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"Manastir" redirects here. For other uses, see Manastir (disambiguation) and Monastir (disambiguation).
Širok Sokak street
Flag of Bitola
Official logo of Bitola
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Градот на конзулите "The City of Consuls"
Motto: Bitola, babam Bitola
Bitola is located in Republic of Macedonia
Country  Macedonia
Region Logo of Pelagonia Region.svgPelagonia Statistical Region
Municipality Coat of arms of Bitola Municipality.svgBitola Municipality
 • Mayor Vladimir Taleski (VMRO-DPMNE)
 • City 422.39 km2 (163.09 sq mi)
Elevation +576 m (1,890 ft)
Population (2002)
 • City 74,550
 • Density 180/km2 (460/sq mi)
 • Metro 105,644
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal codes 7000
Area code(s) +389 (0)47
Car plates BT
Climate Cfb

Bitola (Macedonian: Битола [ˈbitɔɫa] known also by several alternative names) is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, 14 kilometres (9 miles) north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing with Greece. The city stands at an important junction connecting the south of the Adriatic Sea region with the Aegean Sea and Central Europe, and is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It has been known since the Ottoman period as "the city of the consuls", since many European countries had consulates in Bitola.
Bitola is one of the oldest cities on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, having been founded as Heraclea Lyncestis in the middle of the 4th century BC by Philip II of Macedon. The city was the last capital of Ottoman Rumelia, from 1836–1867. According to the 2002 census, Bitola is the second largest city in the country.[2] Bitola is also the seat of the Bitola Municipality.


The name Bitola is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word ѡ҆би́тѣл҄ь (obitěĺь, meaning "monastery, cloister") as the city was formerly noted for its monastery. When the meaning of the name was no longer understood, it lost its prefix "o-".[3] The name Bitola is mentioned in the Bitola inscription, related to the old city fortress built in 1015. Modern Slavic variants include the Macedonian Bitola (Битола), the Serbian Bitolj (Битољ) and Bulgarian Bitolya (Битоля). In Byzantine times, the name was Hellenized to Voutélion (Βουτέλιον) or Vitólia (Βιτώλια), hence the names Butella used by William of Tyre and Butili by the Arab geographer al-Idrisi. During the ruling of Radomir Gavril(1014–1015) Bitola is mentioned under the name of Buteliu. The Aromanian name is Bituli.

The Greek name for the city (Monastíri, Μοναστήρι), also meaning "monastery", is a calque of the Slavic name. The Turkish name Manastır (Ottoman Turkish: مناستر‎) is derived from the Greek name, as is the Albanian name (Manastir).



Covering an area of 1,798 km2 (694 sq mi). and with a population of 122,173 (1991), Bitola is an important industrial, agricultural, commercial, educational, and cultural center. It represents an important junction that connects the Adriatic Sea to the south with the Aegean Sea and Central Europe.

Panorama of Bitola from Krkardaš.


Bitola has a mild continental climate typical of the Pelagonija region, experiencing warm and dry summers, and cold and snowy winters. The Koppen classification for this climate is Cfb.

Climate data for Bitola (1961–1990, extremes 1948–1993)
Record high °C (°F) 17.2
Average high °C (°F) 3.3
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.8
Average low °C (°F) −4.5
Record low °C (°F) −29.4
Average precipitation mm (inches) 50.1
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8 8 8 7 8 6 5 4 5 6 8 9 82
Average relative humidity (%) 83 78 71 65 65 60 56 57 64 72 79 83 69
Mean monthly sunshine hours 81.1 106.9 155.2 199.2 250.5 291.3 334.0 312.2 241.0 176.5 111.1 75.9 2,334.9
Source #1: NOAA[4]
Source #2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes)[5]





Ancient and early Byzantine periods[edit]

The area of the town is located in ancient Lynkestis, a region of Upper Macedonia, which was ruled by semi-independent chieftains till the later Argead rulers of Macedon. The tribes of Lynkestis were known as Lynkestai. They were a Greek tribe and belonged to the Molossian group of the Epirotes.[6][7] There are important metal artifacts from the ancient period at the necropolis of Crkvishte near the village of Beranci. A golden earring dating from the 4th century BC is depicted on the obverse of the Macedonian 10 denar banknote, issued in 1996.[8]



Middle Ages[edit]



Following battles with the Tsar Ivan Vladislav, Byzantine emperor Basil II recaptured Monastiri in 1015. The town is mentioned as an episcopal centre in 1019 in a record by Basil II. Two important uprisings against Byzantine rule took place in the Bitola area in 1040 and 1072. After the Bulgarian state was restored in the late 12th century, Bitola was incorporated under the rule of Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria. It was conquered again by Byzantium at the end of the 13th century, but it became part of Serbia in the first half of the 14th century, after the conquests of Stefan Dušan.


Ottoman rule[edit]

Bitola in the 19th century
Greek school in Bitola, late 19th to early 20th century

From 1382 to 1912, Manastır (now Bitola) was part of the Ottoman Empire. Fierce battles took place near the city during the arrival of Ottoman forces. Ottoman rule was completely established after the death of Prince Marko in 1395 when Ottoman Empire established the Sanjak of Ohrid as a part of the Rumelia Eyalet and one of earliest established sanjaks in Europe.[10] Before it became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1395 its initial territory belonged to the realm of Prince Marko.[11][12] Initially its county town was Bitola and later it was Ohrid, so it was initially sometimes referred to as Sanjak of Monastir or Sanjak of Bitola.[13]


After the Austro-Ottoman wars, the trade development and the overall thriving of the city was stifled. But in the late 19th century, it again it became the second-biggest city in the wider southern Balkan region after Salonica. The city is also known as "city of consuls", because 12 diplomatic consuls resided here from 1878 to 1913.



Typical neoclassical architecture from the 19th century


Bitola’s population itself was very various. It numbered some 50,000 at the end of the 19th century. There were around 7,000 Aromanians most of whom fully embraced the Hellenist ideas, although many of them joined the Romanian idea. Bitola also had significant Muslim population - 11,000 (Turks, Roma, and Albanians) as well Jewish commununity - 5,200. The Slavic-speakers were divided between the Bulgarian Exarchate - 8,000, and the Greek Patriarchate - 6,300.[17]


In November 1905, the Secret Committee for the Liberation of Albania, a secret organization to fight for the liberation of Albania from the Ottoman Empire, was founded by Bajo Topulli and other Albanian nationalists and intellectuals.[18] Three years later, the Congress of Manastir of 1908 which defined the modern Albanian alphabet was held in the city.[19] The congress was held at the house of Fehim Zavalani and led by Mit'hat Frashëri, chairman of the congress. The participants in the Congress were prominent figures of the cultural and political life from Albanian-inhabited territories in the Balkans, as well as throughout the Albanian diaspora.

Ilinden Uprising[edit]

Street in Bitola in 1914


Balkan Wars[edit]

In 1912, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece fought the Ottomans in the First Balkan War. After victory at Sarantaporo, Greek troops advanced towards Monastir but were defeated by the Ottomans at Sorovich. The Battle of Monastir (16–19 November 1912) led to Serbian occupation. According to the Treaty of Bucharest, 1913, the region of Macedonia was divided into three parts between Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria, with Monastir ceded to Serbia, given the name Bitola.

World War I[edit]

German Vivat ribbon commemorating the Bulgarian occupation (1915).

During World War I Bitola was on the Salonica Front. Bulgaria, a Central Power, took the city on 21 November 1915, while the Allied forces recaptured it in 1916. Bitola was divided into French, Russian, Italian and Serbian sections, under the command of French general Maurice Sarrail. Until Bulgaria's surrender in late autumn 1918, Bitola remained a front line city and was almost daily bombarded by air and battery and suffered almost total destruction.

World War II[edit]

During the World War II (1941–45), the Germans (on 9 April 1941) and later Bulgarians (on 18 April 1941) took control of the city. But in September 1944, Bulgaria switched sides in the war and withdrew from Yugoslavia, and Bitola was freed by the Yugoslav Partisans. On 4 November, the 7th Macedonian Liberation Brigade entered Bitola victoriously. A historical Jewish community, of Sephardic origin, lived in the city until World War II, when mostly were killed or migrated to the United States and Chile.[20] After the end of the war, a Macedonian state was established for the first time in modern history, within Yugoslavia. This had cost about 25,000 human lives. In 1945, the first Gymnasium (named "Josip Broz Tito") to use the Macedonian language, was opened in Bitola.

Main sights[edit]


Širok Sokak[edit]

Main article: Širok Sokak


Traditional architecture in Bitola

Clock Tower[edit]

The clock tower in Bitola.
St. Demetrius Church in Bitola



Church of Saint Demetrius[edit]




Heraclea Lyncestis[edit]


The covered bazaar[edit]

The Monastir bazaar in 1914


It was built in the 15th century by Kara Daut Pasha Uzuncarsili, then Rumelia's Beylerbey. Although the object looks secure, many times during its existence has been robbed and set on fire, but it managed to survive. The Bezisten, from the 15th to the 19th centuries, was rebuilt, and many stores, often changing over time, were located there. Most of them were selling textile and other luxurious fabrics. At the same time the Bezisten was a treasury, where in specially made small rooms the money from the whole Rumelian Vilaet was kept, before it was transferred into the royal treasury. In the 19th century the Bezisten held a total of 84 shops. Today most of them are contemporary and they sell different types of products, but no matter what the internal transformations, the outer appearance has stayed unchanged.[citation needed]

Gazi Hajdar Kadi Mosque[edit]

The Gazi Hajdar Kadi Mosque is one of the most attractive monuments of Islamic architecture in Bitola. It was built in the early 1560s, as the project of the famous architect Mimar Sinan, ordered by the Bitola kadija Ajdar-kadi. Over time, it was abandoned and heavily damaged, and at one point used as a stare,[21] but recent restoration and conservation has restored to some extent its original appearance.

Jeni Mosque[edit]


Ishak Çelebi Mosque[edit]


Kodža Kadi Mosque[edit]

The old bazaar[edit]

The old bazaar (Macedonian: Стара Чаршија) is mentioned in a description of the city from the 16th and the 17th centuries. The present bezisten does not differ much in appearance from the original one. The bezisten had eighty-six shops and four large iron gates. The shops used to sell textiles, and today sell food products.

Deboj Bath[edit]


Bitola today[edit]

The lions in their cage at Bitola zoo


Bitola is also home to twelve consulates, which gives the city the nickname "the city of consuls."

General consulates
Honorary consulates
Former consulates

Also, Albania[29] and Italy[30] expressed interest in opening a consulate in Bitola.


There are two Bitola Television Stations: Tera and Orbis, two regional radio stations: the private Radio 105, Aktuel Bombarder and Radio Delfin as well as a local weekly newspaper — Bitolski Vesnik.

City Council[edit]

The Bitola Municipality Council (Macedonian: Совет на Општина Битола) is the governing body of the city and municipality of Bitola. The city council approves and rejects projects that would have place inside the municipality given by its members and the Mayor of Bitola. The Council consists of representatives of citizens elected by direct and free elections. The number of members of the council is determined according to the number of residents in the community and can not be fewer than nine nor more than 33. Accordingly, the number of residents, the Council of Bitola municipality is composed of 31 councilors. Council members are elected for a term of four years.



Permanent committees of the Council:

  • Finance and Budget Committee;
  • Commission for Public Utilities;
  • Committee on Urban Planning, public works and environmental protection;
  • Commission for social activities;
  • Commission for local government;


The most popular sports in Bitola are football and handball.






Ethnic groups


Ethnic groups[31]
Ethnic groups Total number % from total population
Macedonians 66.038 88.6
Romani 2.577 3.5
Albanians 2.360 3.2
Turks 1.562 2.1
Aromanians 997 1.3
Serbs 499 0.7
Bosniaks 20 0.02
Others 497 0.6

According to the 2002 census the most common languages in the city are the following:[31]

Language Total number % from total population
Macedonian 69.255 92.9
Albanian 2.399 3.2
Turkish 1.392 1.9
Aromanian 548 0.7
Serbian 390 0.5
Romani 287 0.4
Bosnian 10 0.01
Others 269 0.4
The seat of Prespa- Pelagonia diocese of the Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric in Bitola

Bitola is a bishopric city and the seat of the Diocese of Prespa- Pelagonia. In World War II the diocese was named Ohrid - Bitola. With the restoration of the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in 1967, it got its present name Prespa- Pelagonia diocese which covers the following regions and cities: Bitola, Resen, Prilep, Krusevo and Demir Hisar.

The first bishop of the diocese (1958 - 1979) was Mr. Kliment. The second and current bishop and administrator of the diocese, responsible as bishop since 1981 is Mr. Petar. The Prespa- Pelagonia diocese has about 500 churches and monasteries. In the last ten years in the diocese have been built or are being built about 40 churches and 140 church buildings. The diocese has two church museums- the cathedral "St. Martyr Demetrius" in Bitola and at the Church "St. John" in Krusevo and permanent exhibition of icons and libraries in the building of the seat of the diocese. The seat building was built between 1901 and 1902 and is one of the most beautiful examples of the baroque architecture. Besides the dominant Macedonian Orthodox Church in Bitola there are other major religious groups such as the Islamic community, the Roman Catholic Church and others.

According to the 2002 census the religious composition of the city is the following:[31]

Religion Total number % from total population
Orthodox 66.492 89.2
Muslims 6.843 9.2
Catholics 140 0.2
Protestants 9 0.01
Others 1.066 1.4


Manaki Festival of Film and Camera

Is the oldest film festival in the world who value the work of cinematographers.In memories of the first cameramen on the Balkans, Milton Manaki, every September the Film and Photo festival "Brothers Manaki" takes place. It is a combination of documentary and full-length films that are being shown. The festival is a world class event and it is a must see.Every year the festival brings world recognized actors including Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Victoria Abril, Predrag Manojlovic, Michael York, Juliette Binoche, Rade Sherbedgia.

The Magaza, a gallery in the center of the city.
Ilindenski Denovi


Small Monmartre of Bitola



Bitolino is an annual children's theater festival held in August with the Babec Theater. Every year professional children's theaters from all over the world participate in the festival. The main prize is the grand prix for best performance.

Main article: Si-Do

Every May, Bitola hosts the international children's song festival Si-Do, which in recent years has gained much popularity. Children from all over Europe participate in this event which usually consists of about 20 songs. This festival is supported by ProMedia which organizes the event with a new topic each year. Many Macedonian musicians have participated in the festival including: Next Time and Karolina Goceva who both represented Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Festival for classical music Interfest


Akto Festival

The Akto Festival for Contemporary Arts is a regional festival. The festival includes visual arts, performing arts, music and theory of culture. The first Akto festival was held in 2006. The aim of the festival is to open the cultural frameworks of a modern society through "recomposing" and redefining them in a new context. In the past, the festival featured artists from regional countries like Slovenia, Greece or Bulgaria, but also from Germany, Italy, France and Austria.

International Monodrama Festival

Is annual festival of monodrama held in April in organization of Centre of Culture of Bitola every year many actors from all over the world come in Bitola to play monodramas.

Lokum fest

Is authentic cultural and tourist event which has existed since 2007. Founder and organizer of the festival is the Association of Citizens Center for Cultural Decontamination Bitola. The festival is held every year in mid-July in the heart of the old Turkish bazaar in Bitola, as part of Bitola Cultural Summer Bit Fest.



Technical Faculty in Bitola
  • Technical Faculty – Bitola
  • Economical Faculty – Prilep
  • Faculty of Tourism and Leisure management – Ohrid
  • Teachers Faculty – Bitola
  • Faculty of biotechnological sciences – Bitola
  • Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies — Bitola
  • Medical college – Bitola
  • Faculty of Veterinary Sciences – Bitola
  • Tobacco institute – Prilep
  • Hydro-biological institute – Ohrid
  • Slavic cultural institute – Prilep
Gymnasium "Josip Broz-Tito"

There are seven high schools in Bitola:

  • "Josip Broz-Tito", a gymnasium
  • "Taki Daskalo", a gymnasium
  • "Dr. Jovan Kalauzi", a medical high school
  • "Jane Sandanski", an economical high school
  • "Gjorgji Naumov", a technological high school
  • "Kuzman Šapkarev", an agricultural high school
  • "Toše Proeski", a musical high school

Ten Primary Schools in Bitola are:

  • "Todor Angelevski"
  • "Sv. Kliment Ohridski"
  • "Goce Delčev"
  • "Elpida Karamandi"
  • "Dame Gruev"
  • "Kiril i MEtodij"
  • "Kole Kaninski"
  • "Trifun Panovski"
  • "Stiv Naumov"
  • "Gjorgji Sugarev"

People from Bitola[edit]

Hotel Epinal in the centre of Bitola, named after the French city of Épinal, a twin town of Bitola. In return, a quarter in the city of Épinal is called Bitola, and a Macedonian flag is flown there.
Further information: List of people from Bitola

Some notable people born in Bitola are:

Twin towns — Sister cities[edit]




  2. ^ Macedonian census, language and religion
  4. ^ "Bitola Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 22, 2015. 
  5. ^ "Klimatafel von Bitola / Mazedonien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved February 14, 2016. 
  6. ^ Hammond, edited by John Boardman [and] N.G.L. (1982). The expansion of the Greek world, eighth to sixth centuries B.C. (2nd ed.). London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-23447-4. 
  10. ^ Stojanovski, Aleksandar (1989), Makedonija vo turskoto srednovekovie : od krajot na XIV--početokot na XVIII vek (in Macedonian), Skopje: Kultura, p. 49, OCLC 21875410, retrieved 24 December 2011, Овој санџак исто така е еден од најстарите санџаци во Румелискиот беглербеглак 
  12. ^ Šabanović, Hazim (1959), Bosanski pašaluk : postanak i upravna podjela (in Croatian), Sarajevo: Oslobođenje, p. 20, OCLC 10236383, retrieved 26 December 2011, Poslije pogibije kralja Marka i Konstantina Dejanovića na Rovinama (1394) pretvorene su njihove oblasti u turske sandžake, Ćustelndilski i Ohridski. 
  13. ^ "Godišnjak", Istorisko društvo Bosne i Hercegovine (in Serbian), 4, Sarajevo: Državna Štamparija, 1952, p. 175, OCLC 183334876, retrieved 26 December 2011, На основу тога мислим да је у почетку постојао само један санџак, коме је прво средиште било у Битољу... 
  14. ^ Durham M., Edith. "Twenty Years Of Balkan Tangle". 
  17. ^ Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Macedonia, Dimitar Bechev, Scarecrow Press, 2009, ISBN 0810862956, pp. 26-27.
  21. ^ The settlements with muslim population in Macedonia. Logos-A. 2005. pp. 206–. ISBN 978-9989-58-155-7. 
  22. ^
  23. ^
  26. ^ "Во Битола поради економски причини затворен Хрватскиот конзулат" (in Macedonian). May 20, 2014. 
  27. ^ "Затворен Генералниот конзулат на Словенија во Битола" (in Macedonian). November 1, 2014. 
  28. ^ "Затворен конзулатот на Велика Британија" (in Macedonian). June 9, 2014. 
  29. ^ "Во Битола ќе се отвори албански конзулат" (in Macedonian). 
  30. ^
  31. ^ a b c d e f "Попис на Македонија" (PDF) (in Macedonian). Завод за статистика на Македонија. 2002. Retrieved 2012-05-26. 
  32. ^ Sister cities of Pushkin
  34. ^



External links[edit]