Textu | The old way to do it
Ohrid, with just 42,000 inhabitants, claims to be the seventh largest city in Macedonia. However, in my eyes, it is a "small point".
But "people cannot be disguised, and the sea is incomparable."
By the standards of the country's largest cities, Ohrid is indeed "small", but it is small and extraordinary: it has a famous family lineage, and can wear the laurel crown of "World Natural and Cultural Double Heritage" on its head. This alone makes people have to look at it with astonishment and awe!
The small town of Ohrid is located on the shores of Lake Ohrid, which has the same name. Lake Ohrid is no small feat: it is the second largest natural lake in the Balkans and the deepest. This lake, formed 3 million years ago, is located on top of a mountain at an altitude of 695 meters. The lake is 30 kilometers long, with an average width of 12 kilometers, a maximum width of 15 kilometers, an area of 365 square kilometers, a maximum depth of 304 meters, the lake surface is like a mirror, clear and transparent, the living creatures in the lake are almost exactly the same as the creatures of 50 million years ago, thus becoming a scientific research base that many biologists flock to, which may also be one of the important reasons why this ancient lake can be selected for the World Natural Heritage List.
The construction of the city of Ohrid dates back to the 2nd century BC, but the entire city was formed from the 7th to the 19th century AD, during the reign of the Byzantine empire and the Ottoman Turkish Empire.
The ancient city still preserves many ancient buildings such as medieval castles, churches, monasteries, theaters and towers. It is said that it was once owned
There are 365 churches, and people can go to different churches every day to worship, so it is also known as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans".
Ohrid's many historical sites have long been known all over the world, and in 1980, UNESCO was eager to add them to the World Heritage List.
As can be seen from the above and the pictures, this is a beautiful city with both natural scenery, human history and idyllic style, and some people call it "Little Switzerland of Eastern Europe", which I think is "quite similar".
If nothing else, just by looking at the red roofs lined with lakes and mountains, there is a feeling of "Little Switzerland".
A place that can be associated with Switzerland must be beautiful and charming, and naturally it will become a tourist attraction for people to visit and relax. Look at the rows of open-air cafes by the lake, the popularity is still quite strong.
If you have nothing to do, sit by the lake and chat, or in a daze, and drink some red wine, coffee or something, it is still quite comfortable. If you have a red-faced confidant to accompany you, it will be more romantic! Look at the foreigners, haha!
The profound historical and cultural heritage and almost pristine natural beauty make Ohrid a constant stream of tourists all year round. It is said that every year from July onwards, the whole city is immersed in classical music, jazz, musicals and folk songs. Actors and actresses from all over the world perform various folk dance performances on the outdoor stage, when the stage is Lakeside Avenue, the set is the whole city, and every night, they can surprise tourists. However, these are only to listen to the tour guide, we have no chance to feel and appreciate.
What is "crystal clear"? That's what you see. What is happiness? That's what you see.
Surrounded by mountains and mainly sourced from mountain springs, Lake Ohrid is one of the rare unpolluted freshwater lakes in europe. Let's put it this way, the whole lake is like the "Nongfu Mountain Spring" in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, or even better than it. Living here, you don't want to be happy. What do you think? Be willful enough!
"Man is a product of the environment". The unparalleled landscape environment will naturally give birth to delicate and beautiful "flowers". Just look at the smiles of these "little angels" and you can feel how happy the children living on the shores of Lake Ohrid are!
Statue of the Brothers Kirill and Metocius on Lakeside Avenue ohrid. They are the "saints" of the city. In the 9th century AD, these two Greek missionaries invented the Slavic alphabet and founded the Slavic language during Ohrid's mission. In this way, the ancient city of Ohrid was fortunate enough to be the birthplace of the Slavic language.
Now, almost every year in all the Slavic-speaking countries of the Balkans, there is a festival of the Slavic alphabet or the like to commemorate the two brothers.
The city of Ohrid is made more connotative by having their brothers.
There are many similar statues on Ohrid Lakeside Avenue, reflecting the humanistic spirit of the city.
See? The ancient streets and alleys are all such big and small houses, even the street lights are like this, I don't know why this is so?
The white-walled and red-tiled house buildings are beautiful from a distance and the vicissitudes are seen up close. Walking in this ancient street with a thousand-year history, people still have a sense of crossing.
Ohrid was the religious center of Macedonia during the Eastern Roman period and played an important role in the spread of Orthodox Christianity in the Slavic regions and in the enlightenment of Slavic civilization. There were hundreds of churches in Ohrid at that time, but today there are only 23 churches. The most famous of these is this Byzantine red-brick chapel built on a cliff by the lake. It was used as a watchtower during the Ottoman Empire. Now it is the symbol of Ohrid.
We can admire the chapel from all angles.
Take a yacht ride in the lake to admire the medieval ancient city walls and the largest church in Ohrid--- the Church of Saint Sophia, which was converted into a mosque during ottoman rule. It is now part of the World Heritage Site.
The majestic walls on the top of the hill are Ohrid's most significant landmarks, and they bear witness to the city's former glory during Byzantine rule. According to the records, during the Roman Empire, Ohrid was an important post station to the Balkans and Central Europe, and during the Byzantine period, it was the economic and cultural center of Macedonia. At the beginning of the 11th century, it became the capital of the Samuel Kingdom, and the walls so tall that they were left over from that period are still well preserved.
The greatness of ancient Rome is everywhere.
On one side is the ancient city of a thousand years, on the other side is an ancient lake, like a pair of twin brothers and sisters, relying on each other for their lives, complementing each other, this beautiful Ohrid, let people linger, unforgettable. Maybe one day, I will come again!
(Finished in September 20179, revised in July 2022)
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