Ohrid: Plaosnik (Sv. Kliment and Pantelejmon)

There are a number of significant remains at Plaosnik.

As my Guide Book Macedonia explains, "Plaosnik has been a renowned religious site since the very beginnings of Christianity...A number of Early Christian basilicas have been found at this site, as well as the remains of the Church of Saint Panteleimon, built by Saint Clement of Ohrid, who worked in this complex.  The Church of Saint Clement was reconstructed and painted with frescoes (13th-15th centuries) and it operated until the end of the 15th century when it was demolished and a mosque erected in its place."

It is believed that on this site Saint Clement operated a literary school for his disciples that could be considered the first Slavic university, dating back to the 10th century.

A newly built church was completed in 2002 on the foundation of the old church (and you can see the demarcation in one of the pictures, below). During the reconstruction on the site a ceramic pot with a cache of Venetian silver coins from the 14th century was found, demonstrating trade relations between Ohrid and Venice.

In addition to this beautiful Byzantine church, on this site are also the remains of early Christian basilicas (and you can see some of the beautiful mosaics in the pictures, below).  Again, as the Guide Book explains, "Two monumental Christian basilicas have been discovered: the polyconchal church in the northern part of the site, and the outstanding three-aisle basilica around Saint Clement's Church itself...This baptistry was part of the oldest and largest five-aisle basilica, dating from the 5th century, discovered in Plaosnik beneath Saint Clement's Church."


These Macedonian tourist websites have additional information and pictures:

 http://whereismacedonia.org/where-to-go-in-macedonia/tourist-destinations-macedonia/717-plaosnik-archeological-complex-with-the-first-slavic-university-in-europe

http://travel2macedonia.com.mk/tourist-attraction/saint-pantelejmon-plaosnik-monastery-ohrid

The ruins of this Episcopal Church stand on the spot called Plaosnik, one of the most serene places in the old part of Ohrid. It was probaly built in the 5th of 6th century, when the town Lychnidos (ancient name of Ohrid) was an important Early Christian Episcopal seat. The basilica has been erected on the foundations of an older clasical temple and has a trefoil shape. Unknown artist decorated it with magnificent mosaics with figurative, floral and zoomorphic motifs. The Plaosnik monastery of Ohrid (Saint Pantelejmon) is believed to have been built when Saint Clement arrived in Ohrid, in 893, on the remains of another Early Christian basilica decorated with floor mosaics. Historical sources claim that, Saint Clement of Ohrid was not satisfied with the size of the church and therefore, built a new one over it and assigned Saint Panteleimon as its patron saint. Saint Clement of Ohrid used his newly created monastery as a liturgical building and a place for teaching his disciples his variation of the Glagolitic alphabet, known as the Cyrillic alphabet. Saint Clement of Ohrid personally built a crypt inside the Plaosnik monastery in which he was buried after his death in 916, and his tomb still exists today (after was secretly kept in other monastery during the Ottoman period). In the 15th Century, Ottoman Turks converted the Saint Clement’s Plaosnik monastery into a mosque but, during the beginning of the 16th century allowed ruined churches and monasteries to be restored, therefore, so was Saint Clement's - Plaosnik monastery. The monastery was again ruined during the end of the 16th century or the beginning of the 17th century and yet another mosque, called Imaret Mosque, which existed until the restoration of the important Ohrid monastery in 1999. Many archaeologists believe that Saint Clement of Ohrid himself designed and constructed the monastery on Plaosnik. Saint Clement, along with Saint Naum would use the monastery as a basis for teaching the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets to Christianized Macedonian Slavs thus making it a university. Yes, the first Slavic University in the world, that hold up 3,500 students at the time. The Plaosnik monastery stands on the famouse Ohrid hill which is now known as Plaosnik overlooking Lake Ohrid. Saint Clement of Ohrid built his monastery on a restored church and a Roman basilica of five parts (the remains of the basilicas can still be seen outside the monastery). Judging by the architectural style and design of the monastery, researchers say that Saint Clement intended for his building to be a literary school for disciples, thus it is believed to be the first and oldest discontinued university in Europe as well in the Slavic world.

Read more at: http://travel2macedonia.com.mk/tourist-attraction/saint-pantelejmon-plaosnik-monastery-ohri

The ruins of this Episcopal Church stand on the spot called Plaosnik, one of the most serene places in the old part of Ohrid. It was probaly built in the 5th of 6th century, when the town Lychnidos (ancient name of Ohrid) was an important Early Christian Episcopal seat. The basilica has been erected on the foundations of an older clasical temple and has a trefoil shape. Unknown artist decorated it with magnificent mosaics with figurative, floral and zoomorphic motifs. The Plaosnik monastery of Ohrid (Saint Pantelejmon) is believed to have been built when Saint Clement arrived in Ohrid, in 893, on the remains of another Early Christian basilica decorated with floor mosaics. Historical sources claim that, Saint Clement of Ohrid was not satisfied with the size of the church and therefore, built a new one over it and assigned Saint Panteleimon as its patron saint. Saint Clement of Ohrid used his newly created monastery as a liturgical building and a place for teaching his disciples his variation of the Glagolitic alphabet, known as the Cyrillic alphabet. Saint Clement of Ohrid personally built a crypt inside the Plaosnik monastery in which he was buried after his death in 916, and his tomb still exists today (after was secretly kept in other monastery during the Ottoman period). In the 15th Century, Ottoman Turks converted the Saint Clement’s Plaosnik monastery into a mosque but, during the beginning of the 16th century allowed ruined churches and monasteries to be restored, therefore, so was Saint Clement's - Plaosnik monastery. The monastery was again ruined during the end of the 16th century or the beginning of the 17th century and yet another mosque, called Imaret Mosque, which existed until the restoration of the important Ohrid monastery in 1999. Many archaeologists believe that Saint Clement of Ohrid himself designed and constructed the monastery on Plaosnik. Saint Clement, along with Saint Naum would use the monastery as a basis for teaching the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets to Christianized Macedonian Slavs thus making it a university. Yes, the first Slavic University in the world, that hold up 3,500 students at the time. The Plaosnik monastery stands on the famouse Ohrid hill which is now known as Plaosnik overlooking Lake Ohrid. Saint Clement of Ohrid built his monastery on a restored church and a Roman basilica of five parts (the remains of the basilicas can still be seen outside the monastery). Judging by the architectural style and design of the monastery, researchers say that Saint Clement intended for his building to be a literary school for disciples, thus it is believed to be the first and oldest discontinued university in Europe as well in the Slavic world.

Read more at: http://travel2macedonia.com.mk/tourist-attraction/saint-pantelejmon-plaosnik-monastery-ohrid

 We took a macchiatto break at the Cafe Pantelejmon - where we enjoyed beautiful views and and a refreshing snack

with our guide - who was such a wealth of information about the sites. we would only have seen a faction of what we were able to see with his expert guidance

the owner of the cafe came to greet us - and gave us a fridge magnet and pens - we have a collection of magnets on our fridge (here in Skopje and back in Florida) - and this magnet will take a special place - as a memento of our wonderful trip to Ohrid - I am glad my husband could come visit Macedonia to experience the exceptional hospitality