Kruševo
Kruševo is a small town in Western Macedonia. Historic Kruševo was one the center of the Macedonian Ilinden-Uprising. Today the main celebrations of the National holiday on the 2nd of August are held here. Kruševo is the centre of the Vlach minority in Macedonia.
Hidden up in the mountains between the woods, Kruševo has managed to preserve a genuine appeal. The town has the same layout as a century ago and around 80 traditional houses are preserved, so it is a good place to admire and learn about traditional architecture. Unfortunately, being so small and isolated the town has had problems coping with the transition. The town is a winter skiing center with paths good for beginners.
As of 2002, the population of Kruševo county was 9684, composed of 64,8% Macedonians, 10,53% Vlahs, 19,3%Albanians, 3,25%Turks.
History
Kruševo is famous for being one of the first balkan republics and the highest town in Macedonia. It developed into a large prosperous town in the 18th century. It was inhabited by Macedonian Vlachs(Macedo-Vlahs) and Macedonians from the Reka region in Western Macedonia called Mijaks. Both suffered a lot from Ali Pasha Janinski, an Albanian aristocrat, and his army, so they gathered in Bitola asking for help from the Turkish administration. The governor offered to let them stay in Bitola and the Vlachs who were traders and goldsmiths accepted, but the Mijaks and the Vlachs who had large herds of sheep and were used to living in the mountains, didn’t have anything to do in Bitola, so they were allowed to found their own city. It was a good combination, as the Vlachs were rich and the Mijaks were the best builders in the Balkans, and both groups had a very sophisticated sense of aesthetics, so they created the wonderful Kruševo we have today. On 2nd of August 1903 the Ilinden Uprising started in Kruševo, the biggest rebellion of the Macedonians against the Turks. On the freed territory Kruševo Republic was established which lasted for 10 days and Nikola Karev was proclaimed president. He wrote the Kruševo Manifesto which called all peoples that live in Macedonia to join them in the struggle for freedom.
Curiosities
- Settled on 1350 meters above the see level, Kruševo is the highest city in the Balkans.
- In 1926 Kruševo was visited by the internationally renown architect Le Corbusier who admired the local architecture.
Get in
- 1 Bus Station (Avtobuska stanica, Aвтобуска станица), Cali Ilindenska (Opp. Municipal Court Krushevo (Oпштинска Cуд Крушево)). Buses have stopped going to Kruševo, but there is a minibus service to Prilep going back and forth couple of times a day and taxi from Prilep wouldn’t cost much (<800MKD) since it is just 30km away.
Get around
The town is small and pleasant for walking around and a walk through the woods to reach the monuments is recommendable.
See
- Kruševo architecture – As the city was started from scratch, the Vlachs were willing to invest and the Mijaks were excellent builders, in Kruševo a very interesting architecture has developed. The houses are freestanding, mostly symmetrical, without open spaces typical for other towns in Macedonia. The back of the houses are built of stone, while the front of socalled “bondruk” construction of wooden columns and beams covered with white plaster. There is almost always a well in the ground floor. On the main facade usually there are painted decorations in blue colour. Blue is also usually used for the window frames and other details of the facades. On the upper floor there usually is a small balcony with a triangular pediment above it to put accent on the symmetry of the house.
- 1 St. Nikola Church, Ulica Shula Mina (Улица Shula Мина). built in 1905 on the site of an earlier church that was burned after the Ilinden uprising. St. Nikola church is the cathedral in the town and it is situated in the old bazaar. The iconscreen of the earlier church, that suffered in the fire, was made by the famous woodcarver Petre Filipovski-Garkata whose other work include the iconscreen of the church of Sv.Spas (St.Saviour) in Skopje and the iconscreen of St.Jovan Bigorski Monastery.
- 2 St. Jovan Church (St. John Church, Crkva Sveti Jovan, Црква Свети Јован). This Church was built in 1897. The iconscreen was made by Nestor and Lazar Aleksievski. Inside also notice the two large stoves typical for Krushevo houses.
- 3 Nikola Martinovski gallery (GalerijaNikola Martinovski, галерија Никола Мартиновски). Nikola Martinovski (1903-1973) one of the most important Macedonian contemporary painters was born in Krushevo and to the town he donated 62 paintings which are now exhibited in his birth house. The house itself is excellent example of Krushevo architecture and it is worth exploring. Also a small ethnological museum has been set up inside the house. Visiting the gallery gives you a chance to admire not just Martinovski works, but also the beauty of Krushevo houses.
- 4 'Museum of Ilinden Uprising. – is set up in an old house in which the Krushevo Republic was proclaimed. Through photographs, documents, maps and weapons the period prior, during and after the Ilinden uprising is explained.
- Meckin Kamen (Bear's Stone). This was the place where the band of Pitu Guli was trying to defend the town of Krushevo from the Turkish troops coming from Bitola.
- 5 Tose Proeski's grave site (Cпоменик кула на Тоше Проески), Tose Proeski (former Marshal Tito) Rd (Northern quarter). This is a monument tower to Tose Proeski. Tose Proeski was a very famous Macedonian singer who died in a fatal car crash in Croatia on 16th of October 2007. Tose's hometown was Krusevo. Entry 100 MKD.
- 6 Holy Mother of God's Church (Virgin Mary Church, Свети Црква Богородица) (West three blocks from Marshal Tito Rd).
- 7 Trinity Church (Црква Свети Троица).
- 8 Makedonium Monument (Македониум), Cali Makedonium St (Northern quarter). A very original monument from the 70s.
- 9 Museum of National Liberation War (Muzejot na Narodno-osloboditelnata vojna, Музеј на Народно-ослободителната војна, Музеј на НОБ), Tose Proeski (former Marshal Tito) Rd (Northern quarter).
Do
- 1 Krusevo Lake (Крушево Езеро), Tose Proeski (former Marshal Tito) Rd (N 1 km). Good for relaxing
Buy
- Souvenir shop, Gumenje.
- 1 Town Market (градски пазар), Cali Ilindenska (Center).
Eat
There are some pizzerias and restaurants in Krusevo.
- ШАПЕ restaurant. If you would like to eat roast meat (skara)
- Андора pizzeria. if you are in a mood for pizza you should go to the
Krushevo is also famous by the traditional dish - Krushevsko grne. Also try Krushevski lokum.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Vila La Kola (Вила Ла Кола), Niko Doaga (ул. Нико Доага бр.) St, 21 (East 200 m from Kindergarten (градинка)), ☏ +389 75 547 479, +389 70 379 276, +389 75 318 778, vilalakola@yahoo.com. 24/7. It offers: Double studios (equipped with cable TV, bathroom, terrace and mini bar) , quadruple bed apartments and five beds apartments (equipped with cable TV, DVD, fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and terrace), free Wi-Fi , Common room, 24/7 available service and video surveillance.
- 2 Casa La Kola (Каса Ла Кола), Niko Doaga (ул. Нико Доага бр.) St, 70 (East 100 m from Kindergarten (градинка)). Twin studios ((2 +1), equipped with TV, bathroom, hairdryer, mini safe and a kitchen), Triple rooms (equipped with TV, bathroom, hairdryer, mini safe, mini bar), free Wi-Fi , Common room, 24/7 available service and video surveillance.
- 3 Hotel Montana Palace, ☏ +389 48 477121. The only four star hotel in Krusevo, with excellent restaurant. The view of Krusevo is breathtaking. Prices are lower than you might expect for such a hotel. There are directions to this hotel from most places in town. Dbl/tpl €32-52/32-70, apts €50-88.
- 4 VilaGora, Pitu GUli 53a, ☏ +389 75 841253. Reasonable accommodation in Krusevo - Macedonia
A cheep option is to rent a room in a home (300-450 denars per person), but be careful as conditions of such rooms are not on the proper level everywhere.
- Ski Centar SKAUT Krusevo, Takja Berber 15b, ☏ +389 75 841 253. Official website of Ski Resort SKAUT in Krusevo - Macedonia.
Also in Krusevo there is Association for Development of Tourism and Hospitality, that can help you finding private apartments.
Connect
- 2 Post Office (Pošta, пошта), Ulica Shula Mina (Opp. St. Nikola Church).
Go next
- Bitola, twice a day minibuses. Visit the “city of consuls” and is the second largest city in the Republic of Macedonia. Heraclea archeological site is one of the main sights.
- Prilep, daily six minibuses. Visit the Markovi Kuli Fortress (Superb view from the Tower).
