Bitola

Prayer for Bitola

Land & History:

Link to tourism website

The Bitola /BEE-toe-la/ area has been important since Philip II founded the town of Heraclea Lyncestis, in the 4th century BC. In Roman times, it was an important stop on the trade route, Via Egnatia, connecting ports on the Adriatic and Aegean Seas (history). In 518 AD, a major earthquake buried a most of Heraclea preserving it for modern archaeologists.

During Ottoman times, Bitola (Monastir) was one of the few developed commercial cities in the region. It was also the government seat for the western half of Ottoman Macedonia and a major military outpost. Many Western European countries had consulates for the Ottoman Empire in Bitola, and many are still standing. For example, the Austrian consulate is now a restaurant, and some of the others are consulates again.

Mt. Pelister national park, is easily accessible from Bitola and is a great place for picnics in the warm months and skiing in the cold months. The nearby Pelagonian plain is famous for agricultural productivity.

People:

Bitola is home to 86,408 people

, many of whom speak the Bitolski dialect. Bitola is a center of industry and commerce. In Bitola there are dairies, a brewery, a beet-sugar factory, flour mills, an electric power plant which supplies 70-80% of the country’s power, and many other companies offering various goods and services. The standard of living in Bitola is higher than average for Macedonia. Many people work elsewhere in-country or abroad, but have homes around Bitola for the summer or retirement.

Bitola is inhabited mainly by Macedonians and a few Albanians. Most people remember friendlier days, but divisions are growing. In early 2001, many Albanian shops, homes, and one mosque were burned after the killing and mutilation of soldiers from Bitola during the crisis (history).

The neighborhood Bair is the second largest community of Gypsies in Macedonia.

The body of believers in Bitola is small and growing. Despite harsh comments from the Orthodox church against all “sects”, Protestant groups are cooperative with each other.

St.Dimitri is the largest Orthodox Church in Bitola.
Only half of the mosques in Bitola are still in use.
The catholic church was built for Catholics who worked at the various consulates.

Prayer for Bitola Updated: 21-Apr-06