Bitola
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Bitola (Macedonian Битола, Albanian Manastir, Turkish Manastır, Greek Μοναστήρι, Serbian Bitolj/Битољ) is a city in the present day (Former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia. It is in the district of Bitola It is located about 40 km N of Florina, E of Resen, and S of Skopje and Prilep and is accessed with the M5 and the E65. As Heraclea Lyncestis, founded by Philip II of Macedon, it was a major city during the Roman Empire, lying on the Via Egnatia. Later it was settled by slavic people and in 1395 it was conquered by Ottoman Empire, which made the city a major military and commercial center. It later became the terminus of a major railway line and the largest city in western Macedonia.
In historical meaning of the word Bitola was capital of the Otoman empire utill 1913 when Macedonia was ocupied by the Serbians. Many inportant events for Macedonian and Balcan history happend in Bitola. The first video picture in the Balcans was recorded by Manaki Bros. in Bitola in 1903(so in oner of Manaki Bros every year in Bitola "Kamera300" film festival is organized , this festival is the most popular filma festival in the balcans). Throught the history Bitola was main economical centar in this part of the Balcans and Macedonia. In 1945 in Bitola was open the first Gimnazium in macedonia language.
Bitola is main economical and indystrial center in the western part of Macedonia. Many of the largest companies (such as : IMB , Kvasara , Shekerana , REK .. ) in Macedonia are sityated in this city .
Also Bitola is main cultural centar in Macedonia with many thetres , music festivals , contry music gropus ,film festival and most importan events are "Bitola cultural Summer " , "Mal Bitolski Monmantr " , "Braka Manaki " ... The name "Bitola" comes from the old slavonic word "Obitel" which means monastery.
During the First Balkan War of 1912, both Greece and Serbia attacked Bitola in a pincer movement. The leader of the greek army, heir to the throne prince Constantine was heading towards Bitola but had to change direction towards Thessaloniki after several angry telegrams by his prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos. Thus Serbia won the race to Bitola. In 1917, the city suffered extensive damage from an allied artillery barrage, being the second most bombarded city in WW1.
Present day Bitola is the second largest city in the Republic of Macedonia, center of the Bitola Municipality, and an important agro-industrial, cultural and educational center.
Links:
Bitola Municipality Offical Page (http://www.bitola.gov.mk)
Bitola Babam Bitola (http://www.bitola.de)
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