Kicevo (Кичево, Kichevo) - a city in the central part of Western Macedonia. The city lies in the Kichevo Valley under the southeastern slopes of Mount Bistra. Kicevo is 110 km away from Skopje, and is located almost halfway between Gostivar (46 km) and Ohrid (61 km). The city of Kicevo with its location is one of the most important traffic and transit centers in Western Macedonia.
When the Slavs came to this area,
they established new settlements. The present city was probably
founded at that time, which, as a settlement, is first mentioned in
a charter of the Byzantine emperor Basil II from 1018 with the
toponym Kitsavis. During the Middle Ages, the city was mentioned
with the forms Kitsavin and Kitshavin (Kichavin) and was part of the
Ohrid Archbishopric. The Archbishop of Ohrid Theophylact mentioned
the settlement with the toponym Kittava, and the Byzantine
chronicler Acropolis named the city of Kicevo with the forms
Kitsavin and Kitsaveos. In 1316 near the town of Kitsavis (Kicevo)
was built the monastery "St. Prechista ”in which our first
revivalists Joakim Krчоovski and Kiril Pejчиinoviгаш once resided
and were educated.
When the Turks came to the Kichevo region
at the end of the 14th century after the death of King Marko,
Kichevo is mentioned as a settlement in a written document from the
second half of the 15th century. The famous Turkish travel writer
and geographer Hadji Kalfa visited the city in the first half of the
17th century and mentioned it with the forms Firdzova, Firchova
(Firchovo), Kirchova (Kirchovo). From these forms it is presumed
that the toponym Krchovo (settlement in Krchevina) was obtained.
With the name Krchovo the settlement was mentioned in a firman of
Sultan Selim III from 1798 as kaza (surrounding place) - Krchovska
kaza. In the Middle Ages, during the reign of King Milutin, the form
Kichava was used. Vuk Karadzic mentions the forms Krcevo and Kicava.
The name Krcevo in the sixties of the 19th century is also mentioned
by the Russian scientist A. Gilferding. The Austrian travel writer
J. Mr. In a geographical map from 1867, Hahn mentions the city in
the form of Krishtevo. It is assumed that the current name of the
city comes from the forms: Kitsavis, Kirchovo, Krchovo or Krcevo.
Folk legends explain the current name of the city of Kicevo
differently. According to the legend of Marko Cepenkov, he connects
the name of Kicevo with the fortress above the city that Volkashin
built for his daughter Kita. (King Mark's sister). The fortress
(fortress) was named after her, Kitino Kale, ie Kitin Grad. Later, a
settlement was established under Kitino Kale, which was named Kicevo
after the name of Kita (Kite, Kice - accented).
Ancient and medieval history
Near today's Kicevo there
was a city in ancient times, known as Uskana. This settlement was
first mentioned during the reign of the ancient Macedonian ruler
Perseus. In that period the city played an important role in the
Macedonian-Roman wars (170-169 BC). During Roman rule, the valley in
which the present settlement is located was well populated, as
evidenced by archaeological remains. The Romans also built roads in
this part of Macedonia. It is believed that the Roman settlement was
destroyed by a catastrophic earthquake in 518.
It is known
that a roadside castle (fortress) was built on Calais during the
Romans which served to control the ancient Skupi-Lychnid road.
Whether there was a fortress here before is not certain. The road
passed at the foot of the fortress, exactly where the main street
passes today. In time, people began to settle under the fort and
along the ancient road, and a small trading settlement was formed.
In time, it grew into a small town. Life was beautiful. Life was
rich. With the barbarian invasions (Goths, Huns, Avars, Bulgarians,
Slavs) life in the settlement itself probably stopped, and the
temples were probably destroyed. In the 7th century the Slavs
settled. The Bulgarian and Byzantine governments alternated during
these centuries. The existence of the Berzitia sclavini is known.
With the re-Christianization of these territories, a symbiosis of
the population occurs and life begins to bloom again. With that the
renewal of the medieval settlement. and on the north-south trade
route. The temples are also being restored. By the time of Tsar
Samoil Kicevo was already a large military castle (town) and
probably numbered over 5,000 inhabitants and a military crew on the
fortress. Civil life took place down in the bazaar. In 1015-1018
Kicevo (Kitsavin) again fell under Byzantine rule. Kicava functioned
for centuries as a Byzantine castron (from the 10th to the 13th
century), which controlled the roads on the outskirts of the empire,
in the direction of frequent Serbian incursions from the north. In
the centuries that followed, the city fell under Serbian, Bulgarian,
and Epirus rule. The Byzantines took it again after the Battle of
Pelagonia to be conquered by the Serbs (King Milutin) between 1282
and 1297. In the Middle Ages, the mentioned territories fall under
the medieval Serbian state, which is confirmed by the gift of King
Milutin who in 1294 showered with gifts the monastery of St. George
in the village of Knezino. Kicevo in these years is probably burned
(at least the fortress).
Kichevo and Kichevo region came under Turkish
rule in 1385. After the conquest, the city was turned into a
military and administrative center. In the early Turkish period, a
guard was stationed in the Kichava fortress. In the second half of
the XV century, more precisely in 1476, the manager of the Kichevo
nahija was Ali-bey, and Kichevo was the economic and administrative
center of the nahia itself. Kicevo in this period had 217 houses.
The city, as the economic and administrative center of the nahiya,
receiving a Turkish element, changed its physiognomy day by day and
got more and more oriental appearance.
With the growing
influx of foreign capital in the late nineteenth century, the
Ottoman Empire showed interest in exploiting the region's mineral
resources, especially copper and manganese, and construction and
communal development began in the city. A city clock was erected at
the foot of the Kichevo Fortress, and a beautiful fountain was built
in the center of the city and drinking water was brought.
With the spread of Christianity in these areas, the first churches
were built in late antique and medieval Kicevo. It is known that
there are 3 churches that were demolished over time, and were built
probably in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages and all three
are located in the area that everyone knows as a bazaar:
St.
Five, does not exist today. It was located on the site of today's
city mosque, it was destroyed with the arrival of the Ottoman Turks.
The older people from Kichevo have said that during a small
earthquake, plaster fell from the walls of the mosque and frescoes
appeared. It is probable that the mosque was built on the
foundations of the destroyed church (the surroundings of the church)
or further, at least one wall of the old church was part of the new
building of the mosque. The mosque itself was probed by
archaeologist Gordana Spasovska and no material evidence was found
for the existence of a church within the mosque building. This means
that debris could be found somewhere in the area. And it is not
impossible the material from which the old church of St. Petka to be
used for the construction of the mosque.
St. Apostles Peter and
Paul, still exists today, built (and built) on the foundations of an
older church (medieval / late antique). Around the church used to be
the city cemetery, which does not exist today. With the construction
of the new ancillary buildings of today's church, graves were
discovered. The white marble slab on the threshold of the church is
probably a tombstone that was unknowingly placed here during the
construction of today's temple. Only twenty meters from the church
is the Roman cemetery, right at the foot of the fortress. Travelers
who walked along the old road probably also came back to the church
because the church is next to it. Today the church "St. Apostles
Peter and Paul "is the only Christian church in Kicevo.
St.
Dimitrija does not exist today. It was a small, perhaps first-built
church, at least that is what it looked like in the Middle Ages.
Englishman Edmund Spencer was a captain and traveled extensively,
primarily for intelligence purposes. In 1850 he also visited
Macedonia. He passed by Kicevo. It is interesting that in his
travelogue Spencer states that Kicevo is the place where the city
"Skirtijana" used to be. It is known that in the Kichevo Valley was
the ancient city Uskana (Hiskana), whose location has not yet been
determined. The source for this information is not listed, but it is
quite interesting. Here is what else Edmund Spencer writes about
Kicevo in his travelogue:
Leaving the beautiful valley of
Dreska, we crossed the mountain on the way to Kritchovo, the ancient
Skirtijana, which today is a small village with no more than a
hundred houses. We felt melancholy looking at the beautiful and
spacious basin in which the village was located, where the soil was
obviously very fertile, but little cultivated. Several abandoned
villages were scattered around, indicating that the area must have
once been the site of a deadly clash recently. Kritchevo is located
at the foot of a mountain range, not very high, here and there
covered with forest, representing a refreshing landscape in these
areas of Macedonia, where the cold bare stone is often the main
feature of the landscape; although these mountains are intertwined
with numerous fertile areas, small valleys or gorges, where the
waters of Zajas, Karasu, Kandrisu flow and several smaller rivers
flow into the river Vardar, the land still seems to be well adapted
for agriculture; yet the only inhabitants we met on our way were a
few nomads with their flocks. ”
Spencer visited Kicevo in one of the most difficult periods the
city has gone through. Namely, in the years just before he passed
here, Kicevo was the arena of one of the many bloody clashes in the
Ottoman Empire, which occurred as a result of the weakening of the
central government in Istanbul, and the strengthening of the local
pastures, beys, which began to revolt. At that time the master of
Kicevo was Abdi-bey, probably loyal to the sultan. Abdi-bey was
killed by Hamza-pasha from Skopje, who then settled in the fortress
of Kitino Kale, after which a terrible terror began against the
local population. It is said that as many as 400 servants served him
in the fortress. When Ayredin Pasha managed to defeat Hamza Pasha
and retake Kicevo, the fortress was set on fire and destroyed. Then
life began to return to normal. All this happened during the
overthrow of Ali Pasha-Janinski, in the first half of the 19th
century, a time of feudal anarchy in the Ottoman Empire. The
abolition of the Janissary Order in 1826 by Sultan Mahmud II was
used as a reason, after which a large number of Turkish feudal lords
revolted and began mass terror in the areas where they ruled. Due to
that, the population increasingly left the villages and moved to the
cities. Edmund Spencer undoubtedly witnessed the period after the
feudal anarchy in Kicevo.
The first sprouts of the Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization began with the revolutionary work of
Deacon Joseph at the monastery of the Holy Mother of God -
Prechista, and the teachers of several Kichevo villages. After the
tours and the first contacts with the migrant workers in the Kichevo
villages Pere Toshev together with Josif in 1878 they formed the
first armed detachment led by Duko Tasev, and in whose ranks was
Jordan Piperkata. They will lead the Brsjak Uprising in 1880. Also,
on August 2, 1903, an uprising began, led by Arso Vojvoda and Jordan
Piperkata, and the liberated territories were held until August 9,
when the uprising was bloodily suppressed.
The Old Kichevo
Bazaar
In the centuries under Turkish rule, the bazaar gets what
it looks like today (probably not much different from before). All
the churches have been destroyed. There is a mass Islamization of
the population which is becoming significantly Muslim. But in the
first centuries of Ottoman rule there was a new boom in trade in the
bazaar when many craft shops began to be built. The bazaar gets more
beautiful fountains, the city mosque is built, the clock tower
(1741) which looks towards it. Several tekkes (dervish, bekteshko
...) are being built, which still exist today. The houses being
built at that time had a shop downstairs and a living space
upstairs. The first centuries of Turkish rule are characterized as a
period of peace. In fact, the empire itself is gaining momentum on
every level. The bazaar got its look today, just over a century ago.
In it, as well as in Kicevo (in 1903 it had just over 4,000
inhabitants) the Christian element was strengthened. The population
is moving to the security of the city where it is less endangered by
the robber gangs. New and beautiful chorbadzi houses, inns, bakeries
are being built. Some of the activities of VMRO before the Ilinden
Uprising are taking place here. In 1907, probably with the
strengthening of the Christians, the church of St. Peter and Paul on
the foundations of the older church. The old ancient road, which is
now the central city street, is paved. The cobblestones still exist
today. But in 1938 the bazaar lost one of its biggest landmarks, the
clock tower, which burned in a fire, probably in 1926. The Serbian
governor of Kicevo did not want to rebuild it and ordered it
demolished because it reminded him of Turkish rule.
After the
liberation in 1945, the political activity in the bazaar is alive,
which after the destruction of the real people's government headed
by Metodija Andonov-Cento and the appointment of communist
officials, openly turns into nationalism and aims at an independent
and sovereign Macedonia or secession from SFRY. Leaflets appear on
the cobblestones of the bazaar. Young people are arrested and
beaten, the regime chases witches. The new communist powers
appropriate property for themselves through nationalization.
Nationalization mortally wounds the old Kichevo bazaar. Old crafts
are dying out, shops are being nationalized, petty trade is dying
out. The monuments that once adorned the bazaar are being destroyed
(the Old Town Fountain).
In the first half of the 19th century, the old ground and
multi-storey buildings were demolished and shops were built in their
place - massive buildings built of brick, plastered and decorated
with stucco, thus forming their stylistic features. A feature of
these buildings is the construction of a ground floor and a first
floor. Today, in the Bazaar, exactly these buildings with ground
floor and first floor are the most numerous - 68, there are far
fewer ground floor buildings - 20, and there are also buildings with
ground floor, first floor, mezzanine and first floor. The appearance
of additional construction of a large number of attics is
noticeable, which increases the number of storeys (and height) of
the buildings. This phenomenon is especially pronounced in the
series of buildings constructed in continuation of the museum
building. At the several new buildings, which are part of the rows,
there are buildings with ground floor and two floors, ground floor
and three floors, and in the contact zone of the Bazaar, buildings
with ground floor and four floors are registered.
Today, the
most numerous in the area of the bazaar are the buildings built
between the two world wars, which at the same time mark the period
of construction of the "new" bazaar. The oldest of them were built
between 1931-1935. By the beginning of World War II, the Bazaar was
a fully formed and compact urban and economic zone, as it had been
preserved until a decade ago. It is important to conclude that the
surviving parties of this former whole date almost entirely from the
1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Various decorative architectural elements,
taken from the European neo-styles, appear on the facades of the
buildings, which leads to an uneven stylistic physiognomy of the
street canvases. The trade and craft buildings in the bazaar, for
the most part, possess characteristic features of the European civic
historical architecture from the 19th century, but in mediated
variants and provincial variations, characteristic of the Balkans in
the first half of the 20th century. The decorative solutions on the
floor are significantly more diverse and more sophisticated. Here
you can find stucco decorations on the window openings, on the
balcony doors, on the accentuated belts in stucco-profile between
the ground floor and the first floor, on the intricately solved
various sims and on the parties above the sims, ie. decorative
parapet walls and tympanums at the level of the roof structure. All
this stucco decoration is performed in a stylized and eclectic
manner of mediated neoclassicism. On the floor, in some buildings
there is a slight protrusion / ejection above the ground floor,
which achieves a kind of dynamism of the architectural volumes and
tables. Balconies in different dimensions, but with a small
protrusion, are often performed on the floor, in a basically
symmetrical arrangement, which have a decorative effect and play the
upper parts of the facade. The balconies have iron fences in various
styles or are made of masonry or profiled columns. Balconies in
different dimensions, but with a small protrusion, are often
performed on the floor, in a basically symmetrical arrangement,
which have a decorative effect and play the upper parts of the
facade. A special architectural-decorative feature of the façade
design of the buildings in the urban whole of the Kichevo Bazaar are
the various bold solutions above the floor, at the height of the
roof structure. This highest part of the front facade of the
buildings is especially emphasized and profiled, so it is the most
important feature of this architecture. Although such solutions are
found in other places in Macedonia, the number and variety of these
facade solutions in the Kichevo Bazaar form a recognizable local
ambient feature.
Contemporary history
Kicevo and the
Kicevo region ceased to be under Turkish rule in 1912 after the end
of the First Balkan War. During this period, the Ohrid-Debar
uprising took place in which the suffering of the population was
even greater, especially in the Second Balkan War when the
population was divided into two sides so it was not known which side
and for whose interests they were dying. In 1919, with the
Versailles Conference, this region belonged to the Kingdom of Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes, which pursued a policy of assimilation of the
population. During the Kingdom of SHS, beautiful buildings were
built in the bazaar (the building of today's museum, Hotel
Thessaloniki, cafe "Velika Zupa" ...). Trade is reviving. The narrow
line that will connect Kicevo with Ohrid is also being built. The
building of the former train station still exists and is located 100
meters from the bazaar, and the remains of the rails were known
until recently. Sports life is also on the rise. This period can be
characterized as a kind of rise, but basically blackened due to the
Greater Serbia propaganda over the population. In this period from
the beginning of the century until 1940, the bazaar has over 200
shops and craft workshops, hotels, bakeries ...
In incredibly difficult conditions, this region experienced the
fascist occupation in 1941. Kichevo region falls under Italian
occupation. But Kicevo will not betray the old revolutionary
customs. Many partisans have emerged from the city and its
surroundings. In October 1941, Kuzman Josifovski-Pitu formed the
local committee of the Communist Party, in which he later became a
member and one of the most prominent citizens of Kichevo of all
time, Dr. Vladimir Polezina (Polezinoski). In the beginning, Kuzman
Josifovski did not agree for Polezina to join as a member of the
CPM, because he believed that the party belonged to the working
class, and intellectuals like him, a doctor of law, could not be
members. All Kicevo first fighters fought for Polezina to be a
member. After the joint meeting, Kuzman Josifovski realized that
Polezina as a convinced democrat and anti-fascist should be a member
of the CPM. On December 15, 1941, the first party organization was
formed in the village of Karbunica.
September 11 - day of the
liberation of Kicevo.
On September 11, 1943, immediately
after the capitulation of Italy, partisan units liberated the city
of Kicevo after fierce fighting. With that, Kicevo became the first
free city and free territory together with Debrca in Macedonia. This
is the first liberation of Kicevo which in the coming months will be
occupied and liberated several more times. A people's government was
formed in the city in which representatives of all nationalities
living in the city took part. For the first time, common freedom was
felt in action. A large public rally was held on September 26. The
ballistic leaders were forgiven for collaborating with the Italian
and German fascists and were even entrusted with guarding the border
with then-fascist Bulgaria in the vicinity of Bigor Dolenci. The
loyalty of these units was very short. In less than a month from the
direction of Gostivar begins a massive German attack on the free
territory defended on Mount Bukovic by a small but highly motivated
detachment led by Mirko Mileski which on that occasion was wiped
out. Surrendered and betrayed by the ballists and with the support
of the Bulgarian air force, the partisans were forced to retreat to
Kopacka and on October 2, 1943 Kicevo was reoccupied. In short, from
November 1 to 6, 1943, Kicevo was liberated again, and finally
liberated on November 15, 1944.
With the historic referendum
on September 8, 1991, Macedonia became an independent state, with
the construction of a multi-party system and a market economy, and
Kicevo entered the system of transition.
The Kichevo region is under the influence of
the warm continental and mountainous climate. The zone of influence
of the warm continental climate in the Republic of Macedonia is in
the altitude range from 600 to 900 m above sea level. which means
that in this climatic area in the Kichevo region is the city of
Kichevo and most of the settlements, and the mountainous areas are
influenced by the mountainous climate. The annual average
temperature in the narrower city area is 10.7 ° С where the absolute
monthly maximum temperature is 40.5 ° С while the absolute monthly
minimum is -23 ° С. The average annual maximum temperature is 17.1 °
С, and the average annual minimum temperature is 5 ° С.
The
stated climatic and other natural conditions in the analyzed region
have a limiting effect on the development of certain fruit species
and enable certain development of other fruit species. Relatively
moderate and stable humidity (74%) and warm continental climate
allow the cultivation of apple fruit species (apples and pears), as
well as favorable conditions for the cultivation of some bony fruit
species (cherry, cherry, plum). growing conditions for both walnut
and chestnut. The limitation of irrigated areas and the low amount
of rainfall in recent years have a negative effect on the
development of apple fruit species. Apples and pears require high
humidity and a lot of water, so the conditions for their cultivation
are most favorable along rivers, watercourses and areas under
irrigation. Cherries and sour cherries are fruit species that are
not very picky in terms of climatic conditions and thrive at higher
altitudes, which is very important for the region given its
altitude. Despite the relatively good conditions for growing more
fruit species, fruit growing in the region at this time is not a
significant agricultural branch. This is primarily due to the poor
organization of production and marketing, in relation to the
"specialized" regions for certain fruit species (and in which there
are relatively better conditions for growing those fruit species).
There are only 75 ha under orchards) shows the stagnation of this
agricultural branch in the region.The comparison with the situation
from ten years ago when there were about 400 ha under apples and
about 200 ha under cherries region.
Only 3 km
from the city center on the slopes of Bistra is the famous picnic
place Krushino. In the center of the city are the remains of the
medieval town of Kitino Kale. Also, right after Krushino, only 6 km
away is the village of Knezino and the monastery of St. Georgia.
About 9 km south of Kicevo, on the regional road to Bitola, is
the monastery "St. Bogorodica Prechista - Kicevska ”, the largest
spiritual center in the Kichevo region, as well as one of the most
famous Christian and religious temples in Macedonia. Mount Cocan is
located at an altitude of 920 meters. According to the legends, on
the place of the former ancient temple, near the holy fountain,
which is still visited by those who believe in the healing power of
its waters, in 1316 a monastery dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of
God was built.
Kitino Kale
Memorial ossuary
Kitka archaeological site
Monastery "St. Virgin Mary (Kicevska)"
Monastery "St. Gjorgija" -
Knezhino village
Museum "Western Macedonia in NOB"
"Sultan
Bayazit" Mosque
The House of Art
Clock tower
Old Kichev bazaar
Historical train "Kircho"
Kichevsko Kale, better known as Kitino Kale, is an elevation in the
Kichevska Kotlina that is visible from most of the valley. At the same
time, it is the center of the city of Kichevo. It is currently a park
(in a rather unenviable condition), with a memorial ossuary. But from
the earliest times, until the middle of the 19th century, this place was
inhabited continuously, with minor interruptions.
Kitino Kale is
the reason why Kicevo also exists. The name "Kitino" has probably been
around for the last 700 years, more precisely since the end of the 14th
century. The legend tells about Kita, princess and sister of King Marko.
According to her, Kita had her own castle here, a fortress (palace) from
where she ruled this region in the name of her brother. Although Kita
has not yet been confirmed by a written or material historical source,
the tradition about her is so strong among the people of Kicevo that her
spirit can almost be felt in every street and alley of the city of
Kicevo.
Kitino Kale is a tame hill with a circular base flattened
on top, up to 20 m high above the eastern foothills and the river (633 m
above sea level). At the western end, it is connected through a low and
wide saddle with the plain, in which the rivers Osojska, Zajaška and
Temnica join to form Velika. The core of the medieval and present-day
city of Kicevo grew here.
The oldest remains
The ancient road
from Skopje and Pologne to Ohrid in the south and Prilep in the east
(the ancient road Skopje - Lichnid) passed right next to the western
foot of the hill. Probably in Roman times, a roadside castle was built
on the hill to control the road. This fortress existed at the end of
antiquity; coins were found - one hoard buried after the middle of the
3rd century, then single pieces from the 4th and 6th centuries (in the
Archaeological Museum - Skopje).
Medieval remains
The city of
Kicava was built on the older remains, on the surface of about 150 x 100
m. In Turkish times, there was a large civilian settlement next to the
fortress, which grew into today's city. Today, the city park is arranged
on the site of the old fortress. Archaeological excavations have not
been carried out here. In 1929 302 silver coins from the 14th century
were found (Serbian and Venetian; in the National Museum, Belgrade). The
castle is visible from the whole city. It is located in the eastern part
of the valley at the foot of the Ilinica mountain. It is separated from
it by Zajaška Reka. It is raised about twenty meters above the rest of
the city and with an altitude of about 650 meters. The fortress that
existed in antiquity probably kept its configuration even later, with
minor modifications. At least 5 or 6 towers are discernible on the
surface (+2 at the entrance gate). The length of the wall is about 440
meters, an area of about 1.5 hectares. It was probably extended over
time. It was built from crushed stone brought from the foothills of
Ilinitsa and plaster. The old quarry can still be seen today. The
western tower, which stands out, is particularly notable, both for its
preservation and its massiveness. The rest, unfortunately, are in a
desperate state. Parts of the ramparts can be seen in places, especially
from the north. The fortress existed 150-170 years ago when it was
burned and abandoned after the liquidation of the power of the infamous
Hamza Pasha by the Ottoman authorities. At that time he lived here, and
it is mentioned that as many as 400 people served him. After the
destruction of the fortress, people started to use its stone as a
building material. Thus the fortress was even more destroyed. Half a
century ago, mechanization was used during the arrangement of the space
and a part of this archaeological site was irretrievably erased and
destroyed. Today she is hardly seen, so it is not surprising that some
people do not even know that she existed.
The fortress was the
key place for control over the Kichevska Kotlina. Spears were broken
many times around her for her control. It was guarded by several
surrounding control forts that alerted of an attack in time. Both this
and those fortresses were part of the defense system of over 500
fortresses that existed in the Middle Ages on the ground of today's
territory of Macedonia. To illustrate how good the defense system was,
if Skopje was attacked, in Bitola they knew in less than an hour, which
is sensational for today's understanding of the technology of the time,
but in fact this system worked very efficiently and simply.
By
chance, finely carved marble pillars were found on the ground of Kitino
Kale, indicating the existence of a church. At the top of the fortress
there was a palace where the governor of the fortress and the district
lived. It is possible that this part was partitioned, so that the
fortress itself was divided into two parts. Below, in the part of
today's park, were military buildings and an escape for the surrounding
population in case of siege. At today's water supply, there was an old
water tank, rain water. Traditions also speak of an underground tunnel
that was used to escape in the event of a breach in the walls. The
tunnel exited near the village of Chuka. Its existence is very likely.
Under the mud there is a cave that has not been explored.
The
fortress had a military garrison after the arrival of the Ottomans in
these areas in 1385. Its role especially grew during the Skanderbeg
Uprising when large military units were stationed in this area for
action against the insurgents. After the conquest of the fortress in
Svetigrad (today's Kodžadžik), the significance of the Kicevo fortress
decreased and became less significant.
Memorial ossuary
In
1968, a memorial ossuary was built on Kitino Kale for about 500 fallen
fighters in the NOB (1941-1945) from Kichevo and Kichevsko. The ossuary
and the relief were made by the Macedonian sculptor Jordan Grabuloski,
husband of Iskra Grabuloska, a woman from Kichev and daughter of Boris
Spirov, a doctor from Brzhdani and the second president of the
Macedonian Assembly. In the place where the ossuary was built, there was
a beautiful citadel that was finally destroyed around 1850 in a
rebellion of the Kicevo Bey who broke away from the Ottoman Empire. In
that citadel, in the Middle Ages and Antiquity, the governors of the
city lived together with the army that controlled the road and the
surroundings. The legendary Kita, the sister of King Marko, lived right
here and was probably the last Christian ruler of the Kicevo area. On
the site of today's memorial ossuary, there were three monuments in the
past, built from those demolished by different authorities. In the
1920s, a monument to the Serbian king Petar I Karađorđević was erected
on the hill. During the Second World War, the then provisional
authorities removed the previous monument and installed the Skanderbeg
monument in its place. They didn't change anything else. This monument
remained for a short time even after the liberation in 1945. Although
Skanderbeg has a tradition of respect among all people in these areas,
he was later removed. Later, a grandiose monument to the national hero -
Olga Miceska from Kichevka - was erected in the same place. This
monument was one of the largest in Macedonia at that time. At only 17
years old, Olga Miceska died in the company together with Mirko Mileski
in defense of the only free territory of Buković in 1943. The memory of
this girl has always remained strong among the people of Kichev. This
monument was in the form of a heroine announcing freedom. But in the
1960s, this monument was demolished because the city authorities at the
time considered it immoral due to the nakedness of the girl, which was
contrary to the communist regime. Although this procedure was met with
disapproval by the population, the monument was demolished and to this
day its remains can be found scattered across the mud.
Museum
"Western Macedonia in NOB"
It is of particular importance that during
the Second World War the Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army of
Macedonia resided in today's museum building. The permanent exhibition
in the museum shows us the struggle of the Macedonian people for freedom
in the 19th and 20th centuries, through documents composed of authentic
materials, objects, photographs, sketches, maps, flags, models, texts.
Most of the museum is devoted to frescoes and mosaics. In addition to
the historical part, the museum is also in constant search for
archaeological objects. A large number of archaeological excavations
have been carried out, especially at the Knežinski Monastery, Miokazi
and Karbunica sites. The museum carries out author and exhibition
activities and organizes art exhibitions. An ethnological collection was
also created, which consists of costumes from Kichevia from the 19th
century, household items, folk fabrics.
The Kircho train
The
first railway that was built to Kicevo was during the First World War by
the German armies (Central Powers). The railway was built from Skopje,
Tetovo, Gostivar, Kichevo to Ohrid. Its primary function was the
delivery of supplies to the armies that fought on the Macedonian front.
Its function continued even after the war. A monument to that time is
the "Kircho" wolf (also known as Teapot), which today stands near the
railway station. The function of the "narrow-gauge" railway continued in
the following decades, and the journey along it was a real attraction
for the population of that time, although it took a long time for
today's conditions. Later, one part of that railway was upgraded for the
needs of modern trains, one part (Kicevo - Ohrid section) was excluded
from use and ceased to exist. It is still unclear by what logic this was
done. Kichevo is one of the first cities in Macedonia (along the line
Skopje - Thessaloniki, 1878) that received a railway connection.
In the Turkish census book of 1467/68, Kicevo was the center of
Kicevo Nahiye (Nahiye-I Kirçova) and there were a total of 217 families,
of which 145 Christian families, 13 unmarried, 28 Christian widows, as
well as 30 Muslim families.
In 1530, Kichevo had 250 houses and
about 1,250 inhabitants. From a small settlement, the city slowly
developed and grew into an urban center, so that over the years it has
intensively recorded a constant increase in the population.
According to the statistics of Vasil K'nchov ("Macedonia, Ethnography
and Statistics") from 1900, 4,844 inhabitants lived in Kicevo, of which
1,200 Macedonian Christians, 3,560 Macedonian Muslims and 84 Roma.
According to the exarchate secretary Dimitar Mishev, ("La Macédoine et
sa Population Chrétienne") in 1905 there were 1,504 Macedonian
Christians in Kicevo, of which 1,440 were exarchists and 64 patriarchs.
According to the 1931 census, Kichevo had 6,328 inhabitants, and the
Kichevo section as part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia had 32,101
inhabitants, of which 21,350 were Macedonians, 10,064 Albanians and 687
others.
In the first organized census of SFR Yugoslavia in 1948,
there were 37,497 inhabitants in the Kichevo section, of which 7,280
were in the city of Kichevo, and 30,217 in the villages (Kichevija,
Kopacka, Rabetin-kol). From an ethnic point of view, the population
consisted of 22,738 (60.6%) Macedonians, 12,402 (33%) Albanians, 1,797
(4.79%) Turks, 242 Serbs, 74 Roma and 244 others.
The 1991 census
was not completely held in the city of Kichevo, because part of its
population refused to participate, that is, boycotted its holding, which
is why there are no complete data for that census year in the city.
The main feature of the economy in the region is given by the Mining and Energy Combine "Oslomey", which has a capacity of 660,000 kvh annual production and is the first facility of its kind built in the Republic of Macedonia. Trade is quite developed in Kichevo, and the most famous economic and industrial facilities are the former Taimishte iron mine (now there is a production of healthy food), the Oslomej coal mine and thermal power plant, the Tane Tsaleski factory. The city of Kichevo and Kichevsko are also known for the best and tastiest burek in the Balkans, and the most famous bakeries and bakers in Belgrade are from Kichevo The people of Kichevo continue their long historical bakery tradition with the construction of Zito Karaorman AD Kichevo in 1952. At the beginning, the mill "Karaorman" was established, which had 35 employees and the main activity was the storage of wheat and the production of flour. In 1962, 8 neighborhood bakeries from the city together with "Krushino" and "Klas" pooled their capital and assets and formed a branch of the company Zito Makedonija in Kicevo. After 17 years ie. in 1979, a new industrial bakery was built, which was served by 210 employees and which had a capacity of 24,000 pieces of bread.
Joakim Krcovski (1750, Kichevo - 1820, Kriva Palanka) - the first
Macedonian educator
Jordan Piperkata (June 23, 1870 in Kozica,
Kichevsko – August 10, 1903, in Cer, Kichevsko) - Macedonian
revolutionary
Angele Nastev Bungurov (1874 Kichevo - April 1, 1949
Skopje) - Macedonian revolutionary and participant in the Ilinden
Uprising
Boris Spirov (September 22, 1898 in Brzhdani, Kichevsko -
1974)) - Macedonian doctor and politician
Vladimir Poležinoski -
Poležina (May 30, 1913, Kicevo - June 16, 1980, Skopje) - participant in
NOB and member of ASNOM
Miho Mihajlovski (October 25, 1915 - March
28, 2003, Skopje) - participant in NOV and national hero of Yugoslavia
Ramazan Asanoski (1922-1944) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the
freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Tome Bukleski (1921) -
Macedonian revolutionary and statesman
Mirko Mileski (April 23, 1923
in Popoec, Kichevsko - October 1, 1943) - national hero in NOV
Stojan
Bozhinoski (1912-1944) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of
Macedonia and participant in NOV
Stojan Bunguroski (1923-1944) —
Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and
participant in NOV
Dusko Eremoski (1922-1944) — Macedonian partisan,
fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Velo
Zmejkoski (1921-1943) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of
Macedonia and participant in NOV
Isein Iseinoski (1923-1944) —
Macedonian partisan of Turkish nationality, fighter for the freedom of
Macedonia and participant in NOV
Slave Mitreski (1925-1943) —
Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and
participant in NOV
Flora Mihajloska (1908-1944) — Macedonian
partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Janko Mihajloski (1919-1943) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the
freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Miho Mihajloski
(1915-2003) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia
and participant in NOV
Pavle Narandjoski (1915-1945) — Macedonian
partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Ljupco Poposki (1927-1943) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the
freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Pero Poposki (1922-1945)
— Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and
participant in NOV
Niko Pusoski (1911-1944) — Macedonian partisan,
fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Vlado
Risteski (1922-1945) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of
Macedonia and participant in NOV
Aleksandar Siljanoski (1921-1945) —
Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and
participant in NOV
Olga Sofeska Miceska (1926-1943) — Macedonian
partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Metodija Stefanoski (1922-1944) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the
freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Koce Todoroski
(1921-1944) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia
and participant in NOV
Jordan Trajanoski (1926-1943) — Macedonian
partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Zivko Tufekdzijoski (1921-1943) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the
freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Risto Ugrinoski
(1925-1945) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia
and participant in NOV
Sande Cvetanoski-Belichot (1915-1944) —
Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and
participant in NOV
Cvetan Cvetanoski (1921-1944) — Macedonian
partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Lube Djibitoski (1883-1944) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the
freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Metodija Shterjoski
(1917-1944) — Macedonian activist, member of the national liberation
movement
Mile Sterjoski (1923-?) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for
the freedom of Macedonia and participant in NOV
Nikola Shterjoski
(1921-1943) — Macedonian partisan, fighter for the freedom of Macedonia
and participant in NOV
Niko Buklevski (October 15, 1923) - Macedonian
film worker - cameraman
Tome Momirovski (April 4, 1927) - Macedonian
storyteller, novelist, essayist, critic and translator.
Kosara
Gochkova (January 5, 1932) - Macedonian writer for children
Meto
Petrovski (1935 in Ivancishta, Kichevsko) - Macedonian cinematographer,
film and television director
Nikola Kosteski (15 December (1948) -
ARM officer - colonel, founder of the first Macedonian independent
publishing house 1987 GJURGJA
Gotse Todorovski (July 6, 1951) -
Macedonian actor
Aleksandar Stankovski (January 26, 1959) -
Macedonian visual and multimedia artist
Vladimir Taleski (March 7,
1959) - Macedonian actor and former mayor of Bitola Municipality
Kaliopi Bukleska (December 28, 1966) - famous and distinguished
Macedonian artist, vocal performer, composer and lyricist
Goran B.
Stojanoski (1966) - Macedonian writer
Ace Spasenovski (March 31,
1969) - former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management
Vlatko Lozanoski - Lozano (June 27, 1985) - Macedonian singer