The remains of an old classical theatre can be found under King Samoil's Fortress. It dates as far back as the first and second BC, and its lower section is fairly well preserved. It cannot be estimated as to how many people can be seated as the upper portion is missing. It is also the only Hellenistic theatre found in Macedonia, while there are three other theatres which are Roman in origin. There are several cultural events that are held here during the summer. The Ohrid Summer Festival is one such event that is held every year. Entrance to the amphitheatre is free.

In Ohrid, they say that that there are 365 churches, representing one for each day of the year. However, this is an exaggeration and in reality it is much less. However, the number is still large enough to elicit a statement like this. This is because Ohrid has been the residence of several archbishops.

The Church of St. Sophia
Considered to be one of the most important monuments of Macedonia and has art and architecture from the Middle Ages. It was originally the synod church of the Archbishop of Ohrid, which was later converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. The interior of the church is undisturbed and there are frescoes from the eleventh to thirteenth century AD which have been preserved here. These represent some significant achievements in Byzantine art of that time. While the major part of the church was constructed in the eleventh century, external additions were added later in the fourteenth century by Archbishop Grigorie.

St. Bogorodica Perivlepta
This church which is dedicated to Virgin Mary is a 13th century structure. It was built and painted in 1295. Perivlepta is a quality attributed to Mary, which means that she sees, hears, and knows everything. The patron of this church was the son-in-law of the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II and called Progon Zgur.

St. Jovan Kaneo Church
This church is known for its scenic location as it stands on a cliff overlooking Lake Ohrid. It is a 13th century structure and the architecture is influenced by Armenian designs such as the zigzag line on the roof of the dome. The entrance fee is 100 Denars. This may not be worth a visit as there are hardly any frescoes left.

The Cave Church of St. Erasmo
There are a number of cave churches in and around Ohrid. Research on these churches show that a cave located two km from Ohrid was the first cave to be converted into a church or a monk cell. This can be found on the right side of the Struga-Ohrid motorway. During the course of its history, this cave church has been reconstructed many times, but fortunately no changes have occurred in the condition of the frescoes. Looking at the portraits it has been possible to date them and they are most likely to have originated during the first decade of the 13th century. The painter of these wonderful frescoes is, however, not known.

The Church of St. Bogorodica Pestanska
This church is located towards the east of Lake Ohrid, near the village of Pestani. This church is built on rocks and can be found on the right hand side of the road. It is not known when this church was built and at what period of time the frescoes were painted.

This church is covered with frescoes through out its interiors. This church, like other cave churches, has frescoes whose compositions are in small dimensions. The most important set of frescoes in this church includes the 'Ascendance of Christ', ‘Triumphal Entry', and ‘Ascendance of the Holy Mother' along with the portraits of St. Clement and Naum. Because of the existence of the paintings of these two saints, we can deduce that this church was built in the middle of the 15th century.

THE  MONASTERY  CHURCH  OF  ST. NAUM

Located at one of the most beautiful spots on the Lake, at the springs of the River Black Drim (Crn Drim), (29km from Ohrid next to the border with Albania), this church attracts a special attention. It was built in  900 by St. Naum of Ohrid, contemporary and associate of St. Clement of Ohrid, and is dedicated to the Holy archangels Gabriel and Michael.

The original church had a form of triconchal shape (three leaves clover), while the present appearance is from 17th century and has a form on an inscribed cross. The low carving iconostasis, 1711, has special artistic value, while the three inscription in Glagolitic - Cyrillic on the pillars of the narthex from the 10th century are written proof for the oldest Slavic alphabet in this region. Most of the fresco - painting dates from the 18th century, among which The Seven Principles where the images of the Slavic teachers, Cyril and Methodius and their pupils are represented.  St. Naum had chosen this noble wilderness to continue with his mission that served to the enlightenment of the people. This legendary Saint was  also considered to be a healer and a miracle - worker which is witnessed by the motives in the grave chapel..   St. Naum died in 910, and was buried in his own church. Interestingly, the Saint is celebrated by the Christian as well, as by the   Muslim community.

 It is popular to get down on your knees above St Naums   grave and try to hear the heart beats of the Saint   , since it is believed that St Naum is a "living Saint", meaning that the Saint still helps people even after his bodily death. It is also believed that only people with pure hearts can hear the sound of His heart, a unique and  original opportunity to check the condition of your ones too.  

Lake Ohrid is Europe's oldest lake and is believed to be four to ten million years old. It is believed to have arisen during the tertiary period, just before the glaciation period. The lake is known to be a tectonic lake and is grouped under ‘Dasaretian lakes', named after an ancient region called Dasaretia. Today the lake has low levels of nutrients and is thus an oligotrophic lake.

Lake Ohrid is home to a large number of species of freshwater organisms which have their origins in the tertiary period. Most of the species can be traced back to fossil forms rather than any living species. For this reason, Lake Ohrid is known as a ‘Museum of living fossils'. What is remarkable is that it has had a continuous existence. Along with its geographic isolation, it has enabled the lake to have a constant living condition aiding the process of evolution. There are several instances of existing tertiary living forms evolving into new taxonomic classes, which include subspecies, species and even families of new organisms.

Portrait of Lake Ohrid
In the ancient traditions, lakes were regarded to be the eyes of the earth. If so, then the earth has been looking through the eyes of Lake Ohrid for more than 5 million years, hypnotising anyone who passes or travels through. Whoever comes here will come back again, and again, trying to reveal the secret of this attraction, until one finds out that it is impossible not to fall in love and be hypnotised by these eyes.

This living entity with a mystical appearance holds the memory of the primeval times, keeping the secret of eternal life. Although incredibly ancient, the Lake continually regenerates itself, always looking like it has just been created. It is definitely the true Holy Grail of the town lying on its shores, the magical town of Ohrid.

The Lake is a habitat of life that used to exist in prehistory and is still to be found here. More than half of its flora and fauna are indigenous which makes it a bio museum of living fossils, which again lends great importance to the Lake.

The Lake is so perfectly clean that it righteously bears the name "The Liquid Jewel", while being soaked in its waters means to absorb the virtues and various properties that it possesses. To understand and feel the uniqueness of this Lake, one just has to come and experience it for oneself.

The whole town is surrounded by walls and is crowned by the King Samoil's citadel. The first fortifications appeared in Ohrid during the fifth century B. C. However, only fortifications from the third century BC have been preserved, as a result of several reinforcements since the tenth century.

The city has four gates inside the city called lower gate, upper gate, front gate and water gate:

Lower Gate: You will reach this gate as soon as you walk from the main square towards the old part of the town on the ‘Car Samoil' Street. This gate was used by regular visitors to the city in the ancient and medieval times. Currently only one of the towers of this gate is intact.

Upper Gate: In the olden days, this gate connected with the ancient theatre by a portico. Due to the reinforcements done on it during the sixteenth century, this gate is well preserved.

Front Gate: This gate is found near St. Bogorodica Celnica Church. This was the main entrance gate, which unfortunately is present only in traces.

Water Gate: This is the entrance to the city from the lake.

Ohrid has always been a predominantly religious and cultural centre. Trade was never given importance and this is evident by the size of the bazaar and shopping area, as it consists of just one street. The bazaar starts with a food market which was earlier the animal market. This is followed by the Krusevska Republika Square, which has a fountain and a 1000 year old plane tree called Cinar.

The Clock Tower stands just above the square. As you stroll down the bazaar, you will find a couple of stores made in stone and this is the only section of the original stores which have remained. In the early days, the bazaar was covered with grape vines which served the purpose of protecting shoppers from the rain and the sun.

A must see in the bazaar is the Dereban filigree store. You will be lucky if you find it open as the owner of the store, Mr. Dereban is quite old and ill now. The shop is akin to a small museum, with old jewellery and silver ready to be melted. Dereban is a legend of sorts, as many in the royal family, heads of governments and other statesmen have shopped here during their official visit to Macedonia. The jewellery here is not expensive at all.

According to the locals, everything in Ohrid is as it was a century ago and any change is extremely slow. As if to prove the statement, there is 1000 year old plane tree which stands right in the middle of the cobbled Krusevska Republika Square of the market place and the Ali Pasha Mosque. The botanical name of the tree is Platanus Orientalis and it is locally known as Cinar. The only difference is that the hollow of the trunk of this tree was earlier used as a barber's shop and then a café. Now it is filled with cement.

THE  MUSEUM  OF  OHRID

The National Museum in its present layout was opened to the public on May 1st, 1951.

The Museum of Ohrid is located in the house of the well - known tradesmen family from Ohrid, Robevi. This jewel of Ohrids' 19th century architecture was built in 1861. The family of Robevi lived in this house until 1900. It was converted into a museum in 1950. One part holds a presentation of the archaeological treasures dating from prehistoric times, classical times and the mediaeval period; while the other is the memorial floor of the Robevi family. Some of the master  peace works of the famous Ohrid woodcarving school are to be found on the top floor which has the function of the Ohrid residence.

                The Lapidarium is a newly built object located next to the Museum of Ohrid. It is used for presentation and the sale of books, and other publications connected with Ohrid. Also, various copies of authentic artifacts are to be found here. Presentation of epigraphic monuments and original marble artifacts are located at the courtyard.

The Ohrid Icon Gallery is located in the museum complex of the church Holy Mother of God Peribleptos. It's collection of over sixty icons with the greatest artistic qualities places the gallery among the top two of its kind in the world. The large number of churches that began to spread by the medieval period prescribed the need of producing numerous icons. Most icons in this collections were created from the 11th till 19th century by the Ohrid medieval zographs (icon-painters) while some of them were sent in from the workshops of Constantinople (Istanbul) and Salonika (Thessalonica). The unknown painters have achieved a real perfection in the painting of the icons characterized with refine drawing, soft modeling and harmonious coloring. A special place in this collection belongs to the processional icons painted on both sides, which impress with their plastic treatment and the expression of the inner life of the Saints. The Ohrid Icons have been exhibited on numerous exhibitions in many countries, and have always caused admiration and respect from the public worldwide.

The entrance fee is 100 MKD  per person.

OTTOMAN HERITAGE IN OHRID

The entrances for these localities are free.