumica municipality
Strumica is a municipality in eastern Republic of Macedonia. Strumica is also the name of the city where the municipal seat is found. Strumica Municipality is part of the Southeastern Statistical Region.-Geography:...
.
Name
The town is first mentioned in 2nd century BC with the Hellenic name (Astraîon - Hellenic for "starry") by PtolemyPtolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
and Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
. It was later known by the Latin name Tiveriopolis, it received its present name from the Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
settlers of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. In modern Greek
Modern Greek
Modern Greek refers to the varieties of the Greek language spoken in the modern era. The beginning of the "modern" period of the language is often symbolically assigned to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, even though that date marks no clear linguistic boundary and many characteristic...
the town is known as Στρώμνιτσα (Strómnitsa), and its name in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
is Ustrumca.
History
In the 9th century AD the town became part of the Empire of Samuil and it remained under Samuil until 1014. After the Battle of Kleidon Strumica was seized by the Byzantine empireByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
In 1395 after another two centuries of Bulgarian control it fell under Ottoman rule
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. During the National awakening in the second half of the 19th century a Bulgarian school and church opened in the town. According to the 1873 Ottoman statistics the Strumica had 2,400 households with 3,300 Muslim and 3,120 Bulgarian citizens. In 1895 an Internal Macedonian-Odrin Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) committee was founded in the town by revolutionary leader d-r Hristo Tatarchev
Hristo Tatarchev
Hristo Tatarchev was a Bulgarian revolutionary and first leader of the revolutionary movement in Macedonia and Eastern Thrace . He wrote the memoirs The First Central Committee of the IMRO . He authored several political journalism works between the First and Second World Wars...
. In 1897 Strumica became part of the Bulgarian Exarchate
Bulgarian Exarchate
The Bulgarian Exarchate was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical See in 1945 and the Bulgarian Patriarchate was restored in 1953....
. The census three years later showed that the population consisted of 6,100 Macedonian-Bulgarians, 3,100 Turks, and 700 Jews.
During the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
the city was liberated from the Turks and for some six years became part of Bulgaria. Following Bulgaria's defeat in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, under the 1919 Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
Bulgaria was forced to cede Strumica to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later to be called Yugoslavia. Strumica was occupied by Bulgarians in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Following the conflict's end, Strumica remained in Yugoslavia and in 1945 became a part of the newly established Federative People's Republic of Macedonia. This federal republic remained in Yugoslavia until 1991, when it declared its independence as the Republic of Macedonia.
Population
Strumica's population is 54,676.- MacedoniansMacedonians (ethnic group)The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
- 50,258 / 91.9% - TurksTurkish peopleTurkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
- 3,754 / 6.8% - Others - 1.3%
Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Eleusa in Veljusa
Built on a rocky plateau, the monastery of the Holy Mother of God Eleusa is located in the village of Veljusa, about seven kilometers west of Strumica. The monastery was founded in 1080 with the personal means of the monk Manuel, who later became Episcope of Strumica. He arrived in Veljusa from the Chalkedon monastery of St. Auxentius in the Asia Minor region of Vitinia, where he spent most of his ascetic life. There are numerous written sources about this monastery, most of which are kept in the archives of the Iviron monastery on Mount AthosMount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
. Out of the many written documents, the two most prevalent are the marble plaques on the lintel of the entrance door of the monastery. The first one says, in Greek: “This church of the Holy Mother of God the Merciful (Eleusa) is built from the foundations by the monk Manuel, who became episcope of Tiberiopolis
Tiberiopolis
Tiberiopolis is a Catholic titular see. The original diocese was in Phrygia Pacatiana, and is mentioned by Ptolemy, Socrates of Constantinople and Hierocles. It struck its own coins at least from the time of Trajan...
in the year 6588 (1080 AD) indiction 3”; the second one reads: “Since I have placed my entire hope in You, oh immaculate Mother and fountain of mercy, I, shepherd and monk Manuel, Your servant, offer to You, Sovereign Lady, this temple”. These marble plaques are of recent date because during World War I the original ones were taken to the Archeological Museum in Sofia. The second important document is the Gramota of the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus of July 1085, by which the monastery was granted autonomy and the status of a royal monastery. The Rule (typikon) of Manuel in 22 points has also been preserved. It talks about the founding of the monastery, about Manuel himself, about the codes of dress, the codes of taking meals, and other duties of the monks. The Rule (typikon) of Manuel I Comnenus of 1152 has also survived. It documents the land property granted to the monastery, and contains an inventory of monastery possessions dating from 1164, where all valuables of the monastery were listed. However, in the 13th century the monastery lost its autonomy and until 1913 was under the authority of the Iviron monastery on Mount Athos.
In 1913, having decided to abandon the monastery, the monks set it on fire. This event damaged the fresco painting to a great extent. Today, the monastery’s original architecture has been preserved and it represents a rare structure of the 11th century in Macedonia. The monastery is a four-apse building and has three domes embellished with ceramic and polychrome decorations. The exonarthex of the southern porch of the monastery shows the Cross of Veljusa as well as the figure of St. Onuphrius in the desert when visited by the monk St. Panfnutius. The esonarthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
displays the figure of Manuel holding the Veljusa monastery in his hand. The fresco painting had been done in three phases: the first one in 1081, the second one in 1164, and the third one, considered non canonical, in the 19th century. The fresco in the dome represents Christ the Pantocrator (“Almighty" or "All-powerful”) and the fresco in the nave portrays the Holy Mother of God – “Theotokos oranta”- flanked by St. John the Baptist, two archangels and four prophets. The altar space shows a fresco of the Holy Mother of God – Theotokos nikopoia and Christ enthroned, and a liturgical service of the holy hierarchs with the Hetimazia (the Sacrifice of Jesus). The north apse shows the Descent of Christ into Hell, the east one the Holy Mother of God with Christ, the south one the Annunciation, and the west one The Meeting of our Lord. The southern chapel, which is dedicated to St. Spas, shows Jesus Christ Emanuel as a twelve-year-old child. The eastern wall shows Jesus in Glory together with a portrait of St. Nyphon; the western shows St. Panteleimon. The church’s naos contains a reconstructed altar partition from marble, and the floor is decorated with mosaics that form geometrical shapes.
Today, the monastery is the home of the monastic sisterhood of Strumica. There are auxiliary buildings on the premises including a clock tower, a bakery, an inn, and a small chapel dedicated to the Apostle and Saint Paul and to Saint Gregory Palamas.
Saints Cyril and Methodius Church
The cathedral church entitled to Sts. Cyril and Methodius is a double apse church. The lower altar is in the basement and is dedicated to the Fifteen Holy Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis. Construction on the lower church began in 1750 under the Strumica bishop Paisius, and was finished in 1760. The iconostasis, which is completely made of oak, safeguards the relics of St. Basil the Great and St. Theophanus Nachertani. The tomb of the exarchate metropolitan Gerasim, who initiated the building of the new church dedicated to the Saints Cyril and Methodius, is located in the lower church. He procured funds for the church from the Russian monastery of St. Pantelejmon on Mounth Athos, which may explain the Russian look of the church. The iconostasis was made of linden wood by the master of the Debar carving school, Nestor Aleksiev, in 1935. The icons were done by the painters Grigorij Pecanov from Strumica, Gavril Atanasov from Berovo, D.A. Papradiski and other anonymous artists. The church has had the same appearance since 1905.St. Ilija Monastery
The St. Ilija monastery is located on the Elenica mountain, about four kilometers away from Strumica. The monastery was probably built at the end of 16th century, based on the icons there which originate from that period.A stone plaque with inscription in old Slavic was once found in the monastery, but at some point it was lost. If the plaque had not been brought from somewhere else, one could conclude that the monastery originates from much older times. The monastery was destroyed once in 1923, but it was built again and extended in the period between 1975 and 1984. The monastery represents a single-domed structure with a painting of Christ the Pantocrator in the dome, while the apses contain the paintings of the four evangelists Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. The iconostasis of the monastery is made of wood. Lodging quarters have recently been built on the premises of the monastery.
Catholic Church of the Ascension of the Holy Mother of God
The Ascension of the Holy Mother of God is a Catholic church. Atanasie Ivanov had this parish church built in 1925. The first service took place on Holy Thursday in 1925, the church being consecrated in 1931. From 1971 to 1975, the parish church underwent thorough reconstruction, and in 1988 it was benedicted by the Bishop Joakim Herbut. On September 21, 1991, building of the new pastoral center began, and was completed two years later. On May 1, 2001, this parish church was declared Cathedral Church of the Apostolic Exarchate in Macedonia by Pope John Paul II. Joakim Herbut was appointed its first Exarch. Since May 2002, the church has been undergoing another reconstruction. A new iconostasis was made and frescoes and icons were painted in the apse.Church Complex of Saint Leontius
The church complex of Saint Leontius is about four kilometers west of Strumica, in the village of Vodocha. The oldest building in the complex is the early Christian basilica dating from the 5th and 6th century. The complex consists of three churches, the oldest of which is the eastern one. Its triple apse domed church, built in the 6th and 7th centuries, was destroyed after the fall of Czar SamuelSamuel
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....
’s state. Parts of its altar apse, proskomide (or prothesis) and diakonikon still remain. Its oldest fresco shows an unidentified saint from the late 10th century. The western church, a small cross-shaped domed structure, was built in the period between 1018 and 1037, and was dedicated to the Presentation of the Holy Mother of God–Eleusa.
The fresco painting of this church showcases the deacons Isavrios and Euplos, saintly figures, the cycle of the main church holidays and scenes from the Childhood and Life of the Holy Mother of God. The third and biggest church, placed in between the first two, is a domed structure that represents an Episcopal Church, a fact suggested by the synthronos in the altar apse. Built in the late 11th and early 12th century, it was dedicated to Saint Leontius
Saint Leontius
Saints Leontius, Hypatius and Theodulus were Roman soldiers who, according to Christian tradition, were martyred for their faith.Leontius was Greek by origin, and served as an officer of the imperial army in the Phoenician city of Tripoli during the reign of Vespasian...
, a Christian martyr killed at the time of the Roman emperor Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
. Presentations of the six Hierarchs and the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebastea are the only frescoes that remain preserved until this day. Within the church complex, research was also done in the two monastery baths, the guest-house with other auxiliary structures, and the necropolis with over one thousand graves from the period between 18th and 20th century. This church was destroyed in the 13th century. Following the destruction, it was completely abandoned, and a necropolis was built there in the Middle Ages. The remains of this church underwent reconstruction in 1979, and by looking at the lead divide today, one could easily tell how much of the remains had actually survived. In 1996, monastic life was revived, and the place has since become the home of the monastic sisterhood of the Strumica diocese.
Evangelical Methodist Church
The first members of this congregation were registered in 1882. In 1894, the first church school opened, but it was not recognized until 1906. That same year, the first church was built with a classroom attached to it. In 1987, a permit was issued for building a new church. The old church was torn down, and construction of the new began in the same location. The new church was consecrated on October 15, 1989. In 2000, in honor of the famous missionary Helen Stone, a social center named “The Miss Stone Center” was completed.Church of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebastea
Located 1.5 kilometers north of the village of Bansko, the remains of the church of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebastea measure 1.5 meters high. Dedicated to the cult of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebastea who suffered in 320 AD, it is the only church in Macedonia originating from that period.The only other frescos of the forty martyrs are located in the churches St. Leontius in Vodocha, in St. Sophia in Ohrid, and in Morozvizd. Judging by the synthronos, a place in the church reserved for the Episcope, it was originally built as an Episcopal church. The architectural style and what remains from the fresco painting suggest that the church dates back to 12th or 13th century, though work had been done on it during the Ottoman period as well. The foundation of the church has the shape of a cross. The iconostasis is made of marble, and most of the interior space is reserved for the proscomedia and the diakonicon. A necropolis was discovered near the church originating from the 13th century.
Roman Bath in Bansko
The archeological site known as Roman Bath represents a late Roman thermo-mineral spa (Balneum) built in the 3rd and 4th century AD. It is located about 12 kilometers east of Strumica, at the foot of the Belasica mountain. The spa was discovered in 1978 while doing excavation work for the foundation of the Czar Samuil Hotel. The bath used the healing properties of the water from the spring Parilo, located about fifty meters south-west of the object, with a capacity of 42 liters per second and temperature of 72 °C (162 °F). Eleven rooms with a total area of 623 square meters have so far been discovered in the bath. Walls are preserved from a height of 2 meters to up to 6.70 meters. The best preserved rooms are the ones that were used as sauna and the cold water pool called frigidariumFrigidarium
A frigidarium is a large cold pool of Roman baths. It would be entered after the Caldarium and the Tepidarium, which were used to open the pores of the skin. The cold water would close the pores. There would be a small pool of cold water or sometimes a large Swimming pool...
. Preserved also are the floors of all rooms that are made of ceramic tiles and mortar, as well as the base sections of the domed construction. The complete system of floor and wall heating remains intact including the water piping system and the drainage. The most recent excavations uncovered new buildings with multi colored floor mosaics dating from the 4th century AD.
Czar's Towers
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. The edges of the plateau are lined with remains from the protective walls. Today, a forty-meter section of the west wall stands partially preserved, including layers of ruins from the northern wall. Part of the tower on the southwest side, which has been preserved, together with the tower on the southeast side, which collapsed in the earthquake of 1931, used to form the southern gate. It is very likely that the gate functioned with a draw bridge. Within the fortress, there used to be a central tower or dungeon, used as a command centre and lodging place for the head of the fortress and the officers. About fifty meters north of the dungeon, there is a rectangular room a few meters deep, which was used for storing wheat, wine, water etc. Inside the fortress, there are remnants from structures that were used for residence or as shops. South of the gate, there used to be a necropolis that had been used from the 1st century BC, which is the time the fortress originates from, – to the Ottoman period. Up until the 15th century, the fortress was serviced by a crew, but, due to the stabilizing factors in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the fortress had already been abandoned at the time of Evliya Çelebi (1670). This dominating hill boasts a continuity of life that dates back to the 4th millennium BC, when a rich eneolith and early bronze culture flourished in the region.
Basilica in old urban nucleus under foundation of Orta Mosque
This historical site represents a complex set of structures that used to be part of the old city center. Findings originating from various periods have been collected here including the Hellenistic, the Roman, the Late Ancient, and the Middle Ages. The Hellenistic period is represented by the following findings: Megara cups with motifs from Homer’s Iliad (3rd-2nd century BC), a plate featuring Artemis, the goddess of hunting, worshipped greatly in this region in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BC, and a plate holder featuring Silen, a wilderness deity. The Roman period is represented by an eagle and many other findings from the 2nd century AD. There are also many plates, cups, jars, earrings, and coins from the 3rd and 2nd century BC until 17th century. A marble statue base was also found here dating from the late 2nd and early 3rd century AD, stating: “It is in good time that the city places this statue of its patron, the great Tiberius Claudius Menon, for his benevolence and qualities.” The site also contains remnants from a structure that is very likely to have been an early Christian basilica.In the late 11th and early 12th century, a triple-apse church was raised, most likely dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, of which mention is made in the charters of the Serbian ruler Stefan Dushan (1331–1355), and the Byzantine emperor John VI Cantacuzenus (1347–1354). A synthronos found in the church suggests the Episcopal rank it had. The fresco paintings date back to the time when the church was built. One of the most remarkable frescoes are The Apostle Paul from the composition of the Apostles taking Holy Communion, the Apostle Luke, the Apostle Simon, female hieromartyrs of noble descent, the cycle of the big holidays and the Passion of Christ. The church burnt down in the 13th century, and a necropolis was built on the same place which was used from the Middle Ages up until 17th century. In 1613/14, or 1022 according to the Islamic calendar, a mosque was built on the same place. It was called Orta, or Middle Mosque. The site of the Orta Mosque is still under archeological scrutiny. A conservation project intended to reinforce the structure by steel frames and concrete blocks is under way, which will also result in opening up more space in the mosque’s yard.
Tomb of Struma
Machuk urban mansion
The Machuk historical site is within close proximity of the Orta Mosque. It is an urban mansion erected somewhere between the 4th and 6th century AD, and it represents a small part of the once existent ancient town in these parts. Today, the only thing remaining from the structure is foundations, and, to some degree, the mosaics and the fresco painting that determine the time it originates from.Feudal Tower
The feudal tower is located on Ohridska Street. It was probably built in the Ottoman period for both defensive purposes and to provide lodging. The tower was built out of chipped freestone and has a rectangular foundation with dimensions of 6.9 x 9 meters. The tower consists of a cellar, a basement and three levels. Hanging wooden balconies are attached to the structure on the second and third level.Maiden's Well
Located on the east side of the city and with a depth of eleven meters, Maiden’s Well served the function of a rest area on the road to Salonica. It was built by a Turk in memory of his ill daughter whose last wish on the deathbed was for her father to sell her clothes and to dig a well with the money. The well was reconstructed in 2004.Monument "Macedonia"
Boris Trajkovski
Trajkovski died on 26 February 2004 in a plane crash en route to an economic conference in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aircraft crashed in thick fog and heavy rain on a mountainside in southeastern Herzegovina, near the villages of Huskovici and Rotimlja some eight miles south-south-east...
(died in 2004). The monument is 5.6 meters high and consists of a marble base two meters high and a 3.6-meter high V-shaped section cast in bronze. The background of the bronze section represents the figure of a woman holding a cross and an aureole in her hand, and the foreground the bust of Boris Trajkovski. The monument was unveiled on December 11, 2005 and is the work of the Russian fine artist Grigori Pototski.
Monument of Goce Delchev
The monument of Goce Delchev is located in the central town square. It was erected to commemorate one hundred years from the birth of Goce Delchev, as well as the frequent visits he made to Strumica. The statue of Goce Delchev is made of cast bronze, 5,20 meters high and symbolizes the struggle for liberation. To the left and right of the statue are two side marble canvases in relief with 16 figures of revolutionaries measuring over 2 metres high. On the background of the marble canvases there are texts with revolutionary ideas. The monument was initiated in 1973 and finished on 11 December 1976. The statue is the work of Branko Koneski, while the parterre design is the work of the architect Mirjana Volinec.Monument of Revolution
It is located at the entrance of the town park and is dedicated to the fallen fighters in NOB (National Liberation Struggle) from Strumica. The monument, uncovered in 1963, is composed of two elements. One of the elements is a vertically placed marble column and canvas with a relief composition of male, female and infantile figures. The second element is composed of two human figures in full – length, made of aluminum. The monument is the work of the Academy artist Ilija Adzievski from Struga.Monument of 11 October
It is located in the upper part of the small town park. The monument was uncovered on 11 October 1949. It is composed of a figure, vertical stone canvas (obelisk) and two marble plaques on each side, with text dedicated to the fallen fighters in NOB.Memorial House of the National Hero Blagoj Jankov–Mucheto
It is located in the street “Svetozar Markovik” No. 1, near the small town park. It is a single-storey, ground-floor house with 4 rooms. Two of the rooms still contain authentic furniture from the time when Blagoj was alive, while the other two rooms have been converted into a memorial museum. Personal items, photographs and documents connected with the life and deeds of Blagoj Jankov-Mucheto are exhibited in this memorial museum. The house was built in 1924 and converted into a memorial museum on 14 July 1965, twenty-one years after the death of Jankov–Mucheto.Monument of the Five Students from Strumica
It is located in the small town park. It is dedicated to five students from Strumica (Boris Belev, Gjorgi Jarmov, Gjorgi Kosturanov, Mirko Pecev and Stevo Topchev) who were killed on August 13, 1951, near the village of Dorlombos.Abduction of the Young Bey of Vasilevo
The monument “Abduction of the Young Bey of Vasilevo” is located in the City Park. It consists of three marble sculptures representing Goce Delcev, one of his komita soldiers, and the abducted young boy of Vasilevo. The monument is the work of Boris Krstevski.Strumica Carnival
It has a centuries-old tradition and takes place every year in the period of the Christian festival Trimeri, during Lent. The word “carnival” originates from the Latin words: carne – meat and vale – farewell. The carnival represents a vestige of an ancient cult from the pagan time and indicates the glorification of fertility and purification from the spectral energies of the daily routine. In 1670 the Turkish travel-author Evlija Chelebija, while staying in Strumica, wrote: “I came into a town located in the foothills of a high hillock and what I saw that night was masked people running house–to–house, with laughter, scream and song“. Since 1991 organized form of the carnival has been established. In 1994 Strumica became a member of FECC (Federation of European Carnival Cities) and in 1998 played host to XVIII International Congress of Carnival Cities. The opening of the carnival takes place on Saturday night at a masked ball where the Prince and Princess are chosen. The children’s carnival is on Sunday and the day after is known as Pure Monday. The main carnival night is on Tuesday when not only masked participants from the country, but carnival groups from abroad take part, as well. The participants present various, diverse subjects and are rewarded with individual and group prizes. As of 2000, the Festival of Caricatures and Aphorisms has started under the auspices of the carnival. The festival has international character and takes place during the Trimeri festivities. The theme of the festival is the carnival combined with light eroticism.Economy
Strumica is the main agricultural center in the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic 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...
. It has many textile factories and a developed trade network.
Education
The city of Strumica has 4 primary schools: Vidoe Podgorec, Sando Masev, Marshal Tito and Nikola Vapcarov; 3 high schools: Jane Sandanski, Nikola Karev and Dimitar Vlahov; 1 dispersed university Goce Delcev, which has 3 faculties, including Teacher Training, Economic and Agricultural faculty; and a music school Boro Dzoni.Politics
The new local council and mayor was elected in 2009. The current and re-elected mayor of Strumica is Zoran Zaev of the SDSM party.Sport
There are three main footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
clubs. FK Horizont Turnovo
FK Turnovo
FK Horizont Turnovo is a football club based in the village Turnovo near Strumica, Republic of Macedonia. They currently play in the Macedonian First League.-History:...
plays in the Macedonian first division, while FK Belasica
FK Belasica
FK Belasica is football club from the Republic of Macedonia currently playing in the Macedonian Second League after failing to avoid relegation in the 2005/2006 season where they finished 12th...
play in the second and FK Tiverija
FK Tiverija
FK Tiverija is a football club based in the city of Strumica, Republic of Macedonia. They currently play in the Macedonian Third League.-External links:* *...
in the third
Macedonian Treta Liga
The Macedonian Third League is the third highest football competition in the Republic of Macedonia.The competition is divided into five divisions named Third League - North , Third League - South , Third League - East , Third League - West and Third League - Southeast The Macedonian Third League ...
.
Two basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
clubs train and play in Strumica after reorganization of KK Strumica 2005: KK Aba and KK Milenium. Volleyball clubs in Strumica are OK Makedonija-Gio, OK Strumica, and women's team OK Makedonija-Maks. Handball team RK Zomimak-M is also present.
Media
There are two private local TV stations operating in Strumica: TV kanal VIS and INTEL Televizija and also two cable TV providers: NetCable and Telekabel.Notable people
- Boris TrajkovskiBoris TrajkovskiTrajkovski died on 26 February 2004 in a plane crash en route to an economic conference in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aircraft crashed in thick fog and heavy rain on a mountainside in southeastern Herzegovina, near the villages of Huskovici and Rotimlja some eight miles south-south-east...
, former Macedonian president - Kiro StojanovKiro StojanovMonsignor Dr Kiro Stojanov is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Skopje and the Apostolic Administrator and Exarch of the Macedonian Greek Catholic Church. He is the first Catholic bishop of Macedonian ethnicity in 104 years...
, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Skopje Diocese - Blagoj Mučeto, Macedonian and Yugoslav partisan
- Zoran MadžirovZoran MadžirovZoran Madzirov , born January 14, 1968 in Strumica, Republic of Macedonia), Macedonian percussionist and the inventor of the Bottlephone.Zoran performed and has been honored from musical giants like Sting, Tito Puente, Tina Turner, Harry Belafonte, Scorpions, Tommy Emmanuel and others...
, musician - Goran MaznovGoran MaznovGoran Maznov is a Macedonian football striker who currently plays for Kerkyra F.C.....
, football striker - Goran PandevGoran PandevGoran Pandev , is a Macedonian footballer who plays as a forward for Italian Serie A club Napoli on loan from Internazionale. He is also considered a key player for the Macedonian national team.-Early career:...
, football striker - Goran PopovGoran PopovGoran Popov is a defender who plays for Ukrainian football club Dynamo Kyiv.-Career:Popov was signed by Red Star Belgrade in June 2004...
, football player for Sc Heerenveen - Baba VangaBaba VangaVanga , born Vangelia Pandeva Dimitrova after marriage Vangelia Gushterova was a blind Bulgarian mystic, clairvoyant and herbalist who spent most of her life in the Rupite area in the Kozhuh mountains, Bulgaria...
, clairvoyant - Veljko PaunovićVeljko PaunovicVeljko Paunović is a Serbian footballer who plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer....
, football striker