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Struga Струга Strugë

Coat of arms City motto : Coordinates ° N ° E Municipality : Struga municipality Elevation m Population approximately 30000 Time zone  - Standard  - Summer (DST) CET (UTC+1) CEST (UTC+2) Founded Area code +389 246 Postal code 6330 Car plates Official Websites www.struga.gov.mk/ www.struga.gov.mk/index.php?id=109

Struga (Macedonian: Струга, Albanian: Strugë) is a town situated in the south-western region of the Republic of Macedonia, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The town of Struga is a seat of the Struga municipality.

Contents 1 Geography 2 Demographics 3 Culture 4 Tourism 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Struga is located in an open valley on the magnificent Lake Ohrid. The Black Drin river starts at the lake and divides the city.

According to 2002 census, the town of Struga had a population of 16,559 and included^[1]:

• Macedonians - 9,901 (59,79%)
• Albanians - 4,293 (25,92%)
• Turks - 907 (5,48%)
• Vlachs - 550 (3,32%)
• Roma - 97 (0,59%)
• Serbs - 72 (0,43%)
• Bosniaks - 16 (0,10%)
• others - 723

Struga is also a place of important cultural significance in the Republic of Macedonia, as it is the birthplace of the poets Konstantin and Dimitar Miladinov. The main event of the cultural life in Struga is the world's largest poetry gathering, Struga Poetry Evenings, which lauerats included several Nobel Prize for Literature winners such as Joseph Brodsky, Eugenio Montale, Pablo Neruda, Seamus Heaney and many others.

There are several cultural monuments in Struga and in its vicinity such as the Monastery of Kalishta, a few kilometers away from the town center, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. It is believed that it dates from the 16th century, with frescoes from the 14th and the 15th centuries. The Church Sveta Bogorodica (St. Mary) in the village of Vranishta, is believed to be the one where Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria was crowned. The church has many doors and far fewer windows and often the people call it "the kings church" especially at nighttime when it's cold.

The church of St. George is also located in the town; built on top of Samuil's church, it has many icons from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Near the village of Radolishta, a basilica from the 4th century has been discovered, with a mosaic. Struga's old architecture, dating from the 18th and 19th century is also a cultural highlight.

Much of the town's meager income is through internal tourism. Struga's location on Lake Ohrid makes it a slightly quieter and more peaceful experience than the more bustling Ohrid. When visiting this quiet town of Republic of Macedonia, there are a few other places that show the beauty and culture, like the clay chamberpots at the house of the Miladinov Brothers, the old Struga bazaar, the century old churches and mosques.

• Struga Poetry Evenings
• Republic of Macedonia

• Official Site of the Town
• Struga information
• http://www.svp.org.mk/ - The site of the Struga Poetry Evenings
• Struga Tourism Portal

Cities and Towns in the Republic of Macedonia
Berovo | Bitola | Bogdanci | Debar | Delčevo | Demir Kapija | Demir Hisar | Gevgelija | Gostivar | Kavadarci | Kičevo | Kočani | Kratovo | Kriva Palanka | Kruševo | Kumanovo | Makedonski Brod | Makedonska Kamenica | Negotino | Ohrid | Pehčevo | Prilep | Probištip | Radoviš | Resen | Štip | Skopje | Struga | Strumica | Sveti Nikole | Tetovo | Valandovo | Veles | Vinica

Coordinates: 41°10′39″N, 20°40′44″E