Bitola

Bitola (Битола in Macedonian, Manastiri in Albanian, Μπίτολα in Greek, מונאסטיר in Ladino) is a 66,246 inhabitants city (2nd largest in North Macedonia) by river Dragor, in the south of North Macedonia, quite close to the border with Greece. It's known as the "City of Consuls", considered one of the oldest cities in the country and is largely ethnic Macedonian. Bitola is administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial and educational center, home of St. Clement of Ohrid University.

How do I arrive to Bitola?

  Bitola is one of the most important cities in North Macedonia and is well communicated with the rest of the country, as well as neighbouring countries. 

• Train: there are railways to Bitola from Skopje (aprox. 2.5 hours), stopping at places like Veles and Prilep. 
• Bus: there are buses that frequent buses to Prilep, Ohrid and Skopje. Two daily buses connect Bitola with Sofia (aprox. 7 hours) in Bulgaria, 
• Car: if you rented a car from Bitola you can reach Prilep (aprox. 45 minutes), Kruševo (aprox. 1 hour), Ohrid and Pelister National Park (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Galičica National Park (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes), Skopje or Tetovo (aprox. 2 hours 20 minutes) and Kumanovo (aprox. 2 hours 30 minutes). It can also be arrived from places of Albania like Korçë (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes) or Greek towns like Florina (aprox. 40 minutes), Ptolomaida (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes) or Thessaloniki (aprox. 2 hours 50 minutes).

Once in Bitola it's recommened to use public transportation (bus), taking a taxi or walk.

History

Bitola is very rich in archaeological sites from the prehistoric period. Heraclea Lyncestis was an important settlement from the Hellenistic period, founded by Philip II of Macedon (4th century BC) and became a prosperous city. The Romans conquered it and its prosperity continued. It was sacked by Ostrogothic forces in 470s and in the early Byzantine period Heraclea was an important episcopal center. In the late 6th century it was attacked by Slavic tribes and was gradually abandoned. The region suffered demographic shift as more and more Slavic tribes settled in the area. Bitola was a part of the First Bulgarian Empire and Tsar Samuil built a castle in the town. From the 11th to the 13th century it shifted between Bulgaria and Byzantium, conquered by Stefan Dušan for Serbia. From 1382 to 1912 today's Bitola was part of the Ottoman Empire, part of Rumelia Eyalet and in the late 19th century was the second-largest city in the wider southern Balkan region (in those times it had consulates from 12 countries). In the Congress of Manastir (1908) modern Albanian alphabet was stadarised. The Bitola region was a stronghold of the Ilinden Uprising and during the First Balkan War and after the Battle of Monastir, Monastir was occupied by Serbia and named Bitola of the city. During WW1 it was occupied by Bulgaria and after the war was restored to future Yugoslavia, becoming one of the major cities of the Vardarska Banovina. In WW2 it was occupied by Bulgaria and Nazi Germany and the important Jew community (largest in Macedonia, mostly Sephardic) had to flee or were murdered. After the war it became part again of Yugoslavia and when after its independence, part of North Macedonia. 

What can I visit in Bitola?

 Bitola's busiest street is Širok Sokak but it has many places where enjoying a walk like the square Ploštad Magnolija or Bitola Old Bazaar. Bitola has many Neoclassical buidlings (more than any other place in North Macedonia), giving it a more European feel.

These are Bitola's main attractions:

Bitola Old Bazaar

• Bitola Old Bazaar: bazaar, much more vivid that Skopje's one, that had 3,000 artisan shops during Ottoman times. Currently it has only 70 but it's still an interesting place to have a walk (one of its highlights is the food market).
• Haidar Kadhi Mosque: mosque was built in the 1560s by Mimar Sinan. Its structure consists in a single dome with 3 other domes above the portico. It also has a single minaret. It's  illuminated at night and was restored in 2016.
• Ishak Chelebi Mosque: mosque built in 1508 and commissioned by local judge Isak Çelebi Ibni Asa. It's the largest mosque in Bitola and its minaret is prominent in the city skyline.
• Yeni Mosque: 17th century mosque with a square base with a dome-capped roof and one minaret. It is well known for its exquisite decorative ornaments and stalactites and the glazed decorative features. Currently it's used as an art gallery.

  

  Bitola Clock Tower

• Bitola Clock Tower: 33 m high stone clock tower from 1664 (although the present appearence is from the 19th century). It's located on Širok Sokak, by river Dragor, and is one of the landmarks of Bitola. 
• St. Dimitrija Macedonian Orthodox Church: church from 1830 with three naves with galleries and five chapels. It was one of the few churches allowed by the Ottomans in those times so its exterior is modest and the interior, lavishly decorated with woodwork; it's considered one of most beautiful example of revival period in North Macedonia.

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  St. Dimitrija Macedonian Orthodox Church

  Presveto Srce Isusovo Catholic Cathedral: Neo-Gothic Catholic co-cathedral from 1909 founded first built in the 19th century by Juan Jose Lepavek, who bought a hotel to develop this church. It's one of the seats of the Diocese of Skopje. The church tower was built between 1938 and 1940. 
• St. Bogorodica Macedonian Orthodox Church: triple-flight basilica church built in 1872 with an octagonal cupola and an onion dome. It's Bitola's 2nd-largest church and houses a nice collection of frescoes and a magnificent iconostasis too. Next to it is located the administrative center of Prespa-Pelagonia Diocese of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, located in a four-story Neoclassical building constructed in 1902.

  

  Prespa-Pelagonia Diocese

• House of the Army: building from 1911 by Abdul Karim Pasha to host receptions and parties. It's considered an architectural gem of Bitola.
• Museum of Bitola (8-16 Tue-Fri, 10-16 Sat-Mon; 100 MKD/ 20 MKD  adults/ students): museum that talks about local archaeology, regional architecture, the history of Ilinden Uprising or World War I in the region. It also have a memorial room on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, father of modern Turkey, who attended a military school in Ottoman Bitola.
• Bitola holds the nickname of "City of Consuls" because is home to 13 consulates, most of them housed in Neoclassical buildings. The nicest ones are the consulates of Russia, France, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey. 
• Džepane: remains of  Bitola's fortress, fortifications built in 1876 under Ottoman rule. Its barracks were used both in World War 1 and 2.
  

  

  Mosaic at Heraklea Lynkestis

• Going 3 km south it can be found Heraklea Lynkestis (8-20;100 MKD/ 20 MKD  adults/ students), one of the best archaeological site in North Macedonia. It was founded in the middle of the 4th century by Phillip II (father of Alexander the Great) but most of the ruins that can be seen today date back to the Roman and early Christian periods.One of the more significant features are the mosaics of the big basilica and episcopal palace (5th century), one of the most complete in the world with little stones in 27 different colours. Other highlights are the Roman baths, a portico and the amphithreater. Only a relatively small portion of the city has been unearthed and the entrance includes the entrance to a small museum, with a few artifacts and a nice scale model of the city at its peak.

  

  French Military Cementery

• Bitola is home to multiple cemeteries of different religious communities such as the Jewish Cemetery (established in 1929 and whose memorials and tombs are in varying condition) and or military groups (honouring soldiers killed during the Balkan Wars and World War I): Serbian Military Cemetery, French Military Cemetery (8-16:30 Mon-Fri) and German Military Cemetery.
• Going 15 km south from Bitola, 6 km north from the border with Greece, it can be found Velušina (Велушина in Macedonian, Vellushinë in Albanian), 160 ethnic mixed village by Velushka river with many churches. The most interesting ones are Velušina Monastery (19th century monastery over the hill) and Uspenie na Presveta Bogorodica Macedonian Orthodox Church, late 18th century church that is located on the ruins of a pagan temple and a church was built here in the 13th century too (abandoned during the Ottoman era).

Where can I eat in Bitola?

It's very recommended to have a coffee at any of the many cafes at Širok Sokak while watching people moving all over the most crowded street in Bitola. Some interesting places to eat in Bitola are the restaurant Grne [Грне] (Širok Sokak 37), vino bar Bure [Буре] (Širok Sokak 37), the pizza restaurant Bure [Буре] (Širok Sokak 88) or the lounge bar Manki [Манаки] (Roosevelt 17). 
Bitola has some nice places to have a drink such as the bars Porta Jazz [Порта џез] (Sts. Cyril and Methodius) or Jagoda [Јагода] (Širok Sokak 154).

Posted in: Europe,North Macedonia