Golem degree

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Golem degree
Rocky cliffs of the island
Rocky cliffs of the island
Waters Great Prespa lake
Geographical location 40 ° 52 '7 "  N , 20 ° 59' 21"  E Coordinates: 40 ° 52 '7 "  N , 20 ° 59' 21"  E
Golem Grad (North Macedonia)
Golem degree
length 600 m
width 350 m
surface 18 ha
Highest elevation 883  m
Residents uninhabited
Map of Golem Grad with the location of the ruins and archaeological sites
Map of Golem Grad with the location of the ruins and archaeological sites

Golem Grad ( Macedonian Голем Град, in German Big City ), also called Snake Island, is a 0.18 km² island in the north Macedonian part of the Great Prespa Lake near the triangle of North Macedonia, Albania , Greece . The island is located in the administrative district of Resen , the nearest town Konjsko is about four kilometers away. The island rises up to 30 meters above the lake level, which is 853 meters above sea level.

Nature reserve

Dice snake on the island

The 18 hectare Golem Grad is about 600 m long and 350 m wide. The island is rocky on the coast and covered in the interior by countless small stones, is uninhabited and is under nature protection. In addition to some jagged caves in the cliffs of the cliffs, there are numerous nesting sites for pelicans and other water bird species on the coast. The interior of the now densely forested island is the refuge of numerous species of snakes. This uninhabited island offers an ideal habitat for reptiles, so small mammals and rodents are rarely found. Another special feature is the large number of overgrown old useful plants, trees and shrubs. The island was designated a nature reserve by the Macedonian state in 1958. This gave rise to today's Galičica National Park , which also includes the entire Galičica Mountains and Lake Prespa. The island has been accessible to tourists since August 2008, and three moorings have been created.

history

The island was already inhabited more than 2500 years ago, the first settlers probably preferred this place for fishing. In Roman times, the island was about ten kilometers south of the Via Egnatia and was used as an estate. The island has been a retreat for early Christian monks since the fifth century. They used the place as an island monastery and built seven churches and chapels. Of these, the ruins of St. Peter, St. Dimitrija, St. Atanas, St. George and St. Ilya can be visited. The island always served as a hiding place for smugglers and a refuge for resistance fighters, for example in the battles with the Ottomans, in the wars of independence and in the Second World War as a hiding place for partisans.

Archaeological monuments

In Roman times, there was a Roman villa in the center of the island, and in the southern part, some distance away, the foundations of storage and farm buildings and a cistern could be exposed. During the excavations, the remains of the monastery churches were also examined and documented.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Vera Bitrakova-Grozdanova: Golem Grad in Prespa (from Orestians to Romans) on the website of the Macedonian Information Center

See also

Web links

Commons : Golem Grad  - collection of images, videos and audio files