Page 106 - Ekonomija i Biznis_septemvri 2016.indd

РBУEБAРUИTIКFАUL MACEDONIA
Plake Mountain
About halfway between Resen and Ohrid,
you will notice a road sign displaying the
names of the villages of Kuratica, Plake,
Rechica. All these are on the west side of
Plake Mountain. The road is relatively good tion. Beside the rolling mills in the village of Rechica,
and you can quickly arrive at any of these locations.
There are not many tourists in that area. At just a few
minutes’ drive, on the right side there is a fish pond,
so you can take a break here or across the road in the
village of Openica. This village is known also for one of
the oldest and most representative photos of the Mace-
donian villages taken by the famous Auguste Leon in
1913. Make sure you look for it online. Due to its impres-
sive size, you can easily see the “St. Nicholas” church.
Rolling mills are among the most recognizable signs
of this region. Today, few people know the meaning of
the word rolling mill, although it is often used as an
archaism denoting a person who continuously speaks.
If you want to see these constructions, which are an in-
evitable element in the production of traditional wool-
en rugs (yambolia) and other cloth, and get acquainted
with the old traditional way of production, then the
villages under Plake Mountain offer just that. The
abundant clean water in the pristine nature quickly
descends, creating perfect conditions for the construc-
tion of the oldest type of laundries. under the strong
decline of water and generated strong turbulence be-
tween the wooden planks, yambolias revolved for two
106 September 2016
days, and after they dried on the wooden fences and
obtained their excellent quality and distinctive softness
they were ready for sale and use. Rolling mill operating
is a craft that is completely extinct, and is a real attrac-
also known and even more numerous are those oppo-
site the Plake Mountain in the village of Virovo.
If you want to be physically active, climb the Plake
Mountain. In autumn it is an idyllic landscape in pre-
dominantly golden color. The mountain is spacious and
if you plan to go on longer hikes it is advisable to be
guided by a local who knows the area well. The highest
peak is Plake, which is 1998 meters high. Other peaks
in the vicinity are Dupen Kamen, Damov Grob, Gram-
ada, Crni Vrv... On the opposite side, towards Demir
Hisar, is the village of Sloeshtica, the birthplace of the
great writer Petre M. Andreevski, the author of “Pirej”
(“Weed”), perhaps the best Macedonian novel and the
unique collection of poems “Denicija”. Every year, on
August 28, on the Feast of The Assumption, an event
called “Celebrating weeds” is held.
In good weather, from the peaks of Plake Mountain
you can easily see the Church of “St. Elias” which is one
of the tallest churches in the country, erected on the
slopes of Ilino Mountain at an altitude of 1544 m., on
the border between the municipalities of Debarca and
Demir Hisar. The church is often visited by many climb-
ers who come mostly through the village Golemo Ilino.