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SOMETHING ABOUT :::..
 Prilep
has around 60,000 residents (while the entire Prilep municipality counts
more than 70,000), and it covers 1,675 square km. Prilep is situated in
the northern part of Pelagonija valley and it's located on 128 km from
the capital
Skopje and from the nearby city
Kruševo, is just 32 away, while from
Bitola is 41 km and from
Kavadarci is 49 km away.
The city can be entered by a car or bus and also by a train.
It is often called "the city
under Marko's Towers" since the town is located on the skirts of
the Towers of the legendary hero
King
Marko who is common in Macedonian folk songs
and tales as a
powerful, wise ruler, and fighter against the Turks. It was here and in
Kumanovo,
when on October 11th, 1941, the struggle of the Macedonian
people against fascism begun, during the
Second World War. The Tomb of the Unconquered, a memorial in
honor of the victims of fascism is placed in the town's spacious and beautiful park.
 The town is the largest and most famous
center for the production of high-quality tobacco and cigarettes besides
its metal processing, electronic, timber, textile, food, and marble
industries. Tobacco is one of the traditional crops
which flourishes in the Macedonian climate. Many of the world largest cigarette makers use this
tobacco to enrich the aroma and quality of their cigarettes. It is also
being processed in local factories and it is the main cash crop in many
small holdings. The Macedonian marble Šivec is also known world-wide.
The Institute of Old Slavonic Culture is located in Prilep. Each year an
International Art Colony is held here, as well as the Festival of
Professional Theaters of Macedonia. The Macedonian currency bank-notes,
the Denar, is also printed in Prilep.
 The Old Town's architecture is
extremely attractive. Prilep is also a revolutionary town. Several
old monasteries are found in the town's immediate vicinity, such is the
Monastery of Treskavec, build in the 12th century with the
frescoes dating from the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael (whose church has some 12th
and 14th centuries frescoes) and the Monastery of Zrze
(14th century) are also located near Prilep. The award
winning Macedonian film "Before the Rain", winner of the
Venice's Festival Golden Lion and Oscar nominee for 95, was filmed in
Prilep's vicinity. And the new one also, Dust in 2001.
"The Fortress of King Marko above Prilep"
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:: MONUMENTS :::..
 The
Fortress (Towers) of King Marko: Marko's towers, are included amongst the five
strongest and most unconquerable fortresses in the Balkans. They were
named after the last king Marko, but the studies say that it was
actually a much older fortress, originating from the 4th
century and the 3rd century BC.
Archeological excavations revealed the traces of several epochs - from
the necropolis of the early iron period, to remains of the ancient
population and of the late middle ages. The fortress consists of four
defensive areas. Today, it present a symbol of the city.
The Varoš monastery complex: In
this complex, there are the foundations of necropolis and settlements
from the bronze and iron ages, thermal spas from the Roman period and
numerous well preserved cultural-historical monuments from the middles
ages. The most important monuments from the middle ages are the church
St. Nikola (built in 1299) with one of the most important master-pieces
from that period in Macedonia; the church St. Dimitrija with preserved
reign doorways from the 15th
century; St. Atanasius; St. Petar and Holy Mother
Prečista, as well as
the monastery St. Archangel Michael. The monastery was built between the
rock of Marko's towers, it consists of a church and old monastery inns.
It is believed that the original church was built in the second half of
the 12th century, and later on
rebuilt. Fragments of the old painting have been preserved, including
the frescoes "Christ in front of Pilat", and "The way to
Golghota", "Descending from the cross". The monastery
inns were built in the 19th
century. The monastery is significant for its preserved stone pillars
from the ancient period discovered in the monastery yard. One of them
bears an inscription with Cyrillic letters from 996, and after the
epitaph of
Samoil's
parents, this is the second inscription preserved with Cyrillic letters.
 The
monastery Treskavec: This monastery is situated under the peak
Zlatovrv, in a striking mountain landscape. The monastery complex
consists of the church "Assumption of the Holy Mother",
monastery inns and the dining room. It is thought that the monastery was
built in the 13th century and
later in the 14th century, King
Milutin renovated it. The monastery inventory includes: a Kosmitos cross
and the choir, worked in encrustation.
 The monastery Zrze: It is
located near the village Zrze, 25km west of Prilep. The numerous
remnants of the ancient period-pillars, basilica remains, and other
exponents speak of the rich cultural tradition, of this area. Today's
monastery complex consists of the church "St. Petar and
Pavle", the inns and several accessory rooms. The church has been
renovated several times, and the painting is preserved only in
fragments. In the 14th century,
the church walls were painted with painting of extraordinary artistic
value. Under the monastery are the monk cells, and their high number
indicates the rich life of the monks, who belonged to the highest
monastical order.
The monastery Slepče: It is
located near the village Slepče. The church is located in the monastery
yard, and it is dedicated to St. Nikola. It was built in 1672. The
interior of the church is completely painted, however the frescos are
severely damaged. The church inventory includes the wooden iconostasis
made in rich carving, and several icons from the 17th
century.
The church St. Annunciation:
It is located in the centre of the city, built in 1838. Among the local
population, it is known as the "Old Church", it present a
three-nave basilica. It is known for the impressive iconostasis 17
meters long, skillfully representing flora and fauna. |
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