Prilep (Macedonian: Прилеп, other forms: Parleap, Pirlepe and Perlepe) is a city of 73,925 citizens, covering 1.675 square kilometers in the northern part of the Pelagonia Plain in the southern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Prilep is part of a district with the same name (District of Prilep) and is accessed by the M5/E65. It is only 128 km (airline) from the capital Skopje, 44 km from Bitola, and is 32 km from Kruševo. Prilep is known as "the city under Marko's Towers" because of its proximity to the Towers of the legendary hero King Marko. Economically Prilep is a center for high-quality tobacco and cigarettes, metal processing, electronics, timber, textiles, food, and Macedonian Sivec marble industries. Ethnically there is a clear majority with 64,527 Macedonians, and a small minority of 4,421 Gypsies, 315 Serbs, 254 Turks, and 29 Albanians.

Tobacco Industry

Tobacco is one of Prilep's traditional cash crops and prospers in the Macedonian climate. Many of the world largest cigarette makers use Prilep's tobacco in their cigarettes after it is processed in local factories. When the Institute of Tobacco was established in Prilep to create new types of tobacco it was the first example of applying genetics to agriculture in the Balkans.

Culture of Prilep

• The Institute of Old Slavic Culture is located in Prilep.
  • Every year in October the International Children's Music Festival "Asterisks" brings together children from all over the world.
  • Every year an International Art Colony is held here, as well as the Professional Theater Festival of Macedonia, honoring the first modern Macedonian playwright, Vojdan Chernodrinski, who was born in Prilep.
  • The Monastery of Zrze and the Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael which has 12th and 14th century frescoes are notable sites of the culture of Prilep.

  Language

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  The dialect of Prilep, in the heart of the Pelagonian plain, forms the basis for the standard Macedonian language spoken today. When the Socialist Republic of Macedonia was created in Yugoslavia, 1943 and the language nationally recognized the following year, Prilep was chosen as the centre for the language because of its central position on the Macedonian map. This includes the unredeemed areas of Macedonia which were of no interest to Yugoslavia, but remain an issue for Macedonian nationalists as they comprise pockets of Albania and Bulgaria with about 50% of the over-all chunk within Greek territory.

  Art and Architecture

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  There are several ancient sites in Prilep including one at Markovi Kuli, St. Nicola’s church from XIII century, St. Uspenie church in Bogorodica, St. Preobrazenie church and the Tomb of the Unconquered, a memorial in honor of the victims of fascism located in Prilep's central park. A large Roman necropolis is known there and parts of numerous walls have been found; the settlement was probably the ancient Ceramiae mentioned in the Peutinger Table. Roman remains can also be found near the Varosh monastery, built on the steep slopes of the hill, which was later inhabited by a medieval community. A large number of early Roman funeral monuments, some with sculpted reliefs of the deceased or of the Thracian Rider and other inscribed monuments of an official nature, are in the courtyard of the church below the southern slope of Varosh. Some of the larger of those monuments were built into the walls of the church.

  The most important ancient monument is the old city of Styberra situated on Bedem hill near Cepigovo, in the central region of Pelagonia. As early as the time of the Roman - Macedonian wars, this city was known as a base from which the Macedonian king Perseus set out to conquer the Penestian cities. An important site in the area is Bela Crkva, 6 km west of Styberra, where the town of Alkomenai was probably located. It was a stronghold of the Macedonian kings after it was rebuilt in the early Roman period and was at the Pelagonian entrance to a pass leading to Illyria. Part of the city wall, a gate, and a few buildings of the Roman period were uncovered here in excavations. All recent finds from these sites are in the Museum of the City of Prilep.

  The Treskavec monastery, built in the 12th century in the mountains about 10 km north of Prilep under Zlatovrv peak, at the edge of a small upland plain 1100 meters above sea level. Prilep has frescoes from the 14th and 15th centuries and is probably the site of the early Roman town of Kolobaise. The name of the early town is recorded on a long inscription on stone which deals with a local cult of Ephesian Artemis. The inscription was reused as a base for a cross on top of one of the church domes. Other inscriptions at Treskavec include several 1st century Roman dedications to Apollo. The old fortress was used by the Romans, and later the Byzantines. During the Middle Ages, King Marko rebuilt the citadel extensively, making it an important military stronghold. After all, even Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria came here after the defeat on Belasica in 1014. Samuil died in Prilep from a heart attack after encountering his blind soldiers.

  Communities of the district of Prilep

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  • Bonce
  • Podmol
  • Prilep

  External links

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  • Official Prilep Government Website
  • macedonia :: prilep (general information)
  • Prilep Tobacco
  • Information on Prilep
  • www.cybermacedonia.com
  • http://www.asterisks.com.mk - Ofiicial website of the "Asterisks" festival

  Cities in the Republic of Macedonia

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