The numerous preserved medieval monuments in Ohrid and its immediate environment indicate the presence of very vivid cultural activity that is expressed not only through the architectonic objects, but also through the composite urban complex of the town Ohrid as unity.

The significance of Ohrid as distinguished church center is reflected especially with the construction of lots of temples in the town itself and its environment. The tradition for construction of cult objects on these grounds has been followed from the time of the late antic period and early Byzantine times, witnessed by the archaeological excavations. The intensive construction of church objects basically is due to the existence of the Ohrid Archbishopric that influenced the most as very important factor for preservation of the authentic traditions. The Ohrid Archbishopric began to develop with the activities of the bishops Clement and Naum of Ohrid, immediate students of Cyril and Methodius, in the time when Ohrid was becoming significant cultural and education center.

By its architectonic conception, the numerous churches of Ohrid have many various forms: trikonches (three-nave), basilicas, cross-like and single-nave ones. Besides the already mentioned traditions, in Ohrid churches the Byzantine and oriental influences are present, but still the participation of the domestic masters-constructors contributed this architecture to have its own, local marks.

Separate group is being formed by the trikonchal (three-nave) churches, preserved in their foundations, some of them being built on top of older objects, as the Clement’s church.

The other two are still under the current St. Naum church and the church in Gorica. In the environment of Ohrid there are several more trikonhal churches, for example in the villages Zlesti and Izdeglavje and they originate from the time of Clement and Naum.

We would conclude that the presence of these trikonhal churches in Ohrid county is first of all due to the older traditions and due to the significance of the Clements's church that represents the first Slavic monastery, that effected the construction of other churches in Ohrid region.

Here it is very important that we isolate one phenomenon significant for this period, the time of three-nave churches. This is the phenomenon of existence of one very typical opus of constructing that very early, very often and very long existed on the Macedonian soil. This is the opus with framed stone or scale of horizontally situated pieces of bricks, that became one of the main characteristics of the Macedonian architecture. Today is more and more accepted the term of this opus "Opus Macedonikum", opus that remained even in the construction of number of mosques throughout Macedonia until the 18th century.

The cathedral St.Sofia with its architectonic conception and with the abundant plastic decoration represents a link between the late Antic and early Byzantine and medieval architecture in Ohrid.

In the group of basilicas included are the churches of Holy Mother of God (Virgin Mary) in the village of Vranista, called Tzar’s church (according the legend Tzar Samuil was crowned here) and the same dates from 10th-12th century, and the church Holy Mother of God-Celnica, today two-nave basilica without cupola, dated 14th century.

In Ohrid and its environment there are several churches, which by their form belong to the type of churches with written cross with cupola situated above the central space that belong to the period of 13th and 14th century. We mention the church Holy Mother of God Perivlepta (St. Clement)-1295, legacy of the great heteriarch Progun Zgur and his wife Evdokija, the church St.Jovan Bogoslov-Kaneo, named by the same fishermen settlement, that originates from 1280. The cupola of this church has unusual finish on the upper part in a form of frontomi (pointed parts of façade)-influence from Armenia. Both churches St.Kliment and St.Jovan Bogoslov - Kaneo distinguish themselves by their extraordinary position towards the town and the lake.

It is inevitable to mention here the monastery church St. Zaum, on the east-coast of the Ohrid Lake, legacy of the kesar Grgur, brother of Vuk Brankovic, dated 1361.

All of these church objects are characterized by the beauty of their external appearance, with the harmonic solution of the outer architectonic opus and with the richness of the individual architectonic details, as well as with the decorative manner of masonry of the facades in combination of stone and brick and rich ceramic plastic decoration. The mélange of the facades is done with bricks in a form of shallow and spread meander, chess fields and others that make these objects particularly picturesque.

The renovated church Holy Archangels of the monastery St. Naum at certain extent approximates to this type. It is the same combination of written cross and three-nave basilica and it is renewal upon the foundations of the older trikonchal object from the time of St. Naum. The renewal of this church in a very impressive way indicates of maintaining the tradition that continues in the Turkish period, as well as the significance that this monastery had in the past. The current church was renovated in the 16th and 17th century.

Besides these larger and more important sacral objects, in Ohrid there are many small single-nave churches that were mostly covered with semi-cylindrical dome. Some of them still have preserved dome, and many of them had the dome changed with wooden roof construction. In this group of single-nave churches are included: St. Nikola Bolnicki-with an open belfry solved in a form of biphora (small two-wings window) as continuation of the frontal façade and the same represents a remarkable phenomenon and directs to certain relations with the architecture of the Adriatic seacoast and Greece. Afterwards follows the church Small St.Kliment-1378 built by the priest Stefan, as well as the churches St. Dimitrija and Small St. Vraci, belonging to the 14th century.

Another group of single-nave objects is the one formed by two churches in Ohrid, the church St. Constantine and Elena and Holy Mother of God Bolnicka and the church St.Gjorgi in the village of Godivje near Ohrid. At these churches the semi-cylindrical dome is cut by another narrower and elevated semi-cylindrical dome, that forms kind of elevated transept which provides a dynamic game of the final parties of the objects. This kind of church could be found in Arta and among the Meteori monasteries in Greece.

At more churches in Ohrid we found an extension in a form of paraklisi (small church annexed to the main one) and priprati (porches). Thus, in the church Holy Mother of God Perivlepta (St. Clement) a paraklis had been annexed from the north and south side in the 14th century. Later the church got the porch that embraces the north, west and south side around the church. Also at the two churches St. Constantine and Elena and St. Nikola-Bolnicki, a paraklis was annexed from the south side and later on the porch was built. Annexed porch we meet at the church Holy Mother of God-Bolnicka and some other churches. These extensions emerged of the necessity for bigger space especially in the time of the renaissance.

After the liberation to all above-mentioned churches conservation interventions were done by the Republic Institute for preservation of monuments and the Institute and Museum Ohrid. While the interventions new findings were realized that have particular significance for the objects and generally for the studying of the medieval architecture in Macedonia.

By the number and diversity of the architectonic objects located in Ohrid and its immediate environment, we conclude that Ohrid is the most important town in Macedonia and it is considered to be amongst the most important medieval towns on Balkans.

About the churches in Macedonia

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