Kruševo

For other uses, see Krushevo (disambiguation).

Kruševo
Coat of arms
Country	North Macedonia
Municipality	Kruševo municipality
Elevation	1,350 m (4,430 ft)
Population  ()
• Total	5,507
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	7550
Area code	+389 048
Car plates	BT

Krushevo (Template:Lang-mk) is a town in Republic of Macedonia. It is the highest town in Macedonia as it is situated at an altitude of over 4,000 feet (1250 m) above sea level. The town of Krushevo is a seat of the Krushevo municipality.

Name

The name of the town in other languages is:

• Template:Lang-bg, (Krushevo)
• Aromanian: Crushuva

History

Mentioned in documents from the 15th century, Krusevo is a living museum, famous for its traditional architecture, cultural sites, and legacy as the site of the great 1903 Ilinden uprising against Ottoman domination. The rebellion failed, but its memory is cherished in Macedonia even today, as a symbol of the national struggle for freedom and democracy; while it lasted only 10 days, the Krushevo Republic of revolutionary leader Nikola Karev represented a desire for self-rule under a modern European political system. Today an enormous monument on the hill above Krusevo marks the elusive dream of the Ilinden revolutionaries.

During the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising in 1903 the rebels proclaimed a short lived Kruševo Republic. Having suppressed the uprising the city was almost completely destroyed by the Ottoman army.The republic known as Krushevska republika was established here in 1903 during the Ilinden insurrection. One of the most important points in the Ilinden uprising was the declaration of the "Manifesto of Krushevo". It called for all the people of Macedonia regardless of their nationality and religion to fight together against the Ottoman Empire and live peacefully in a free country of Macedonia.

There is in the area a monument called Mečkin Kamen (Bear's Stone). This was the place where Pitu Guli's band (cheta) was trying to defend the town of Kruševo from the Turkish troops coming from Bitola. The whole band and their leader (voivode) perished and Kruševo as well as many of the nearby villages were set to fire by the Ottomans.

Features

Krusevo is a small picturesque mountain town. It resembles a magic painting by an old master. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 metres (4,430 ft), Krusevo is the highest town in the Republic of Macedonia. The chance guest will not be wrong if they style Krusevo as a museum of old architecture. The town is full of old and more recent houses built in the style of old Macedonian architecture.

It is home to Mečkin Kamen, a famous historical landmark which marks the spot of the uprising of 1903. On 2 August every year, it is the site of the traditional Macedonian Independence Day celebrations which are attended by the President of Macedonia, as well as other Macedonian political leaders.

The "Makedonium" monument of the Ilinden Uprising is to be found in Krusevo. There are also a number of museums of the Ilinden Uprising, a Gallery of 19th century icons, and a memorial gallery to the master of modern Macedonian painting, Nikola Martinovski, who was born in this town.

Owing to its high elevation (1250 meters or 4,000 feet), Krusevo is also one of Macedonia’s prime winter sports destinations. Yet this same quality also makes this pine-forested getaway a comfortable destination in summer, when the Krusevo air stays cooler and more pure than in the arid lowlands.

Notable people

• Vasil Iljoski, leading Macedonian writer
• Pitu Guli, Aromanian revolutionary
• Nikola Gabrovski, famous Bulgarian officer
• Toše Proeski, famous Macedonian singer
• Alexandros Svolos, Greek academic

See also

• Kruševo municipality
• Kruševo Republic
• Republic of Macedonia

External links

• Kruševo Macedonia
• Krusevo information
• Hotel Montana