BICYCLE TOUR THROUGH THE REPUBLIC OF KRUSHEVO

At an altitude of 1,220 meters, Krushevo is the only mountainous town in Macedonia and the highest town on the Balkans as well. The city got its present form with the arrival of the Vlachs from Moskopole and the Mijaks from the surrounding area, during the 18th century. Together with the Vlachs, a large number of Orthodox Albanians came to Krushevo, who in the course of history became Vlachs. In the city, in addition to Macedonian language being an official one, the Vlach language (according to the new decision of the Kruševo City Council dated May 30, 2006) and the Albanian language are official, too.
Krushevo is a small town of just over 5,000 inhabitants, tightly knit as all isolated mountain communities seem to be. The topography has protected Krushevo from change over the decades and as a result, it feels a little locked in time.
Kruševo literally means ``a place of pears`` in Macedonian language, a sweet name for an undeniably beautiful piece of land. In summer and autumn, the trees drop plums, pears and figs on fields of tobacco leaves, and in winter, the hills turn into ski slopes.
However, beneath the quiet, peaceful life, Krushevo has long been known for the fierce fighting spirit that fueled the grassroots rebel liberation movement in 1903. The Ilinden uprising originated from Krushevo. It began by appeal to the people of all ethnicities and religions to unite against the ruling Ottoman Sultanate, and ended by declaring the Republic of Kruševo, the only self-governing region in the Ottoman Empire at the time.
The Krushevo Republic was short-lived – it lasted only 10 days. In retaliation, the soldiers executed nearly 10,000 people and destroyed most of the city. But it was a key moment in shaping the narrative around Krushevo. The people here fought hard to maintain their traditions and independence in a time of struggle - and there was a lot of it.
Various sports and cultural events, festivals, presentations, workshops are organized in Krushevo throughout the year. The tradition here is at the highest level, the large number of church buildings and cultural and historical monuments will not leave you indifferent and will fulfill every moment of your stay. Among the many facilities, let's point out: The Ilinden Monument (Macedonium): The Uprising also gave the town its most famous landmark. If you have heard of Krushevo before, it is probably in the context with the Ilinden Monument, a distinctive monument (war memorial from the Yugoslav era). It was unveiled on August 2, 1974 on the day of the thirtieth anniversary of the meeting of ASNOM and the 71st anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising. The monument marks the insubordination, struggle and eternal striving of the Macedonian people for freedom and an independent state. Locally known as Makedonium, this building has won many international accolades, including the one of the top 10 most unique buildings in the world by “Architecture and Design”.
The interior is just as interesting as the exterior profile, so I strongly urge you to pay the ticket price and venture inside. Each ``node`` is a deep alcove - the upper rows are equipped with either a stained glass window (a set of four panels designed by the artist Borko Lazeski, representing the four seasons) or a skylight.
The Museum of the Ilinden Uprising and the Krushevo Republic is located in the old town 19th century house, in which the Krushevo Republic was proclaimed in 1903. Original exhibits of weapons, cards, maps, photographs are located here, which logically depict the events related to the Ilinden epic.
Memorial: Todor Proeski's home represents a grandiose and unique project with a specific purpose and reason for construction. The memorial was opened on April 25, 2011. The facility has an area of 870 square meters and is in the shape of a cross.
It represents a monument to a man who was, still is, and will remain a moral beacon and guide for all people. Tose Proeski was one of the biggest music stars in the Balkans, but his early death cut short his brilliant career. A museum that you must visit and learn more about the Macedonian music idol Toshe. The monastery complex dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Lord: it is located in the village of Ruchalo at altitude of about 1642 m., in a beautiful and picturesque natural environment. From Krushevo, to the north, the complex is about 8 km away. It is located near the locality ``Sliva``. The monastery was vandalistically destroyed at the beginning of the 19th century, and was restored in 1986. This monastery is a transition point for mountain bikers and mountaineers on the way to Musica, at an altitude of 1,780. And this monastery is connected to Toshe
Proeski, who dedicated his whole life to the restoration of this monastery.
Mechkin Kamen: Mechkin Kamen is one of the most famous localities near Krushevo. This locality is known for the historical battle that took place on August 2, 1903, in defense of the Krushevo Republic. Duke Pitu Guli died heroically in this legendary battle, with almost his entire revolutionary troop fighting bravely against the stronger opponent - the army of Bakhtiar Pasha and the bashibozuk. A monument was built on this site in honor of Pitu Guli and his revolutionary troop who bravely fought for the Republic of Krushevo. In addition to these, there are also recreational centers in Krushevo for every choice in all 4 weather seasons. The Stanich ski center, for instance, has three tracks, two ski lifts and a two-seater cable car that takes you from the town, through a beech forest, directly to the slopes. The paths have different difficulty levels: the easy one 350m long, the medium 400m one and a path with an advanced level of 700m under the two-seater cable car.
The paragliding sport with the flying platform is the number 1 attraction in Krushevo. World and European championships, world cups in paragliding are held here, and thousands of paragliders stay even for several months.
Monastery tourism is also very attractive - including visits to the four town churches (St. Nicholas, St. John, the one dedicated to Holy Mother of God and the other dedicated to The Holy Trinity) and the three monasteries (Ascension of Jesus Christ, St. Basil and the Transfiguration of the Lord).
In addition to other sports, two cycling events are held in Krusevo, namely @When In Krusevo and @Krusevo through forest, which attract a lot of attention and a large number of cyclists and mountaineers. If you want to be a direct participant in these events, follow them on one of the social networks (link to the events of both events).
For enthusiasts of mountain biking, there are a number of trails in Krushevo that will delight you with the beautiful scenery. One of them is the bicycle path #KrushevoNizKorija which takes you to the highest point Musica at an altitude of 17887m.