Ohrid is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and the seat of Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country with over 42,000 inhabitants as of 2002. Ohrid is notable for once having had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem (of the Balkans)". The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. It is located southwest of Skopje, west of Resen and Bitola. In 1979 and in 1980, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In fact, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are both Cultural and Natural sites.
Hospitals in Ohrid provide efficient medical service to their patients. The hospitals have the necessary equipment to handle any unforeseen situation.
Most of the hospitals in Ohrid are very well furnished with all the basic medical care facilities. Many of them are also equipped with ultra modern medical amenities so as to match the international standards.
Some of the most famous hospitals in Macedonia are listed below:
St. Stefan Hospital for cardiovascular diseases
The Public Health Institution (PHI) Special Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology "St. Erasmus "- Ohrid
|
The past many years of professional, personnel and economic development create conditions, in addition to the treatment of bone-joint tuberculosis to successfully treat a whole range of other orthopedic diseases, to implement new methods of treatment of acute trauma and consequences of trauma to the locomotion system. |
Following the modern trends in orthopedic surgery, traumatology and general reconstructive surgery, as well neurosurgery and urology, followed by physical medicine and rehabilitation, the position of expansive professional and personal policy affirms the position, implementing new methods and techniques of surgical performance and after surgical patient care and well being.
From this aspect, PHI Special Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology "St. Erazmo" - Ohrid ensures the treatment of any disease in the specialist consultative and hospital health care of the locomotory system, including surgical and medicamentous, conservative treatment with physical therapy treatment and rehabilitation as an extended hospital treatment that follows:
- Anomalies of the locomotory system, spraigned hips, deformities of the foot, neck, chest,
- Diseases of the spine, tumors, extracting disc herniations, spinal distortions (kyphosis and scoliosis),
- Surgical interventions of the hip and knee with application of endoprosthesis, osteotomies, plastics,
- Knee - arthroscopic interventions, meniscectomy, synovectomies, arthrodesis procedures, treatment of pes equinovarus, flat feet, excavatus, varus, adductus,
- Non-specific and specific inflammatory diseases of bones and joints,
- Medical care for all types of fractures of the locomotory system,
- Extending limbs and resolving pseudoarthrosises using the method "Ilizarov"
- Surgery in the domaign of urology and plastic surgery,
-
- Cerebral paralysis (conservative and surgical treatment)
- Treatment with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, kinesiotherapy, heliotherapy, lasertherapy etc.,
- Rehabilitation as an extended hospital treatment.
Ohrid General Hospital
It has some of the best equipment and well trained specialists in Macedonia. The surgery department has six new surgical suites. Breast cancer reconstructive surgery among other things. Another department of the hospital that recently received new equipment is the Ophthalmology department. A new laser will be provding maximum protection of vision in patients with diabetes. The hospital also has specialized departments of Geriatrics, Pediatric care, Neuropsychiatric diseases, Infectious diseases, Gynecology and Radiology
Either student flats or Dormitory ( in the hospital )
Either student flats or Dormitory ( in the hospital )
Ohrid also has an international airport: St Paul the Apostle (IATA: OHD)[2] about 7 km from city center which connects Ohrid with Belgrade,Ljubljana, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Tel Aviv, Vienna, London, Budapest, Malmo and many more. The airport is open year round but most airlines only fly during the summer, so check with your travel agent or airline for most current information.
By bus
There is a regular bus service from Bitola and Skopje. The bus from Skopje takes approximately three and a half hours.
The easiest way to get to Ohrid is from Skopje, where buses run every few hours. A bus from Skopje takes about 3.5 hours and costs 520 MKD one way (US$10 or € 8.50) or about 750 MKD RT. From Albania, there is a bus from Tirana to the town of Struga, just north of Ohrid, where there are taxis to Ohrid for about € 5, or share a taxi for 50 MKD. It's a little bit trickier to get to Ohrid from Greece. From Thessaloniki, the easiest way is to take a travel agency bus to Skopje and then hop on a bus to Ohrid.
If you want to reach Ohrid and Macedonia from Montenegro there is a regular bus line from Herceg Novi to Skopje via Albania, passing through Kotor, Budva, Bar and Ulcinj. Ticket price vary from place in Montenegro and most expensive is from Herceg Novi and cost around 25 €.
The Ohrid bus station is a few kilometers outside of the center of town (about a 30 minute walk). A taxi from the bus station to the center costs around 2 € (120 MKD) but be careful as the taxi drivers at the bus station may charge you more so agree on a price before you get in the taxi. In the summer, travelers to Skopje from Ohrid will want to buy a ticket a day or two in advance. You can save a trip to the bus station by buying bus tickets from the Galeb bus company.
Archaeological finds indicate that Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. The lake itself is over three million years old. Ohrid town is first mentioned in Greek documents from 353 BCE, when it was known as Lychnidos - or, “the city of light.” Only much later, in 879 CE, was it renamed Ohrid. The name probably derives from the phrase “vo hridi” – meaning roughly, “in the cliff.” It comes from the time when the town was limited in a small area on the lake side of the hill, which in fact is a huge cliff rising above the lakeshore. The town as we know it today was built mostly between the 7th and 19th centuries. During the Byzantine period, Ohrid became a significant cultural and economic center, serving as an episcopal center of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Along withPreslav, it became the site of the first Slavic universities in the 9th century. At the beginning of the 11th century, Ohrid briefly became the capital of the Bulgarian Empire, ruled by Car Samuil, whose fortress still presides over the city today.
Aside from the lake, Ohrid is most famous for its ancient churches, basilicas, and monasteries where Saints Kliment and Naum with the help of the Bulgarian king Boris I (students of Cyril and Methodus) wrote their teachings and formulated the Cyrillic alphabet used in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as neighboring countries Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro and as far as Russia, and many of the countries of the former Soviet Union. Most of these churches charge an entry which for tourists is normally double that what locals pay, but is still worth it. It is a good idea to cover up when entering a church, but most locals will understand the inconveniences involved during a hot Macedonian Summer. There is also a wonderful ancient walled fortress at the top of the city. Churches to visit include:
Important churches
- Sophia church11th c. - Cathedral of Ohrid archbishops. Fourth basilica built on this same spot (the oldest one being a Roman basilica (courthouse)). Present church was built in 1035 by archbishop Lav, front facade with the towers and the open galleries was built in 1317 by archbishop Gregory. The side porch was added when the church was turned into a mosque by the Turks. Inside is the biggest composition of 11th century frescoes preserved in the world. The main altar has scenes from the old testament and an emotional procession of angels bowing to Virgin Mary. The side altars have a fresco of the 40 martyrs (Roman soldiers left to freeze because they didn't want to give up Christianity) which is very rarely depicted (in the left altar) and (in the right altar) portraits of Patriarchs from Constantinople, Jerusalem and Antioch, archbishops from Ohrid and Roman Popes (Ohrid archbishopcy always flirted with Roman Catholicism, so it would keep its important position with the Orthodox church). The small square in front of it was the main forum in ancient times. 100 denars, 30 for students
- Bogorodica Perivlepta13th c. - The church was built and painted in 1295. It is dedicated to Virgin Mary, Perivlepta (from Περ
Do
Some of the beaches to go are: Labino It's a small, stony beach that is not crowded. The water is clear and refreshing. Best time to go is in the morning.
Probably the best beach on Ohrid Lake is Ljubaništa On the South-East side of the lake near the border with Albania. The beach is long, sandy with usually clean water. There are a lot of people but you can't feel that since the beach is really big. Best time to go is after 6 PM. A sunset you won't forget.