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RADOZHDA

Via Egnatia tragic Radozhda


Parts of the old Roman road Via Egnatia are thought to be located just outside of Radozda. The road is
located about 2 km outside of the center of Radozda.

After the restaurant Dva Biseri below the Cave Church of Archangel Michael turn right and uphill at the
first shop. You will pass the Church of St Nikola at the cemetery and soon will see a cobbled road. This
should be the remains of the Via Egnatia.

It is not known where the road exactly was located or heading. Some say parts of it are underwater in
Lake Ohrid between Struga and Ohrid, while recent findings indicate that this may not be the case.

If you walk a bit further uphill, you will find the small churches of St Sreda and St Bogorodica.

OKTISI
RANOHRISTIJANSKA BAZILIKA OKTISI
The excavations of this early Christian Basilica started in 1927. It is located on the grounds of the Church
of St Nikola.
The basilica has a three naval shape, with narthex and a baptistery with a square basis. It dates from the
4th or 5th century.
According to some guides, there should be mosaics of deer, horses, kanthroses (drinking cups), flowers,
trees and geometric ornamentation on the baptistery. The narthex should show a mosaic of a building
with four pillars with a scene of a kantharos, flanked by two birds drinking water. Between the pillars
hangs an icon lamp, and in front of the facade, there is a kantharos from which two lambs drink.
However, according to the woman living in the house opposite to the church, the mosaics have been
removed for protection and possible future display in a museum.

UPDATE 2012: We unexpectedly found the mosaics that we did not see in 2009 when we visited Oktisi,
on display at the Memorial House of the Miladinov Brothers in Struga.
Isn't it great when you are surprised during your travels? In 2009 we visited the ruins of an Early
Christian Basilica in Oktisi, not far from Struga. The Bradt Guide Macedonia mentioned that
there were some excellent examples of late Roman mosaics at this site. Unfortunately, there were
no mosaics at all, and we heard that they had been removed to be displayed in some museum. Of
course we were slightly disappointed but never gave the mosaics another thought...Until we
visited the Memorial House of the Miladinov Brothers in 2012, where the mosaics turned out to
be part of the exhibition!

This exposition is part of the Dr Nikola Nezlobinski Museum in Struga. The museum was
founded in 1928 with the opening of the department of natural history and the permanent
zoological exhibit. In 1961 the archeological department was formed and in 1974 the Vangel
Kodzoman Art Gallery was opened.

The 20th century Church of St Nicholas in Oktisi is built on the foundations of the early
Christian basilica, the drawing in one of the pictures shows where the basilica was located with
respect to the present church.

The mosaic was first discovered in mid 20th century and was dated to the late 4th century. Its
conservation and restoration started in 1990 under the supervision of our famous archaeologist
Dr. Vera Bitrakova-Grozdanova. She also wrote the following text in a booklet (2010) about the
mosaics that we obtained in the museum (the English translation is pretty hard to read):

The Early Christian basilica near the village Oktisi (some 15 km north of Struga) is known since
1927, when on that holy ground the Church of St Nicholas was raised. During further
explorations in 1957/58, 1968 and 1990, a spacious building was discovered. The basilica is
with three naves with a narthex and exonarthex. On the southern side of the narthex the
baptisery is placed, cross-like in shape. On the northern side is the diaconicon.

The floors of the basilica were all covered in mosaics, except for the exonarthex. The building
belongs to the structures of the eastern Mediterranean Christian world.

In the polychromatic decoration of the mosaic carpets geometrical forms dominate: Circles,
squares, polygonal, triangles etc, with an impressive simplicity. In the nave a geometrical
decoration is executed, presenting fields filled with miniature details placed into square, triangle
elements, etc, with concentric circles with stylized, three leafed vegetative motives, following the
calm line of the drawing. The whole nave is encircled along the sides with bordure of ivy leafs
and branches, whose leafs are embroidered with ocher, red and gray colored lining sub-
sequentially placed.

In the northern annex the same field with ivy is executed, while the central field is covered with
rosette with consecutively colored leafs which form the sign of Christ.

The floor at the exonarthex which is relatively well preserved gives the dominant decoration,
summing the stylized geometrical forms and floral motives which surround the dominant
iconographic wholeness, filled with Christian message. In large square fields four leafed rosettes
are implanted, with floral and geometrical motives with simple but strict linearity. Sometimes in
the fields forms of a cross are executed, achieved by the simple lining of the linear ornamentals
or by different coloring the fields. This kind of decorative order and program we don't see in the
basilicas of the Ohrid region, and not even the motif of the ivy, which is frequently to be seen on
the mosaics from the 4th and 5th century in the region of Epirus and Macedonia.

But within the dominant polychromatic geometrization, in the central part of the narthex one
square field is incorporated a rectangular field surrounded with fine double bordure. From the
sides vertically rectangular fields are executed with rhomboid elements, while in the middle of
the field architectural construction a facade is placed in style of tetrastyle, which central part
rounds at the end.

The pillars of the tetrastyle, placed on basis end in Ionian style capitols with stylized line. Above
the architrave, left and right of the rounded vault kantharos are placed with two birds drinking
from a spring, standing on stylized branches who just add to the nature's surrounding. On the
left of the inter columns a lantern hangs.

At the center of the educula, besides of the very bad state it is in, remains can be noticed of four
pillars with a baldachin above. In front of the whole object an Eucharistic scene is placed
kantharos and lambs or deers/ Similar illustrations on a tetrastyle with rounded central part,
with birds, candelabras and peacocks was discovered on mosaics at the Middle East in Hama, at
Mt Heaven in Jordan.

Adding to these illustrations as mosaics can be noted the depictions executed on the ampoules in
which mire and similar was brought of the Holy Land, which today are preserved at Monza and
Bobino in Italy. On the led ampoules the Holy Grave from Jerusalem is depicted. The whole
central presentation in the narthex at the basilica is inspired by the outlook of the Grave of
Christ at Jerusalem.

Analyzing the stylistic features, as well as the geometrics' stylization, the appearance of some
architectural elements, with the analogue depictions found at eastern Iliric, as for example Stobi,
Athens, Appolonia, as well as the findings of coins at the excavations, this basilica with its
mosaics from Oktisi can be dated at the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 5th century.
Tourist Attractions
Struga is Macedonia's second largest summer tourist destination and historical-cultural center.
Struga is seat of Struga municipality.
According to the 2002 census, Struga had a population of approximetly 15,000. Struga situated
on the north-western shore of Ohrid Lake, at an altitude of 695 meters above the sea level. Crni
Drim river flows from the Ohrid lake and divides Struga in two districts.
Struga is connected with the border Kjafasan (12 km) using the E-852 road on the west and the
junction with the E-65 international road is 7 km from Struga in the east, and connects this small
town with Ohrid (15 km) and Skopje (170 km).
The spirit of Struga is tender. Located on the shores of Lake Ohrid, the city is laced with bridges,
dotted with delightful architecture, and linked by lanes. Everywhere its romantic soul is apparent.
The Black Drim River flows through the heart of the city after it journeys from the springs near
St. Naum through Lake Ohrid. From Struga it continues across Albania to the Adriatic Sea. Once
known as "Enchalon" -Eel, Struga welcomes eels all the way from the Sargasso Sea. Nowadays,
Struga is better known for its annual international poetry festival, "The Struga Poetry Evenings".
Poems are read from the bridges to add to their romance. Struga is the birthplace of the most
eminent representatives of the Macedonian culture and national revival in 19th century, the
brothers Constantine and Dimitar Miladinov. Since 1962 Constantine's famous poem "Longing
for the South", traditionally opens this major world poetry festival.
And, in the mountains to the north is the wildest festival of them all, the Vevchani Carnival,
where anything goes! Many other villages in the mountains and along the lake offer memorable
experiences for visitors wishing to get off the beaten track and discover the rural charm of an
ancient land.
Church of St. George
Built in 1835 over a much older church from the 16th century, the small church of St. George
stands in the centre of Struga. It contains frescos from the end of 19th century, but its real
treasure is a small gallery of icons from 13th to 19th century, including the well known icon of
St. George painted in 1267. A long inscription on the back of the icon mentions "Struga of
Ohrid".
The Nature Museum
The Natural History Museum was founded in 1928 by Dr. Nikola Nezlobinski. Initially featuring
his own collection, it now contains a wide variety of insects, birds, fish, and animals from the
Ohrid & Prespa region.
Vangel Kodjoman Gallery
Vangel Kodjoman is one of the most prominent contemporary painters of Macedonia. Most of
his work has been dedicated to his land and people. His paintings show scenes of old houses
leaning over the narrow streets and a life that no longer exists. Some of his finest paintings are
permanently exhibited in this gallery located in the middle of Struga.
Black Drim River
The Black Drim River flows out from Lake Ohrid near the "Drim" hotel and continues all the
way to the Adriatic Sea. The banks of the river are an ideal place for romantic strolls. Each year,
at the end of August you can listen to poets from all over the world reciting poetry in dozens of
different languages. It is an inspiring occasion.
Cave church Archangel Michael in Radozhda
In a natural cave on a steep rock above the village of Radozda is a church dedicated to Archangel
Michael. It is one of the oldest cave churches discovered on the shores of Lake Ohrid. Its frescos,
painted on the uneven wall of the cave, date back to the end of 13th century. A close examination
reveals the extraordinarily beautiful presentation of the Archangel Michael in the composition of
the Miracle of Cana. Nearby is a fishermen's village with excellent restaurants.
Cave churches in Kalishta
The small cave church of the Nativity of the Virgin, is situated high in the rocks on the western
shore of Lake Ohrid near the village of Kalista and close to a monastery complex. Entry into the
church is gained through a wall (which also provides the church's apse) into the natural space of
the cave. The interor of the church was painted during the 15th or 16th century. Nearby, on a
steep cliff overlooking Lake Ohrid is another cave church, dedicated to St. Athanasios. The
natural opening of the cave has been used as a nave while the apse and the eastern wall are built
of craggy stones. An old painting in the church is attributed to the second half of the 14th or the
first half of the 15th century.

Vishni
Located at the foot of the beautiful Jablanica Mountain about 10km northwest of Struga is the
pretty village of Visni. It is surrounded by a forest of beech and oak trees. The cave church of the
Holy Savior is a 3km walk from the village along a brook in a beautiful canyon. The fresco that
decorates the wall and ceiling is dated from the end of 14th century.
Early christian basilica in Oktisi
Located near Vevcani in the mountain village of Oktisi is an ancient Christian basilica from the
end of 5th or the beginning of 6th century. The mosaic floor of the church is richly decorated
with representations of deer, horses, flowers, trees, and geometrical ornamentation.
Vevchani
Vevcani is a large village located 14 km northwest of Struga. It is built on a steep hillside and
sheltered by a mountain. Its architecture is most appealing with many old houses and buildings
of all styles and shapes. The sound of water can be heard running through channels throughout
the village. It comes from the famous Vevcani Springs which have a water flow of between 400-
4000 litres per second. Old water mills still grind corn, wheat and other grains as they have for
centuries. Walk through the rich chestnut tree forest, climb up to the village of Gorna Belica or
the glacial lakes.
Vajtosh
On the marked walking trails above Vevcani are the remains of the old Roman road, the Via
Egnatia. It goes through a beautiful forest to Vajtos, an ancient stopping place and vantage point
used by trade caravans traveling between the Adriatic coast and the Black Sea. The panoramic
view over the whole Lake Ohrid valley is spectacular.
Gorna Belica
Located 1,600 meters above the tree line and close to the Albanian border, the village of Gorna
Belica can be reached by driving, biking or walking from Struga, or by hiking from Vevcani.
Nowadays, only two elderly ladies live all year round in the village, although other residents visit
on weekends and holidays. The church of St. Petkai is undergoing restoration, but the two ladies
are happy to tell its story and that of the saint. The owners of some of the holiday houses offer
accommodation in their homes, and there is a modern hotel in the centre of the village.
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