Basic information

 

Location:

In southwestern Macedonia, in the Prespa valley, on the three-lane Macedonia-Albania-Greece, along the shores of Lake Prespa, 41º05’20 “N; 21º00’44” E

Located at 880 meters above sea level

Time zone

Central European Time (GMT + 1)

Climate

moderate-continental climate with Mediterranean influence

average annual temperature: 9.5º C

average summer temperature: 18.9º C.

average winter temperature: 0.1º C.

Population

16,825 inhabitants 8,748 inhabitants in the city of Resen

8,077 inhabitants in rural settlements

Area

Total area 739 km2 (562 km2 – land and 177 km2 area under water.)

 

How to get to Resen?

 

Arrival by plane

The airport St. Apostol Pavle – Ohrid is 45 km away from the Municipality of Resen and has about 90 minutes by car. Information about the take-off and landing of the aircraft can be obtained at the following telephone numbers: 0038946252820, 0038946252821 and 00389462625050.

Arrival by rail

The nearest train station is located in Bitola and it is 50 km away from the city of Resen.

Arrival by car

The main international road that passes through the municipality is the corridor M5-Bitola-Resen-Ohrid.

From Ohrid, you can reach Resen in 40 minutes.

From Skopje, you can reach Resen in 180 minutes

Arrival by bus

The bus station is located 2 km from the city center. Information can be obtained at the following phone number: 0038947451756 and 0038947451506

 

A brief history of Resen

 

The ancient age of the Prespa area marked the period of existence of the two great civilizations – Roman and Greek.

During the Roman Empire, the famous old-fashioned Via Egnatia passed through Prespa. In addition to it, several settlements and road stations were built. One of them was Skirtiana, where the Slavic settlement of Resen later grew.

During the VI and VII century, the Slavic tribes – Brsjaci settled in Prespa.

For the first time, Resen is mentioned as a medieval settlement in a charter of the Dushan Code of 1337, under the name Rosne. In a 16th-century census, the settlement is registered as Resne.

In the 18th century, with the development of trade and crafts, Resen grew into a small town.

At the time of the decline of power, the Ottoman Empire, especially at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Prespa region was one of the centers of resistance and the creation of the Macedonian national identity. During the Ilinden Uprising, a large number of rural settlements in the Municipality of Resen were liberated by the insurgents, but the city of Resen has not been liberated yet.

Resen and the Prespa region are also the location where, on July 3, 1908, the Young Turk Revolution, led by Ahmet Niyazi Bey. The main goal of the revolution was to democratize the Ottoman Empire and modernize all outdated institutions, and the end result of this revolution was the establishment of the Republic of Turkey as a democratic, secular state.

During the Second World War, the Prespa region was among the first to start active resistance by the local population – as early as 1942, the Bitola-Prespa partisan detachment “Dame Gruev” was formed.

On August 2, 1943, near the village of The famous Prespa Conference was held in Oteshevo.

The city of Resen was liberated on September 11, 1944. Today, the Prespa region is known for its Prespa Lake and sandy beaches, traditional apple production, rich flora and fauna, as well as preserved, vibrant villages where every guest is welcome and traditions are still passed down from generation to generation.