Church of St. Sophia

The Church of St. Sophia, with its medieval architecture and frescoes, is one of the most important monuments in Macedonia. It is believed to have been built in the 9th century, the present church is a reconstruction of the 11th century, but the courtyard was built later, in the 14th century. In the second half of the 15th century, with the Ottomans, the church was transformed into a mosque and all the frescoes were covered with lime, the dome of the church was flattened, minarets were erected over the northwestern domes. Left abandoned in the first half of the 20th century, restorations carried out immediately after the Second World War revealed the frescoes again.

About this building

Key Features

  • Architecture
  • Monuments
  • Interior features
  • Links to national heritage
  • Famous people or stories

Visitors information

  • Parking within 250m
  • Café within 500m

Other nearby buildings

Wikimedia Commons/Explorer1940

Church of the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos

The Church of the Holy Mother of God was probably built in the 13th century, the century from which its oldest frescoes date. The church is based on the Byzantine domed churches. The dome of the nave rests on four free pillars and the dome of the narthex on four pilasters. It is built of stone, limestone and brick.

Wikimedia Commons/Марјан Петковски

St. John the Theologian Kaneo

St. John the Theologian Kaneo is one of the most famous churches in Northern Macedonia due to its position above Lake Ohrid. Its foundation date is unknown, but the church existed already in the 13th century. Abandoned during the Ottoman period, it was restored in the 19th century. The frescoes inside were made during the restoration and date back to the 20th century.