THE CULTURAL HERITAGE

IN THE DEBAR AND REKA

REGION
ran Pavlov
| D ar ko N ik olovski | Zo
imovska ova Mateska
Dafina Geras | S n ez ana Gerasim
zi Pec o v a
Cvetanka Had

1
2
THE CULTURAL HERITAGE
IN THE DEBAR AND REKA
REGION
Pavlov
ko N ik o lo vski | Zoran
ar
imovska | D Mateska
Dafina Geras | S n ez an a Gerasimova
zi Pecova
Cvetanka Had

December, 2018, Skopje

3
 Publisher:
Ministry of Culture of Republic of Macedonia
Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage
For the Publisher: PhD Eleonora Petrova-Mitevska
National Coordinator of the Local development Pilot Project Debar and Reka:
MSc Snezana Gerasimova-Mateska
Authors:
Dafina Gerasimovska
Darko Nikolovski
Zoran Pavlov
Cvetanka Hadzi Pecova
Snezana Gerasimova-Mateska
Macedonian proofreading:
Aleksandar Jordanoski
English translation:
Orhideja Zorova
English proofreading:
Tabitha Longley-Coomber
Photographs:
Dafina Gerasimovska
Konstantin Dimitrovski
Darko Nikolovski
Zoran Pavlov
Cvetanka Hadzi Pecova
Francois Zvardon
Vlado Kirpijanovski
Snezana Gerasimova-Mateska
Design and preparation: Frosina Coneva Ivanovic
Print: Kosta Abras, Ohrid

The publication is published with the financial support

of the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Macedonia

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CONTENTS

Introduction...................................................................................................4

Dafina Gerasimovska
Archaeological Sites in the Municipalities of
Debar and Mavrovo and Rostusha......................................................6

Darko Nikolovski
Sacral Christian Cultural Heritage in the Municipalities
of Debar and Mavrovo and Rostusha............................................. 13

Zoran Pavlov
Typology, Characteristics and Significance
of the Ottoman Monuments on the
Debar and Reka Region......................................................................... 27

Cvetanka Hadzi Pecova

Historical and Urban Development
of the Town of Debar.............................................................................. 35

Snezana Gerasimova Mateska

Traditional Vernacular Architecture
in the Debar – Reka Region................................................................. 47

List of terms............................................................................................... 60

References................................................................................................... 64

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 INTRODUCTION

The Local Development Pilot Project Debar and Reka was carried out on behalf
of the Ministry of Culture, Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage in
cooperation with the Council of Europe as part of the Regional Programme
for Cultural and Natural Heritage of Southeastern Europe. Its purpose is to
launch sustainable development process for the local area. This will be based
on cooperation and participation of all national and local stakeholders with the
goal of enhancing the cultural heritage of the region and consequently initiating
a sustainable development process.

Within the frames of the implementation of the Local Development Pilot Project
of the region Debar and Reka, in 2013, a Comprehensive Heritage Survey was
conducted on the entire territory of the region. The activity was financially
supported by the Council of Europe and Ministry of Culture. The goal of the
Comprehensive Heritage Survey was to provide technical support to the referent
authorities in their efforts to protect cultural heritage and to explore and
determine its values and role in long-term development policies.

The field examinations identified the authentically preserved immovable cultural

heritage within the frames of the settled areas and the quantity, state and
possibility for their integration in the region`s development plans.

The survey of the immovable heritage was executed by three teams composed of
the following experts: MA Snezana Gerasimova – Mateska, Biljana Kuzmanovska,
PhD Dafina Gerasimovska, Valentino Dimitrovski, MA Zoran Pavlov, MA Cvetanka
Hadzi Pecova, Konstantin Dimitrovski, MA Darko Nikolovski, Gazmend Cami and
Orhideja Zorova.

6
The main difficulties encountered by the teams when carrying out the field work
were the mountainous terrain in which the villages are situated, the difficult
access to these villages due to the lack of roads, the abundant summer vegetation
and the depopulation of the regions. Despite these difficulties, objects in a total
of 58 villages, the town of Debar and several archaeological sites were visited.

The largest parts of these inherited structures are no longer in use and due to
their total abandonment, the rich heritage and the possibility for their use in the
development of the region are lost. This process of devastation of the cultural
heritage leads to the building of new structures for the development needs of
the region, which further contributes to the degradation of the buildings and
artefacts.

The general impression for the villages is that, despite the fact that they are
located in a remarkably vivid landscape, the inherited ambient is largely degraded.
Over centuries of existence, they have undergone various changes in order to
alter their structure with new materials and styles to fit the characteristics of
various times. Nevertheless, they have managed to endure until present days and
to keep their historical layers. The objects, although in poor physical state, have
preserved the authentic architectonic characteristics.

This publication presents the preserved sacral and secular architecture in the
village settlements and the town of Debar, which according to its values and
authentic perseverance are interestingt for revitalization and sustainable use.

The regeneration of the monumental objects and their treatment as economic

goods is the best way to preserve them as it would produce profit larger than
that needed for their revitalization and permanent maintenance. The creating of
a strategy for sustainable use of the cultural heritage will allow conditions for its
protection, increase economic growth and limit the migration of the population
thus stopping the depopulation of the region.

The publishing of this book is within the frames of the marking of the Europaen
Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, which is conducted on behalf of the Directorate for
Protection of Cultural Heritage under the moto “Our Heritage – European Value”.

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 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN THE
MUNICIPALITIES OF DEBAR AND
MAVROVO AND ROSTUSHA

The areas of Debar and Reka (Mavrovo and Rostusha) are steeped in history. These
areas were settled as early as the prehistoric period, evident in the remains of a
Neolithic settlement in Muzgalitza, near the village of Selokukji, Debar. Moreover,
there are further remains of an Iron Age settlement and necropolis in Javorska
Voda west of the village of Lazaropole.

No archaeological finds from the Hellenistic period have been registered to

date. Archeological prospections conducted on the land of this region did not
show proof of settlement. The inhabitants of the small mountain villages in
this area were mostly engaged in the rearing of livestock. The area enclosed by
the municipalities of Debar, Mavrovo and Rostusha was located on the border
between the Macedonian and Illyric states. This led to perpetual changes in tribal
leaders of the peoples inhabiting this area. The region of Kichevo – Debar was
inhabited by the Penestae tribe, who arrived during the course of the 4th century
BC from the region in the western catchment of the Crn Drim river.

With the expansion of the Roman Empire, these regions were annexed to it and
whilst under Roman control, these areas belonged within the borders of various
Roman provinces. From 148 BC until the late 3rd century AD, these regions were
part of the Province of Macedonia, then during the late 4th century AD in Epirus
Nova, followed by Praevalitana and so on. The intensified settling of these areas is
evident through the remains of settlements, fortifications and necropolises from
the Roman and Late Antique periods. Necropolises include but are by no means
limited to those in the micro-area of Ogragje near the village of Krivci, Koshari
near the village of Mogorche and Izvor near Dzepishte, as well as the Roman
and Late Antique necropolis in Taranesh, the Late Antique necropolis near Stara

8
Crkva in the vicinity of the village of Selokukji and the Late Antique necropolis in
the micro-area of Troja near the village of Spas, all located in the region of Debar.

At the confluence of the Mala Reka and Radika rivers, four border fortifications
(castra) and watch-towers were erected near the village of Kosovrasti, Mogorche
and Skudrinje which controlled the roads leading Northwards from the Drim
river, along the course of the Radika river and in an Easterly direction along the
course of the Mala Reka river.

The traces of Slavic presence are visible from as early as the 6th century AD in
the region of Debar. Procopius informs of the Slavic threat to the Debar region,
as well as to the entirety of Macedonia. The Slavic colonization of the Debar and
Reka regions, as well as of other parts of Macedonia was followed by changes in
ethnicity. Large parts of the Romanized and indigenous population retreated to
the mountain areas or left these regions, whilst some underwent Slavic assimi-
lation.

During the 7th and 8th centuries AD, the region of Debar was an agricultural envi-
ronment.

The appearance of the present-day towns in this region is due to settlement and
development during the medieval period. Although there is a lack of sufficient
field excavations in these areas, still the written sources inform that the medieval
town of Orahovnik (Rahovnik) spread over the northern part of present-day Debar.

Archaeological site “Borce/St. Panteleimon” near village of Nikiforovo,

monastic complex (5th-17th centuries), reconstruction of the last phase

9
 As a town, Debar is more prominently mentioned from the beginning of the 11th
century when it became an Episcopal seat of the Eparchy of Debar, within the
compound of the Archbishopric of Ohrid.

With the archaeological findings in mind, it seems that the Slavs were the first to
form settlements in the area of Reka, although it must be noted that this terrain
has not yet been sufficiently archaeologically explored.

The archaeological heritage of the area of the municipalities of Debar, Mavrovo

and Rostusha has a great role in the development of the overall culture of these
regions. Several archaeological sites with remains of Late Antique fortresses,
Antique and medieval settlements and medieval churches have been evidenced
in the aforementioned municipality through the method of
field prospection. At the same time, evidence of several
Archaeological site
necropolises has also been found, which, although being
“Borce/St. Panteleimon”
less of an archeological cultural heritage in their own near village of Nikiforovo,
right, still represent a source of valuable artifacts and monastic complex (5th-
significant artistic work which increases our knowledge 17th centuries), remains
of the first phase
of the cultural past throughout the
course of history. Unfortunately, the
archaeological excavations have
not been carried out in a great level
of detail, thus making it impossible
to accurately predict the values of
the heritage from the prehistoric to
the medieval periods. The largest
part of the archaeological remains
in the mentioned municipalities
belongs to the medieval period.
These are, for the most part, the
remains of churches, settlements
and necropolises.

MEDIEVAL
CHURCHES
In the Mavrovo and Rostusha
municipality, evidence of medieval
churches has been found across 14
archaeological sites. All of these

10
 Archaeological site
churches are in a state of ruin. In some, contours can be “Krst” near village of
seen thus leading to the conclusion that these were one- Novo Selo, medieval
nave churches. church with necropolis

In the Debar municipality, evidence of medieval churches

has been found across 12 archeological sites. Ruined walls are evident whilst
through study of the foundations, it can once again be concluded that these were
mostly one-nave buildings.

These would have been simple buildings with rectangular, elongated ground
plans with an altar apse in the bottom of the nave on the eastern side, mostly
without a narthex. Byzantine influences are present in the construction methods
used in the erection of these medieval buildings.

Large masonry construction was used in the building of these churches. The
walls are fairly thick, built of roughly hewed stone pieces inlaid with lime-mortar.
In most cases the buildings were covered with semi-cylindrical vaults, while the
conchs were built of lighter materials, namely limestone. The roofing of the vault-
ed construction was of stone tiles or pantiles.

SETTLEMENTS AND FORTIFICATIONS

So far, evidence of settlements and fortifications has been found across 10 sites
in the Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostusha. Artefacts and archaeological proof
is a combination of ruins, building foundations and indeed simply the remains
of building materials e.g. stone slabs, lime-mortar and clay tiles. These settle-
ments originate from the Medieval period, with the exception of the aforemen-
tioned Iron Age settlement discovered in the micro-area of Javorska Voda near
the village of Lazaropole, in which fragments of ceramics and house mud-plaster
have been discovered.

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 Located in dominant positions, the fortifications secured Archaeological site
the roads through which the trade with surrounding are- “Vranska Krasta” near
village of Mogorche, Late
as took place. This is proved by the fortification of Redzov
Antique fortification
Grob, near the village of Sretkovo,
which dates from the medieval pe-
riod, erected near the pass-over
Strazha. It secured the mountain
pass leading to the town of Kichevo.

In the Municipality of Debar, 7 sites

with remains of settlements and
fortifications have been discovered,
as well as the remains of a me-
dieval road. Walls of fortifications
made of stone slabs and lime-mor-
tar, foundations of buildings and
remains of building materials, as
well as fragments of utilitarian pottery have been preserved. The fortifications
of Kale near the village of Gorno Kosovrasti and Vranska Krasta near the village
of Mogorche date from the Late Antique period. The Late Antique fortification
Vranska Krasta has a dominant position which allowed it Archaeological site
to secure the road leading from the town of Debar to the “Zgradishta-Na Klak” near
village of Dolno Kosovrasti,
town of Kichevo. The walls made of stone slabs inlaid with
medieval fortress
lime-mortar rise on the hill close
to the confluence of the Beleshica
and Mala Reka rivers. In the micro-
area of Zgradishta – Na Klak, near
the village of Dolno Kosovrasti there
is a Medieval fortress erected on a
hill with an irregular square base.
This fortification secured the road
leading along the valley of Radika
river. The remains of fortified
buildings and of the medieval road
near Dolno Kosovrasti point to the
existence of a developed road network during the Roman period, the Late Antique
period, as well as throughout the Middle Ages.

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The continuity of living in the areas of Debar is also shown through the remains
of settlements. The settlement near the micro-area of Paraspur dates from the
Roman era; the settlement near the micro-area of
Archaeological site “Taranesh”,
Taranesh existed during the Roman and the Late
village of Selokukji, golden
Antique periods, while the rest of the settlements fibula, 3th-4th centuries, (source:
were inhabited during the course of the Middle Археолошка карта на Република
Ages. Македонија, Скопје, 1996, p. 123)

This dating of the archaeological sites

points to the settled areas around Debar
being intensively lived in during the
Roman, Late Antique and the Middle Age
periods.

NECROPOLISES
The Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostushe
contains evidence of 28 necropolises
dating from the Middle Ages.

The territory of the Municipality of Debar

contains evidence of 23 necropolises,
from which three date from the Roman
Period, two are Late Antique, the
necropolis in the micro-area of Taranesh
near the village of Selokukji was in
continuous use throughout the Roman
and Late Antique periods, the necropolis
near Stara Crkva in Selokukji originates
from the Late Antique period, while the
remaining 17 date from the Middle Ages.

The grave constructions are of cyst type,

oriented east-west and do not represent
large architectonic buildings. The Roman
graves are gabble-top type, with the
deceased having been cremated and
are again not buildings of particular significance. Archaeological site “Taranesh”,
village of Selokukji, Vas Diatretum,
However, it is the contents of some of these buildings
3th-4th centuries, (source:
which is noteworthy – for example, artifacts of high Археолошка карта на Република
cultural significance and artistic value have been Македонија, Скопје, 1996, p. 123)

13
 found in a grave in the micro-area of Taranesh near Selokukji, Municipality of
Debar. In this particular grave several silver objects, a golden fibula, writing kit,
silver gilded plate and a Vase Diatretum glass, dating from the 3rd-4th centuries,
an import from Colonia Agrippina (Cologne) and other artefacts have been dis-
covered.

During the construction of two modern houses in Debar, a marble sculpture of a

Roman citizen was discovered in one whist the other gave light to the discovery of
a deposit containing Venetian coins (11th century).

On the territories of the municipalities of Debar, and Mavrovo and Rostusha, only
two sites are mentioned as listed cultural heritage, dated in the Roman and Late
Antique periods, from which one is a basilica from the 5th-6th centuries, extending
beneath the foundations and around the modern Church of St. Panteleimon in the
village of Nikiforovo.

Parts of these structures have been destroyed. Some have been submerged
during the construction of dams, while other parts were demolished during the
construction of later buildings. However, there is evidence through both written
sources and local word of mouth that much archaeological evidence of build-
ings still rests beneath the ground or beneath the foundations of more modern
structures. It would be possible to reconstruct many of the hidden buildings from
the remnants preserved in the foundations. This could then be used to develop
the tourist potential of these municipalities. The protection and conservation of
remains from these Antique and Medieval buildings could be used in the devel-
opment of sites of touristic interest for those who wish to learn more about the
region’s archaeological and cultural history. Indeed it is this very history which
forms the base for future architectural and cultural development of the munici-
palities of Debar and Mavrovo and Rostusha..

MOST SIGNIFICANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

The insufficient excavation of the archaeological sites in the regions does not
allow one to paint a full picture and categorise the sites according to their
significance. However, the most significant site in the region is considered as
being the Archaeological site of “Borche/St. Panteleimon” near the village of
Nikiforivo which represents a monastic complex which existed in the period from
the 5th till 17th centuries and the Archaeological site of Taranesh near Selokukji,
a Roman and Late Antique settlement, the necropolis of which gave numerous
significant findings.

14
SACRAL CHRISTIAN CULTURAL
HERITAGE IN THE MUNICIPALITIES
OF DEBAR AND MAVROVO
AND ROSTUSHA

The Reformation spirit which prevailed in Macedonia through the first half of the
19th century was prompted by the Treaty of Edrine (1829) and the Gulhan Hat-
isherif (1838), when the building of Christian temples was finally legalized. This
resulted in the so-called “Renaissance” of the 19th century and the beginning of a
period of mass building of the large three-nave basilica temples. The creative ac-
tivity in the region of Debar and Reka, from where the most significant builders`
and fresco painters` families in Macedonia originated (the Family of Renzovci
from the village of Tresonche), marked the period of the 19th century with numer-
ous activities which resulted in the building of a large number of sacral objects.
Among the more significant are the Monastic complex of St. John Bigorski, the
Church of Sts. Apostles Peter and Paul in the village of Tresonche and the Church
of St. George in the village of Lazaropole.

Monastic complex St. John Bigorski

15
 Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and
Paul in the village of Tresonche Church of St. George in
the village of Lazaropole

16
The basic characteristics of these Christian sacral buildings in the territories of
the municipalities of Debar and Mavrovo and Rostusha in the 19th century, is the
building of the large three-nave basilica temples or the simpler one nave temples
in the smaller village settlements. The interior organization of these three-nave
basilicas was characterized by the domination of the naos which was partitioned
with a monumental iconostasis at the east, towards the altar space, while to-
wards the west the floor gallery is affirmed, thus creating a monolithic space.
The narthex has the appearance of an atrium or an opened porch with portals
which usually spread towards the south and north sides. Parts of the temples
have domes over the erected middle nave, while the side naves have flat ceilings.
Different structures dominated in the monastic complexes, where the byzantine
type of cross-shaped churches appeared. This design is reminiscent of the Athos
monasteries. This Athos style features domes where in the space of the naos, a
central solution is made across the extent of the diameter of the under-dome
(Bigorski Monastery).

The temples were usually built on wooden oak beams interconnected into a ground
base constructive system. The churches were built of roughly broken stone with
the use of hidden wooden horizontal beams. The corners of the walls, the windows
and tamburs were elaborated of hewn stone, while the finishing festoons were
made of profiled stone – travertine. The churches were originally covered with
stone cladding. The doors and windows were elaborated both as an architrave
or arch. The floor in the churches was made with stone blocks in regular forms
(square and rectangular). The inner decoration of the walls consisted of recurrent
fresco-decoration in the domes and tamburs, while paintings cover the walls in
some temples.

Church of St. Varvara in the village of Rajchica near Debar

17
 Deisis, Church of St. Varvara, village of Rajchica, beginning of 17th century

Despite the legends and testimonies of older buildings reaching back as far as
the 11th century (in the Bigorski memorial, rewritten from “older to new” by the
hieromonk Daniil in 1833, the monastic brotherhood maintained the legend that
the founder of their monastery was the monk John in 1020), the oldest preserved
temple is the small one-nave Church of St. Barbara in the village of Rajchica near
Debar. From the partially preserved fresco-painting in the eastern part of the
church and the donors` inscription, we learn that the church was built in 1597 on
behalf of the donors Ovchina and Vlk. The epistyle with the elaborated Deesis and
the altar doors belonging to the original iconostasis from the beginning of the 17th
century originate from this church.

The icon works from the last two decades of the 16th and the first two decades
of the 17th centuries, part of which are kept in the Monastery of St. George in the
village of Rajchica, are considered to be elements from the first iconostasis of
Bigorski. Namely, towards the end of the 16th century, during the renewal of the
so called “southern church”, an iconostasis has been elaborated from which the
throne icons and the altar doors are preserved and painted in the style of the
famous fresco-painter Onouphrios, from Argos, or perhaps painted by his son
Nicolas. This iconostasis was added to during the first and second decades of the
17th century. Additions included the architrave with Jesus the All-seeing Eye, the
epistyle with the elaborated Deesis, the icons of the Great Feasts/Festal cycle and
the large iconostasis cross.

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The missing chapter in the local production in the region of Reka, which espe-
cially reflects the artistic work towards the end of the 17th and 18th centuries, is
partially filled with icons from the workshops of the Epirote fresco-painters con-
nected mainly with two centres, Ioannina and Thessaloniki. “Epirote mannerist”
groups appeared with separate icons for the iconostasis in several churches in
the region of Debar-Reka which were brought as ordered icons or gifts from the
domestic traders. Their most recognizable element is the templated vegetative
ornament on the bordure, the filling of the nimbus with relief stucco ornaments
or with the engraving of circles. The icons typical for this group can be seen in
the following churches: St. Barbara and St. Athanasius in the village of Rajchica,
Sts. Peter and Paul in the village of Tresonche, Presentation of the Virgin in the
village of Rosoki, St. George in Lazaropole, Holy Vigin in Dolno Melnichani and St.
Demetrius in Tatar Elevci.

Iconostasis in the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, village of Gari

One anonymous group of fresco-painters, characterised by their symbiosis of the

traditional and baroque stylistic expression and due to its significant presence in
the western part of Macedonia, is defined as the “Ohrid`s pro-baroque group”.
This group created some throne and festal icons in the churches of St. George

19
 in the village of Lazaropole, St. Petka in Galichnik, Presentation of the Virgin in
Rosoki and Dormition of the Virgin in Gari. The Monastery of Bigorski possess-
es the most numerous group of these icons. Aside from this collection of icons,
these masters are also attributed with the fragmentary preserved fresco-decora-
tion on the southern wall in the naos.

From the end of the 18th century the domestic scene notes the Miyak (local) fres-
co-painter Nedelko from the village of Rosoki (signed in 1770 on the icon of Jesus
Christ in the church of St. Petka in the village of Galichnik. He is also attributed
with icons in the churches of St. George in Lazaropole (the altar doors), Rosoki
(the festal icon of the Circumcision of Jesus) and in the treasury of the Monastery
of Bigorski (St. John Prodromos with а hagiography).

The 19th century brought about an artistic flourishing in the region of Reka in
all spheres of artistic activities such as the building/renewal of sacral temples,
walls being painted / decorated in their entirety, icon painting and woodcarving.
During this period of massive activity, due to the able monastic fathers, numerous
local fresco-painters developed a name for themselves and their talent flour-
ished, spreading the magnificence of the Debar-Miyak school over the entire Bal-
kan region. The centre of this activity was
Church of St. George Victorious (1835)
the Monastery of Bigorski from where we
in the village of Rajchica near Debar
learn of the movements of the fist abbot
of the monastery, the hieromonk Ilarion,
born in the village of (Tatar) Elevci in the
vicinity of Debar. At the time of his arrival
in 1743, he faced a “small, old and very
poor” church and immediately launched
the renewal of the Monastery of Bigorski.
Ilarion was also credited for the forming
of the metoh in the village of Rajchica,
through which he created the precondi-
tions for the economic and artistic revival
of the monastery. The monk Mitrophan,
born in the village of Lazaropole, was the
abbot of the Monastery of Bigorski from
1796-1807 and was known as one of the
more productive abbots. During his time,
the church was developed from an initially small building to a large, modernised
edifice and he commissioned the painting of the large dome in the year 1800.
The fresco-decoration of the central dome is attributed to fresco-painters from

20
 Iconostasis in the Monastery of Bigorski

Korce. From the second half of the 18th century, an original fresco-decoration was
preserved from the small older church, which was incorporated into the southern
wall during the renewal i.e. the erecting of the modern monastic church dedicat-
ed to St. John Prodromos.

Following his death in 1807, as Mitrophan`s successor comes his co-temporary,

the archimandrite Arsenius, born in the village of Galichnik. During the thirty-two
yearlong successful management of the abbot Arsenius, he enriched the Monas-
tery of Bigorski by continuing the decoration of the temple, the male refectory and
the full renewal of the old monastic chambers. He built several auxiliary quar-
ters, the watch tower, a courtyard with fountains and so on. Just as he took care
of the monastery, in the same manner, he also renewed the metoh (1832) and the
church dedicated to St. George Victorious (1835) was built on his initiative in the
village of Rajchica near Debar.

The fresco-painter Michael Anagnost, his son Demetrius Daniil, a monk, from
the village of Samarina in Epirus, were invited by the monastic brotherhood to
continue the fresco-decoration of the male refectory and the painting of the icons
for the new three floor iconostasis containing 44 icons (1831-1833). They began
the tradition of painting donors` portraits of the spiritual primes, initiated by the
Archimandrite Arsenius and followed by his successors (Archimandrite Arsenius,
Theodosius Hieromonk, etc).

The wish of the Archimandrite Arsenius, that the Monastery of Bigorski should
be adorned with especially beautiful iconostasis, is reflected in his engagement
of the most prestigious woodcarvers of the time. This group consisted of Petre
Filipovich – Garkata from the village of Gari, his brother Mark, Makarij Frchkovski
from the village of Galichnik, Avram Dichov and his sons Vasil and Philip of the
family Filipovci from the village of Osoj. This group managed to create an outbreak

21
 of artistic wood carved work with large dimensions during the period from 1829
until 1835. During this same period they also elaborated a bishop`s throne and
an abbot`s chair.

The hieromonk Joakim, born in the village of Biban, near Debar, continued the
efforts of Arsenius and as his successor from 1840 until 1862. He initiated the
extension of the monastery and its metoh with the church of St. George in the
village of Rajchica. Upon his invitation in 1840, Mihail Anagnost and Daniil were
again engaged for the elaboration of the icons of the iconostasis and the fres-
co-painting of the dome of the church in Rajchica. Previously, in 1838, Mihail
painted the festal icons for the Church of Archangel Michael in the village of Tre-
bishte. Later on, from 1848 to 1852, the fresco-decoration of the temple in Rajchi-
ca was continued by Dicho Zograf from the village of Tresnoche, who also made
the portraits in the male refectory in the Monastery of Bigorski (the portrait of
Meletij – Metropolitan of Debar (1849), the portrait of the hieromonk Teodosij and
the abbot Joakim (1868)).

View toward the central dome, Church of St. George, village of Lazaropole

The fresco-painter Antonij, active in the period between 1810 and 1841, mainly
in the Eparchy of Debar-Kichevo, made several icon-works in the Monastery of
Bigorski (as well as two fresco-icons of Christ and the Virgin on the western pi-
lasters in the naos in the Monastery of Bigorski, ca. 1814), icons for the churches
Presentation of the Virgin in the village of Dolno Melnichani (1816), the Church of

22
the Holy Healers in Gorno Melnichani, St. Demetrius in Tatar Elevci and St. Achil-
les in the village of Trebishta.

During the time of the abbot Hariton, in 1866, the smaller dome in the Monastery
of Bigorski was painted by an unknown fresco-painter, dedicated to St. John Pro-
dromos. The fresco-painter Vasil Ginoski from the village of Galichnik, in 1871,
upon the invitation of the Archimandrite Mihail, made the last intervention in the
temple by fresco-painting the western façade in the porch.

The Church of St. George, in the village of Lazaropole, with its monumental build-
ing and high iconostasis which was decorated by several important fresco-paint-
ers, also inclined towards the Monastery of Bigorski as the main spiritual and
artistic centre of the region, due to the honourable donor Gjurchin Kokaleski.
Mihail Anagost worked on part of the icons for the iconostasis, as well as on the
wall painting (the Last Judgement, 1837). However, after quarrels with the villag-
ers the work was continued by Dicho Zograf. The elaboration of the three-floor
iconostasis with various icons from several phases (17th – 20th centuries) also
contained work by the fresco-painters Georgios (1835/6), Dimitar Molerov from
Bansko (1849), Dicho Zograf (1843).

Dicho Zograf (1819 – 1873) gained his first painting knowledge with Mihail Anagnost
of Samarina, which allowed him to acquire skill and experience by learning from
one of the most experienced fresco-painters of the time. This allowed him to
grow into one of the most significant and most productive fresco-painters of the
Reformation period in the region of Reka. Zograf’s glory spread over the entire
Balkan region (two thousand icons and several fresco ensembles). His footsteps
were continued mainly by his son Avram Dichov and in some degree by Spiridon.

Church of St. Achillius, village of Trebishte

23
 View toward the dome of the Church of St. Achillius in the village of Trebishte

Other fresco-painters out­

side his family also learned
in his workshop and later
cooperated with him, for
example, Petre Debranec,
his neighbor from the village
of Tresonche.

Dicho Zograf was engaged

for the elaboration of the
fresco-decoration and the
icon painting in almost all of
the most important temples
in the region, among them
Church of St. Elijah in the village of Selce were the churches of the
Presentation of the Virgin in
the village of Rosoki in which one can see from the inscription written, on behalf
of Dicho Zograf, above the southern wall that the temple was built in year 1835.
This differs from the year 1850 which is written on the ceiling of the temple. The
festal icons of Dicho Zograf are works from his early phase and are the first of
his more significant works (1844 – 45). The Church of the Assumption of St. Elias
in the village of Selce, was most probably built in the middle of the 19th century
and fresco-decorated in 1864 by Dicho Zograf’s group. The iconostasis and icons

24
 Church of St. Nicolas in the village of Tresonche

were painted in the period from 1864 until 1868 on behalf of Dicho Zograf. In
the Church Dormition of the Virgin in the village of Gari, built in 1856 and fresco-
decorated in 1866, the authors of the fresco-painting are Dicho Zograf, his son
Avram and the pupil Petre Jovanovich. For the Church of the Holy Virgin, in the
village of Sence, Dicho Zograf made the icons for the iconostasis in 1855. Dicho
Zograf worked in most of the temples in the region of Reka on several occasions,
either in the fresco-painting or for the needs of supplementing the icon works
of the iconostasis e.g. Monastery of Bigorski (1849), the Church of St. George in
Lazaropole (1841), St. George Victorious in Rajchica (1845/52), the Presentation
of the Virgin in Rosoki, Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Tresonche (1845/49), St.
Achilles in Trebishte (1849/50), Holy Virgin in Debar (1965/6), St. Elias in Selce
(1864), St. Demetrius in Volkovija (1852), Dormition of the Virgin in Janche, St.
Nicolas in Kichinica (1849/50), St. Nicolas in Dolno Kosovrasti, St. Demetrius in
Tatar Elevci and so on.

Avram Dichov, one of Dicho Zograf’s sons and his most faithful coworker,
participated in parts of these activities alongside his father (Holy Virgin in Debar
1872, the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Gari, St. Petka in Debar – Dolna
Maala). Later on Avram Dichov also worked alone (St. Nicolas in the village of
Tresonche, 1873). Spiridon, another son of Dicho, worked together with his father
on the elaboration of the fresco-decoration in the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
in Tresonche.

The domestic artistic production in the region of Reka is supplemented by

numerous fresco-painters. The fresco-decoration from 1873 in the Church of
the Holy Virgin in Debar is the work of the fresco-painter Kocho Krstev from the
village of Lazaropole, while part of the festal icons are made by the hand of Nikola

25
 Krstich from Lazaropole, in 1872. On the iconostasis in the Church of St. Petka
(Dolna Maala) in Debar there are icons made by Krste Nikolov from Lazaropole.
The second church dedicated to St. Petka in Debar is located on the so-called
Veligdenska livada (meadow) in the upper part of the town, near the cathedral
temple of the Holy Virgin. It is presumed that this temple was built in 1693 due
to this date being engraved on the altar. The icons on the iconostasis are works
of the fresco-painter Zafir Angjelkovich, made in 1923. The icon of the Virgin with
Christ from 1923 mentions the fresco-painter Gj. Donevich from the village of
Gari. Fresco-decoration is preserved in the vault of the narthex and the vault of
the altar, these are most probably works of the signed fresco-painter from 1928.
Above the village of Rajchica the Church dedicated to St. Athanasius (1868) also
exists. Fresco-decoration from 1875, preserved only in the altar space and at the
western wall, is work of the fresco-painters Dobre Doichin and Krste Kolov from
Lazaropole. In the approximate vicinity of Debar, in an idyllic mountain landscape
above the village of Tatar Elevci, is the Church of St. Demetrius (1873). Parts of
the festal icons of the iconostasis were made by the hands of Dimitrija Andonov,
from the village of Gari, in 1899. In the Church of St. George in the village of Osoj,
according to the inscription over the southern entrance from the inner side, the
author of the fresco-decoration in the vault and the altar is Isaija Dzikov, from

Church of St. George in the village of Osoj

26
the village of Osoj, in 1887. On the emporium of the gallery in the western wall
of the naos the year 1872 is noted. This is probably a work of another fresco-
painter, more experienced than Dzikov. The iconostasis construction notes the
year 1882, while on the festal icons Dzikov wrote the years the icons were painted
as 1885-86. In the village of Gari, in the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, the
icon dedicated to St. Paraskeva is painted by Eftim Spasev, from the village of
Gari, in 1893. In the Church of St. Nicolas in Belichica (1885), the festal icons of
the iconostasis in the church were painted by the fresco-painter Nikola Mihailov,
from the town of Krushevo, in 1888. Other parts of this church were painted by
the fresco-painter Krsto Avramov, from the village of Tresonche, in 1896. The
Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, built in 1930, was fresco-decorated in 1931 by
the artist Lazar Lichenoski. Inthe Church of St. Petka, in the village of Galichnik
(1809?), the icons were made by Nedelko, from the village of Rosoki, in 1770 and
Hristo Makrovich and Kosmia Makariov in 1868 and another unknown fresco-
painter in 1879. In the Church of St. Panteleimon, in the village of Nikiforovo
(1867, renewed in 1923), Ruse Krstikj is the fresco-painter of the icons from the
iconostasis (Fresco-painter Ruse Krstikj from Nistrovo district of Galichnik, 3rd of
July 1926). In the Church of the Holy Virgin, in the village of Sence, the icons for
the iconostasis were made by an unknown painter in 1841 and Dicho Zograf in
1855 and Teodosija Kostich, from Lazaropole, in 1930.

From this brief overview of the intensive artistic flows in the region of Debar-
Reka, in which 39 Orthodox sacral temples exist, the general assessment, of the
Christian sacral buildings in the region of the municipalities of Debar, Mavrovo
and Roastusha, is the problem of the neglect of the monumental heritage due
to several main reasons. Along with the neglect and the lack of care, there is
the non-expert activities undertaken by the church boards over the buildings
which have the same negative effect with regards to the deterioration of the
authenticity. The churches and the monasteries also suffer permanent thefts of
the movable cultural heritage (icons and parts of the wood carved church mobile
items). This is, above all, due to the irreversible process of immigration of the
Christian population, who were the main factor of security of these heritage
goods. In addition to this we could also add the poor institutional care of the owner
(Macedonian Orthodox Church) and the institutions in charge of protection of
cultural heritage, including the local authorities in the sphere of their references.

27
28
TYPOLOGY, CHARACTERISTICS AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OTTOMAN
MONUMENTS ON THE DEBAR
AND REKA REGION

The construction of Ottoman buildings on the territory of Debar and Reka begun
after the fall under Ottoman rule, in the second half of 15th century. The Ottoman
building traditions are reflected in this region by the large number of dwellings
with secular and sacral character, erected to meet the needs of the population.
In addition to the large number of houses, Ottoman rule saw the construction of
architectural works previously unknown to the area. Mosques, tekkes and tür-
be (mausoleums) were erected to fit the Islamic needs for expression of faith.
Additionally, hamams, inns and such like were constructed for use by the entire
population, regardless of their religion. However, as a result of modern urban
expansion the number of these buildings has gradually decreased and at present
only a small number have been preserved– these include: several mosques, two
hamams, one thermal bath, one tekke, and a türbe.

The presence of the characteristic Ottoman buildings does not only enhance the
ambience overlaying the town of Debar but the entire Debar and Reka region. In
the mosques (built during the second half of the 15th century and rebuilt in the
first half of the 20th century), clear and precise forms dominate the architecture.
This is a reflection of the local masonry which valued modest architectural and
decorative values. The features and architecture of the traditional Ottoman build-
ings, present the skills of the groups of local builders who were recognized and
used for the construction of these monuments.

The examples and works of the opus of the Ottoman period still remain on the
territory of Debar and Reka. We would like to point to those erected in the town
of Debar as most the significant, since following the Ottoman conquering of the

29
 Bayram Bey mosque, town it was settled by Turkish colonists who
western view formed an urban settlement in which they in-
serted their way of life and culture.

The mosques, being the most characteris-

tic type of buildings from the Ottoman peri-
od, convey the simplicity of the architectural
form and became the buildings from which
architectural expression was replicated.
This is mostly visible through the rectangular
form covered with a hipped roof and an open
porch supported on wooden columns. Among
the several mosques in Debar (Bayram Bey
Mosque and Budulec Mosque – erected in 19th
century), we would emphasize the Hünkar
Mosque in Debar as a typical example of Ot-
toman architecture. The mosque was built
in H.872/M.1467, as an endowment of Fatih
Sultan Mehmed Khan (1451 – 1481). Althou-
gh there were certain rebuildings and chan-
ges in the early 20th century (1938/39), the
mosque has maintained the overall features
Budulec mosque, northern view
of the Ottoman architecture from the Classi-
cal period. The porch is presently of a closed
type, however the original open porch form
has survived the passing of time and still
remains. The interior is dominated by the
modestly elaborated mihrab, minbar and the
flat wooden ceiling of which the central part
contains a carved rosetta, often used in the
decoration of the prophane buldings` inte-
riors. As a result of rough stone and brick
for building materials, the facades of the
mosques are usually plastered with mortar.
During the building of the mosques special
attention was dedicated to the building of
the minaret which provides the vertical em-
phasis of the mosque. Despite the modest

30
 Hjünkar mosque, northern view Mihrab and minber in the interior of
Hjünkar mosque

Türbe in Hjünkar mosque yard The porch of Hjünkar

mosque, western view

minarets, seen on the mosques built in the villages, tall and slender minarets
dominate in Debar.

The attention dedicated to certain types of buildings is also attested by the Türbe
(mausoleum) located a short distance from the Hünkar Mosque in Debar. The
Türbe demonstrates the perfection of the amplification of the profiled elements
carved in stone. According to the stylistic characteristics – an open type türbe
with an octagonal base, over which eight polygonal columns interconnect by
semi-circular arches. It can be concluded with little doubt that it was built to-

31
 wards the end of the 18th, or the beginning of the 19th, century and according to the
gravestone which is in the türbe, we can presume that it was built for Sadik Pa-
sha in H.1210/M.1795-96. The architectural and decorative features of this türbe
can be related to the türbe of Kaplan Pasha in Tirana (Albania) which was built
during the same period (1820) and possesses the same stylistic and architectural
characteristics which speak for the existence of a common building scheme in
this part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Türbe in Debar is unique of its type and a
unique example preserved in Macedonia.
Marble basins (kurna) in the interior of the
„New Hammam“ “New Hammam”

The hamams represent interesting architectural buildings of the Classical Otto-

man period, as well as presenting some of the rare buildings in their authentic
form. The stone used to build the hamams guaranteed a high degree of genuine
perseverance. The hamams are a significant cultural and historical testimony to
the way of life in the past and, due to their function and architecture, have great
relevance when looking at history and culture. With their architectural concep-
tion, the hamams represent a significant benchmark of urban culture as they
were an important role in social exchanges of the past.

The only existing buildings of this type are preserved in the town of Debar. Fol-
lowing their architectural form, the hamams in Debar belong to the type of single
hamams. Their interiors display several halvets covered with domes placed on
short drums and overlaid with lead tin. Alternate brick and stone layers were
used as building materials for the hamams, which emphasises the vividness of
the structures. The preserved hamams in Debar were erected in the 16th century,
with rebuildings performed to create the “New Hammam” during the 19th cen-

32
 „Old Hammam“ Remains of the small compartmens
(halvets) in the “Old Hammam”

tury. The main characteristics of this type of building have still maintained the
features of the Ottoman architecture. Despite the architectural importance, the
applied decorative elaboration of the stone carvings combined with geometric
forms gives special attention to the hamams, especially visible in the execution
of the kurnas (marble basins) and the fountain (şadrvan). In the New Hamam in
Debar, in the vault of the drum of the şadrvan hall (ruined and presently not exist-
ing) there was also a painted decoration with rich colourful floral and geometric
motifs which reflected the aesthetic tendencies.

Although in ruins, the Old Hamam in Debar (also known as the Hamam of Musta-
fa Pasha) was built in the 16th century and represents a significant cultural and
historical testimony for the way of life in Debar during that particular period. With
its massive walls and domes made of stone and brick, it is one of the rare build-
ings which has preserved its authentic building form and aesthetic. Thus, through
its revitalization it could become a cultural focal point not only in the town of De-
bar, but also in the wider area.

Bath, village of Banjishte Appearance of the dome in the bathing

room in the Bath, village of Banjishte

33
 Kadiri Tekke, older state

The abundance of natural resources allowed the building of thermal baths

(“kaplica”) alongside the public baths in the region of Debar. The particular spe-
cificities and way of use of the thermal baths distinguishes them from the public
baths. The thermal baths in the village of Banjishte represent a fusion of the
natural heritage of the village with the intensive building activity that developed
in the area of Debar during the end of the 18th and the beginning of 19th century.
The baths in the village are mentioned in the Chronicle of Johann Hahn who,
during his journey through the Region of the Drim and Vardar rivers (1863) spent

Mosque in the village of Spas Mosque in the village of Rostushe

34
 Kadiri Tekke, before it was ruined

some time in Debar. The public baths and the thermal baths present two func-
tionally different buildings with different architectural styles, though most likely
built around the same period of time. Inside the buildings, the bathing pools with
thermal water have been preserved. What gives the buildings special value is the
fact that they possess an exquisite authentic and ambient value; they are unique
examples of thermal healing with elements and architectural styles that are
characteristic for the Ottoman buildings in Macedonia. Built with treated stone
squares, precisely executed niches in the interior and functionality of the space,
the baths in Banjishte represent an achievement in the architectural expression
of the construction of this type of building. The preserved Arabic inscription men-
tions Oruk Zade (family name) Haci Muhyiddin Ilhami, son of Suleyman, as owner
and benefactor of the baths, and states the year the baths were constructed as
H.1213/M.1798/99.

35
 The tekkes, being sacral buildings in which the rituals of the dervish tariqats
(orders) took place, do not possess special features in regards to their building
scheme. The dervishes, as in the case of the tekke in Debar, often chose houses
as the centar of the tekke, adapting the rooms for the religious needs. The house
in Debar which lodged the Kadiri Tekke, was a typical example of Debar`s urban
house. İn one of the ground floor quarters a blind dome (callote) and a mihrab
were executed and this accomodated the religiousrituals of the dervishes from
the Kadiri tariqat. Although there is no other preserved tekke in this region, ac-
cording to the architectural characteristics, there is no possibility to differentiate
a separate stylistic group or form for the tekkes.

The abundant building activity of the Ottomans is also visible in several preserved
and several ruined buildings, mainly mosques, located in the vivid landscapes
of the villages in the region of Debar and Reka. These buildings visualize the
tendency towards the style of the monumental buildings in the Capital, but with a
greater emphasis on the local skill in the building process. The mosques in Ros-
tushe, as well as in the villages of Spas and Hame have preserved their simplicity
without over accentuation of the monumentality and have been adapted for the
religious needs of the local village population. Though small in dimensions and
despite their rebuilding in more recent periods, these mosques can be pointed
out for their authenticity of the period in which they were built.

Due to their historical, cultural, architectural, artistic and social values, the
Hünkar Mosque with its türbe, the two hamams and the thermal baths in the vil-
lage of Banjishte, are the monuments which possess authentic value and repre-
sent the cultural heritage of the Ottoman period. These monuments are protected
by law, however, insufficient care leads to the loss of such important monuments
and prevents historical continuity. Unfortunately this contributes to the depletion
of the knowledge of values and customs of the past. Such is the example of the
Kadiri tekke which unfortunately no longer exists today.

36
HISTORICAL AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN
OF DEBAR

The town of Debar is located in the south-eastern part of the Debar Valley, near
the Radika River, encircled by the mountain ranges of Korab, Deshat and Bistra.

The centuries long existence of the settled area of Debar, mentioned for the first
time under the present-day name in the Charter issued by the Emperor Basil
II, shows that the town has a historical continuity in its existence. Regardless of
the historical and social changes, the traces of the past are still present in the
modern town through their representatives – the architectural heritage.

In the 15th century (1499) Debar fell under Ottoman authority and following their
arrival the town became an important crossroad of the widened territory of the
Ottoman Empire. The communication and economic relations contributed to
the development of the town into a well-known economical and crafts centre.
Additionally, the market was formed and important objects of secular and sacral
architecture were built (with both public and private character).

In the sources written in the 19th century, about the territory of the Republic of
Macedonia, it is apparent that this time was characterized by vast changes and
intense development in the towns. During this period the town of Debar saw
particularly great progress in regards to its urban and architectonic growth.

The existing urban structure of the town of Debar is divided into several zones, or
suburbs, which contain groups that are spatially organized and scattered all over
the entire area of the town. The first and foremost suburb is the Varosh Maalo,
which occupies the northern part of the town and represents a core around which
the remaining suburbs later formed and developed: Hjunkjar, Vakuf Maalo, Bay-

37
 ram – Bey Maalo, Tikvarche, Dolno Maalo, Kodra Maalo, Kovach and so on. The
houses are the central segment constituting the majority of the built urban area,
but each suburb also had objects for services, confessional objects for the reli-
gious and functional needs of the population (church, mosque, hamam) and foun-
tains with drinking water. In the architectonic and urban structure of the town, the
Muslim houses with storeys especially stand out. These houses are located on
wide parcels with front facades facing towards wide courtyards with closed with
stone walls. The Christian population mainly settled on the narrow side of the hill
in houses mostly in a row and built beside and facing towards, the street, thus
contributing to the definition and spatial ambient of the street segment.

In the spatial organization of the town the market was formed with a strictly linear
form in its length alongside the main town street which divides the town into
two parts and at the same time represents an axis towards which the streets of
the town`s suburbs gravitate. The street network in the suburbs is composed of
small narrow streets – “suburbia streets” which connect with the larger streets
or run into the market.

The development of the secular domestic architecture in the period of its

highest creative moment, based on the previously created historically-economic
conditions and the existing climate and topographic characteristics, form the

House on st. Bratstvo Edinstvo no. 31

Symmetrical type of a house with a centrally placed closed loggia,
detail of a central loggia – accentuated element of the basic
volume of the house.

38
 House on st. JNA no. 33 (known as the House of Gani
Grazdani), wood carved and painted ceiling.

basic features of the houses in the town of Debar towards the end of the 18th and
especially the beginning of the 19th centuries. It was precisely this period that saw
the appearance of possibilities for building activity and intensified appearance of
individual objects. In addition to the building tradition of the spatially-voluminous
foundation of the houses, another key influence in regards to the range of the
creative activity was the experience which the builders` groups and masons
belonging to the famous Debar Building School possessed. Their experience
largely influenced not only the local architecture, but the architecture in the wider
Balkan.

Not only did the Macedonian masters from the Debar Building School make
extraordinary architectonic achievements and the applied constructive systems
and building techniques in the building sphere, they also nourished artistic crafts
– woodcarving and fresco painting. The decoration of the interiors of the Muslim
houses in Debar were given a special accent; the masters adapted the house to
the owner’s taste and this contributed towards the final aesthetic expression of
the house at the same time as giving an important representation of the wealth
of the family.

39
 ARCHITECTONIC AND ARTISTIC
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOUSES IN DEBAR
The defining image of the preserved architectonic heritage in present day Debar
differs from that of the past with regards to the loss and significant changes to the
characteristics and properties. On the basis of the preserved fund of traditional
houses with architectonically-artistic specificities which fall within the modern
urban image of the town, we can significantly identify the applied architectonic
means through the decoration, materials used, composition and techniques of
building and construction.

The applied building and constructive systems in the houses in Debar are com-
posed of a mixed system of construction-combination with massive carrying
walls made of stone and wooden timber frame construction (bondruk). The stone,
as a basic building material, is used for the entire building of the massive walls
on the ground floor, while its use in the upper floors was mostly on the north
wall, unlike the wooden timber frame construction (bondruk) which was used
on the walls of the first floor – as a
rule on the frontal side. The walls
House on st. Petar Popovski no. 57 (9), in a timber frame system are com-
interior – painted wall decoration.
posed of a wooden skeleton formed
by columns interpolated by a filling
of adobe brick at a certain distance
and plastered with mortar.

The way of life, religious beliefs

and culture of living also influenced
the conception and organization of
the interior of the houses in De-
bar. According to the solution of the
horizontal plan, the houses in De-
bar can be grouped into two basic
types: with a symmetrical and with
an irregular (asymmetrical) ground
plan.

The houses with a symmetrically conceived base are free-standing objects, built
with G+1 or G+2 floors. They take a rectangular form and they have geometric
regularity in the grouping of the chambers and in their spatial organization at the
separate levels, which was also reflected and clearly visible on the very façade.
One of the aesthetic features for the shaping of the façade in these types of houses

40
is the centrally placed loggia which adds to the frontal appearance, with windows
separated in between and with symmetry and rhythm in relation to the overall ar-
chitectonic composition. Due to the exposed position of the central element – the
porch and the two closed loggias emphasize the symmetry and enrich the spatial
plastics of the main façade towards the inner courtyard.

House on st. Petar Popovski no. 57 (9)

The regular geometric form on the symmetrical houses repeats in an almost

identical manner or a variant solution on the houses on the following streets
in Debar: “Petre Popovski” no.9; “JNA” no.33; “JNA” no.59; “Bratstvo i edinstvo”
no.31; “Crn Drim”; the houses on the streets “JNA” no.35; “29 Noemvri” no.9;
“Liman Kaba” no.53 and so on.

The houses with asymmetrical base solutions have a more complex spatial or-
ganization, determined by the different disposition of the chambers in relation
to the loggia, as well as to the configuration of the terrain. The disposition of the
loggia in the spatial organization of the houses in Debar, forms different solutions
of irregular base forms (“Γ” forms, an elongated loggia, as well as a combination
of the loggia`s position and different forms in the levels). In cases when the loggia

41
 has a frontal position, despite its basic functional characteristic – communica-
tion and connecting, the loggia simultaneously unites several functions, while the
space division is achieved through the denivelation of the floor. The risen parts
are called shanishan and are for resting/sleeping during the summer months (for
example the houses on the streets: “Zdravko Chochkovski” no.226; “Liman Kaba”
no. 134 and 22; the house on st. “Crn Drim” no.32 etc.). The house on st. “Zdravko
Chochkovski” no. 226 is a typical example of a Debar house with an asymmetrical
base solution, a wide loggia and an exquisitely rich interior decoration. It is one of
the rarely preserved cultural heritage examples of the Ottoman domestic archi-
tecture from the 19th century in the Republic of Macedonia.

The built-in household furniture in the houses in Debar has a special significance
to the inner organization and the aesthetic forming of the interiors. One of the
in-built objects in the Muslim houses is the amamdzik (small bath); this is a
characteristic element of the Muslim houses. The amamdzik is usually placed
beside the entrance section of the house and forms part of a whole group of
functional, architectonically-decorative elements: fireplace, semi-circular niche
and sergen (closet). Additionally, the walls of the rooms might also have niches
and dolaps (casket).

House on st. Zdravko Chochkovski no. 12 (226), southeastern view.

42
 House on st. Zdravko Chochkovski no. 12 (226), interior,
a representative guest room with a rich wood carved and
painted decoration.

House on st. Petar

Popovski no. 57 (9),
detail of a wooden niche
(dolap).

House on st. Zdravko Chochkovski no. 12

(226), loggia – wooden ceilings.

43
 House on st. Petar Popovski no. 57 (9),
interior – detail of a decorative wood
carved rosette on a ceiling.

House on st. Zdravko Chochkovski

no. 12 (226), interior – guest room,
vaulted ceiling with a decoration
which emphasizes the rich
building tradition in the area of
Debar.

House on st. Liman Kaba

no. 53 – eastern view.

44
In order to accomplish a larger representation of the interior spaces of the
houses in Debar we can look to the rich elaboration with woodcarving and painted
decoration (on the wall surfaces, polychromic elaboration of the elements of the
built-in furniture, as well as the fireplace) which are mainly present in the houses
of the Muslim population and especially applied to the guest chambers.

Within the overall image of the interiors in the rooms in Debar, the ceilings have
a significant place. These consist of two basic parts: a decorative frame which
follows the perimeter of the ceiling and the so-called mirror – the surface of the
ceiling. Great artistic values are found on the ceilings which are composed of
square fields with decorative battens and triangle carved elements formed in the
corners. As a rule, in the central part of the ceiling there is a decoratively elabo-
rated rosette.

House on st. JNA no. 35

– eastern view.

House on st. JNA no. 61 –

eastern view /central type
of a loggia.

45
 House on st. JNA no. 33
(known as the House of Gani Grazdani),
south-eastern view.

On rare occasions in the houses in Debar, the ceiling could be elaborate in the
form of a dome (kube). These ceilings belong to the type of complex compositional
solutions and their decorative elaboration includes mortar elaboration and
coloured elaboration combined with wood carved elements.

STATE OF PERSEVERANCE
The architectonic heritage, as seen through the examples from the past – those
which still exist in the architectonic and urban structure of the town of Debar,
represent separated and somewhat segmented parts which exist outside the
context of the current state of affairs.

On the basis of the field examination, a different physical condition and state of
perseverance of the houses from the traditional urban architecture was ascer-
tained because these buildings underwent different changes due to poor care
or additional inappropriate interventions during their decade long existence. Ad-

46
ditionally, due to the negative influence of the outer factors, these objects have
largely lost the traces of their original authenticity and recognition.

The degradation registered in the immediate surroundings of the cultural goods

with the appearance of newly built objects located in direct contact with the au-
thentically preserved buildings, continues. Namely, the modern objects do not pay
the necessary attention and respect towards the inherited values and qualities of
the historical architecture. This is manifested in the excessive enlargement of the
height and their domination, incompliance of the architectonic elements/details
and the materials and colours. Additionally, the interpolation of the new objects
is carried out without due respect to the historical ambient and as a result the
continuity and integrity of the street fonts has been unbalanced and an obvious
conflict between the old and newly built objects is evident.

The aggravation of the physical state and degradation on the built-in materials,
in the houses which have been abandoned and without regular maintenance and
care for a longer period of time, is striking (houses on the streets: “Petre Pop-
ovski” no. 2; “Crn Drim” no.28; “Pavle Dzikovski” no.30, as well as the house on
“Tasha Martinovska” no.32; “JNA” no.61; the house at the corner of “1 Maj” and
“JNA”, the house on “29 Noemvri” no. 9 as well as many others).

Much more worrying and at the same time alarming is the fact that the list of
objects which have permanently lost their specific architectonic and stylistic fea-
tures (due to different outer or various factors) has widened. Apart from the hous-
es on the streets “Liman Kaba” no.13, “Crn Drim” no. 32, “Amdi Leshi” no.17, and
the house on “Liman Kaba” no.22 (old no.37), the state of protected immovable
cultural heritage will be permanently lost for the house on street “JNA” no.33
which, unfortunately, is in ruins and has no material remains on its historical
location.

47
48
TRADITIONAL
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
IN THE DEBAR – REKA REGION

The development of the villages in the Debar - Reka region depended on many
factors, both natural and social. The neighborhoods (maala), formed by the first
families which settled the area on which the village was formed, created the core
structure of the settlements. In 15th century Ottoman Extensive Registers (Deft-
ers), the existence of a large number of villages, lasting until the present day,
are recorded. Despite the uninterrupted continuity of existence, starting from the
pre-Ottoman period, a large proportion of villages did not maintain their original
location. The villages in close proximity to the roads changed location due to fre-
quent attacks, thus securing safer and better living locations.

All villages in the area of Reka are of a mountainous, dense type. The Debar area
also has villages on the plains, these being of a dense or a semi-dense type. Scat-
tered on the mountain slopes, sheltered from the strong winds and surrounded
by rich pastures, these villages gave the opportunity for cattle breeding as a sole
economic income and thus secured the existence of the inhabitants.

The “plastic” terrain, especially in the region of Reka, which steeply descends
from the mountains to the river beds or fields, led to the creation of a vernacular
structure which uses the space and the possibilities of the location to a maximum.
The density of construction and the steep nature of the terrain conditioned the
communication among the buildings through narrow, steep and distorted paths.
The larger paths have an irregular line which follows the isohypses and the
configuration of the terrain. The site conditions and the division of plots with the
growth of the family, led to the vast irregularity in the plots’ form. The surfaces
of the plots were small and usually lodged only the house, while the economic
facilities were built on the periphery of the village. Due to the high density of the
village, there was rarely a space for a courtyard in front of the entrance to the

49
 houses. The inherited rural matrix and the preserved architecture mainly origi-
nated from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries.

Despite the changes, the villages of Janche, Galichnik and Gari represent pre-
served traditional architecture wholes. Nested high in the mountains, amphithe-
atrically placed towards the river valleys, they still show the recognizable image
of the traditional village of Reka.

The characteristics and the uniqueness of the houses in Reka are not just a
result of their regional isolation, but also from the climate of the region, the lo-
cal topographic features, the accentuated use of local building materials – stone
and wood, as well as from the economic affairs of the time in which the building
occurred.

The basic characteristics of the houses in the region of Reka are the unique loca-
tion, the consistency of the orientation towards the open land and the sunny side,
the functionality of the constructed space, the standardization of the interior, the
balance among the interior volumes and the simple vividness of the wall canvases.

Up until the second half of the 19th century, in the entire area of Reka, the houses
were of modest size. The ground floor was made of stone masonry, the first floor
had a visible wooden skeleton and the roof was covered with straw. The stone
walls had a thick network of horizontal levelling beams, “kushacs”. Separate ex-
amples of this particular type were preserved by the end of the 20th century.

Village of Gari, panorama

50
Amphitheatrical location of the
houses in the village of Tresonche
Houses-towers in the village of
Kichinica, built of stone

51
 The tall houses “towers” and the ground floor “rye” houses (r`zhanici) simulta-
neously appeared in all of the villages in the area of Gorna Reka. Both reflect the
social contrasts in the region during the course of the 19th and the beginning of
the 20th centuries.

The fact that the houses in Reka are made of stone also influenced the con-
struction and the architectonic shaping of the houses. The stone used also had
a decorative role; carefully processed on the facades` which were left unplas-
tered; coursed for the corner portions of the walls; grooved or verminated for the
frames of the gates and the windows and for the inner fire places and chimneys.
The wood also held a constructive role, although its visible elements were not
elaborately decorated.

The ground floors of the House in the village of Gari with walls
houses were made with made of timber cladding (bagdatija)
stone walls, up to 80
cm in width. Although
the walls were massive
on the outside, the
separating walls in the
interior of the houses
were made with a timber
frame (bondruk) wooden
construction. The front
part of the upper most
floor of the house
containing the loggia
(chardak) and the guest
chamber was usually
made of a wooden tim-
ber frame construction,
formed of vertical col-
umns layered with hori-
zontal planks on the in-
side and the outside and
layers of wattle infill or
small horizontal laths.
The space between
these layers was filled
with a compound made

52
of mud and hay (village of Tresonche), mud and sand (village of Bitushe) or just
sand (Galichnik), but in the majority of cases it was filled with stone and mud. The
outer walls around the “house” and the economic facilities were made of stone.
The mortar plastering was used as a final outer processing of the facades` floors
in the lower mountain villages (e.g. Janche), or vertically nailed planks (Galichnik,
Bitushe). The inter-floor constructions were made of wooden beams, while the
floors were made of planks or shoved earth. The wooden roof construction uti-
lized stone cladding or shingle as the finishing covering material, while the older
types of houses were covered by rye straw.

House in the village of Sence House-tower in the village of Brodec,

covered with shingle detail of cantilevered balcony (doksat)

House in the village of Gari with an angle placed loggia closed with wooden covers

53
 In Gorna Reka the stone wall structure on the ground floor of the houses also
appeared on the upper floors. In comparison, in Dolna Reka it passes into a light
wooden timber frame construction. The basic elements in the formation of the
façade`s expressiveness are the light walls of vertical timber cladding (bagdatija),
the small unaccentuated jetty (erker) outlets of the floors and the deep awnings.
The forming of the facades gradually emerged from the inner organization of the
space and lacked any secondly applied decoration. In the villages located in Mala
Reka, quite often the façade was left unplasterd with mortar and with visible,
horizontally nailed, small, laths (Gari, Mogorche).

The houses in the Reka region were of the closed type, the spatial organization
of which contained a large number of varied purposes. The most prominent type
is the house-tower, created as a result of the need to defend. The most beauti-
ful example of a house-tower is preserved in Brodec. The monumentality of the
stone kubus, the decorative processing of the stone placed in the corners and
on the stone portals of the entrances, as well as the stucco decoration on the
cantilevered balconies (doksats), gives this example a special place among the
preserved house-towers.

Brothers` house in the village of Gari

54
House-tower in the village of Galichnik, fitted in the mountain slope

Village of Janche, a special variant of a house-tower in Dolna Reka

55
 The spatial expansions of the houses are developed vertically due to the slope of
the terrain. The loggia, a typical element of the Macedonian traditional architec-
ture, is closed. Only in the village of Gari can open loggias be seen, these however
were closed by wooden covers.
- According to the spatial organization and location we can differentiate
several types of houses, such as:
- Closed houses with a loggia in one corner of the base,
- Symmetrical organization of the space with a centrally placed loggia,
- Closed loggia placed over the entire length of the base, and
- The “brothers` house”, which encloses two entirely separated spatial
wholes.
The houses in Reka contain the work buildings and additional out buildings. The
base of the house has a rectangular form, with the exception of the tightly built
spaces in which the form of the base adapts to the terrain and the existing or-
ganization of the outer space. The living chambers of the family were on the first
floor. The spatial organization of the floors usually followed the disposition of the
ground floor, even though there are exceptions where the symmetrical disposi-
tion of the ground floor is followed by an asymmetrical organization of the spaces
on the floors or vice versa.

The houses in Galichnik have specificities in the organization and the forming of
the living space. The huge volume built of coursed, or partially coursed, stone
is vivified by the placing of the loggia over the entire length of the floor, and the
front wall is made of timber frame covered with planks. Due to the configuration
of the terrain, each level has a direct entrance from the ground. The entrance has
a stone doorway which was decorated and engraved with the initials of the owner
and the year of building.

In the villages in Dolna Reka, such as Janche, there is a special variant of a

house-tower. The houses in Janche have vivid forms. Above the massive stone
basement and ground floor there is a floor made of light timber frame construc-
tion, plastered or covered with planks. The jetty outlets rest on wooden, rounded
jetty brackets, while the plastered surfaces have wooden spheres on the corners.

The houses in the villages in Mala Reka possess different characteristics to the
other various villages, regardless of the fact that they are all works of the Miyak
builders. There are numerous reasons for the spatial organization which does not
allow the determining of strictly defined type of houses.

Due to lack of wood and stone, the houses in the valley of the region of Debar
had walls built of coursed stone in the lower compartments, while the floor was

56
House in the village of Prisojnica covered with stone cladding

Public fountain “Upija” in the village of Galichnik

57
 made of locally made clay bricks, smoothed over by horizontal levelling beams
(kushaks). Even if a timber frame construction was used, it was filled with clay
bricks.

The older houses in the villages of Debar were single ground floor structures,
covered with a rye cover or stone cladding. The later built houses have a ground
floor made of coursed stone and a first floor made of dried clay (in the plain vil-
lages) or a timber frame construction (in the mountain villages). Very often the
first floor is profiled over the ground floor as a jetty (erker). The houses are usu-
ally symmetrically pieced together with a centrally placed porch on the ground
floor and a jetty loggia on the first floor, but there are also asymmetrical exam-
ples with a loggia on the corner.
On one side of the loggia the grain
Granary angle placed on the loggia,
in the village of Trebishte barn is placed. When the Mediter-
ranean climate is felt along the
Crn Drim river valley, the porch
and the loggia are opened.

The inner walls, as well as the

walls on the first floor, are built of
adobe brick (kerpich) or of wat-
tle infill plastered with mud. In
the mountain villages the outer
walls of the first floor are made of
planks filled with mud. The roof is
made of a wooden hip construc-
tion covered, in most cases, with
titles or with stone cladding. The
simple content and spatial ap-
pearance of the houses in the villages in the region of Debar make this architec-
ture quite different from that of Reka.

The traditional village-fountains (cheshmi) still exist in some villages but in most
cases, there is a now a water system in the house.

In addition to the houses, the work yard also housed additional objects, which
have a significant place in the architectural heritage and an important role in the
economic life of the villagers.

The grain barn was used for whey storage. It was built from wood on top of a platform
of stone and wooden beams. The holding construction was made of wood and layered
with planks, while the roof was made of stone cladding or tiles. In a large number

58
of houses in the entire region
the grain barn is placed in the
loggia, made of wooden planks
(Sretkovo, Trebishte).

The barns were used for cattle

food storage and can be located
beside the house (Belichica,
Grekaj, Vrbjani, Cerovo, Sretkovo)
or grouped on the periphery of
the village (Janche, Novo Selo,
Nistrovo, Gorno Kosovrasti). If
located beside the house the
barn`s ground floor was used as
stable. The ground floors of the
barns were built of stone (in the
mountain villages) or adobe brick
(kerpich) placed on top of a stone
platform (in the plain villages).
The upper parts of the barn were
made of a wooden construction
layered with vertical planks or
wattle infill. The hipped roof of
the barn is covered with shingle
or tiles. The complex of barns
at the entrance of the village Complex of barns in the village of Gorno Kosovrasti
Gorno Kosovrasti is especially
remarkable; showcasing an
unusual building complex preserved in its authentic state, interconnected and built
on both sides of a narrow and skewed path.

The bread furnace was present in almost every rural courtyard in the past. Its
base is made of hewn stone and the vault is made of brick. The roof is hipped,
covered with tiles or stone cladding. Up until the present day only a small number
of furnaces with modified forms have been preserved.

The water mills and fulling mills are small stone objects built outside of the
villages. Although there were numerous water and fulling mills on the fast moun-
tain river, at present all of these are entirely ruined and overgrown with high veg-
etation, making it impossible to locate them, with the exception of few water mills
which are in the villages.

59
 Sheepfold on the mountain Bistra

The sheepfolds are located high in the mountains of Bistra and Stogovo. The ob-
jects fоr production and storage of cheese are stone buildings, most of which are
dug in to the terrain. The sheepfolds are open spaces, enclosed by stone barriers
built without mortar. In close proximity to the sheepfolds there are cattle water
troughs.

The state of the vernacular architecture in the region is presently very poor. The
immigration of the population and the lack of maintenance of the objects have led
to the devastation of the traditional buildings in the settled villages and outside
these. The sharp climate conditions at 1000 – 2000 meters above sea level, at
which the settlements are located, the marginalization of the region, poor infra-
structure, especially the lack of roads, has lead to immigration and desertion of
the villages and devastation of the cultural heritage.

The largest parts of the villages are almost entirely depopulated or there are only
few inhabitants who remain throughout the entire year. A number of inhabitants
only return to the villages for the summer months. The populated villages have
a small number of inhabitants, with the exception of very few. In the deserted
villages or those which are seasonally populated a large number of objects are
ruined. In the villages with a larger number of inhabitants, the inherited objects
are demolished or renewed in a modern style becuase the villages are growing
and developing with an interruption in the building tradition. Although a large
number of the most significant objects are demolished or in a phase of ruin, the
villages have still preserved their traditional appearance.

60
61
 LIST OF TERMS ABCDEFG

Abbot – head of a monastery. Castel – a settlement with walls placed on

unapproachable hills.
Aladzha - multi colored, colorful.
Chamber – a room, part of the house used
Altar – sacrificial altar, shrine, a space
for sleeping, guest welcoming etc.
located on the eastern side of the
church, separated from the naos with Church – a building used for Christian
an iconostasis, in which the liturgy takes religious activities.
place.
Deesis (Prayer/Supplication) – composition
Apse – semi-circular space at the eastern which represents an illustration of the
side of the altar in the Christian sacral mediation of the Virgin and St. John the
objects, which ends with a calotte. Baptist before Christ on behalf of the
believers.
Arch – inner side of certain roof
construction with a spherical form, mostly Defter – notebook, list, record, accountancy
semi-cylindrical. book, trading book.
Archiereus – head of the clergy, the Dervish – Muslim mystic, a member of some
highest Orthodox clerical rank. of the dervish orders.
Archimandrite - highest rank in the Dome – arch in a form of a semi-ball.
monastic order, head of the monks in the
Eparchy – an area under the canonic rule of
monasteries.
an episcope.
Artifact –handmade object, a product from
Fibula/Brooch – a metal, decorative needle
human activity.
used for fastening the parts of the clothes.
Barn – wooden object placed on stone
Fortification – a fortress, fortified place.
walls, used for storage of hay.
Fresco painting – church`s wall painting,
Bazaar/Old Market – economic, trading
pictorial art which uses colors on the stiff
and crafts part of the town, located in the
background.
central area.
Fulling mill – economic objects for washing
Basilica –object with a central nave and
and coloring of fabrics, built on streams or
two or more aisles, mutually divided by
rivers.
a colonnade, whereas the central nave is
always wider and higher than the aisles. Furnace – a separate object made of stone
in the village yard, used for baking bread, as
“Brothers` house” –a double house, with
well as other dishes.
two living units.
Granary –wooden object for storage of grains
Cantilevered balcony – part of a room
(whey, corn) in the economical yard or a
expanded over the outer wall, with an
casket for flour mostly placed on the loggia.
elevated floor level.

62

Halvet – a separate part in a hammam
used for bathing.
Hammam - single or double public
Ottoman bath.
Hamamdzik - small house bath in the
room or in the musandra (built in wall
closet) in the Muslim houses.
Hazna – water reservoir in a hammam.
Hieromonk – a monk who can carry a
liturgy.
Hijrah/Hegira – the date of the migration
of the prophet Muhammad from Mecca to
Medina (16.07.622) and also the start of the
Islamic calendar.
House – a chamber in a rural house in
which the fireplace was placed and which
was used for cooking.
House-tower – house with several floors
built of stone.
Iconostasis – a compartment decorated
with icons, which separated the altar from
the naos.
Imam – Islamic spiritual leader, a person
of confession who guides the mutual
prayer in the mosque.
“Imperial Doors” (Holy gates) – double
doors centrally placed on the iconostasis,
leading from the naos to the altar,
symbolizing the gates of Heaven.
Jetty – part of the upper floor of the house
visually expanded over the lower floor.
Jetty brackets – narrowly placed beams
which firm the wooden supporting
columns or carry the expanded inter-floor
beams of the jetties.
HIJKLM
Konak – castle; a room for travelers,
hospice.
Kthetor/Donor – founder, protector and
donor who gives financial support for
building, restoring and fresco painting of
churches and monasteries.
Kube – arch; dome.
Kurna – sink in an hammam made of stone
or marble, with a square form, usually
nicely decorated, in which the hot and cold
water flew.
Kushak – horizontal wooden leveling beam
which has the function of a cerclage in the
construction of the stone wall.
Last Judgement – an educational theme
depicting the second arrival of Christ,
coming from the apocalypse of John.
Levha – large framed panels which are
placed on the walls of the mosques or
the Muslim houses, on which quotes from
the Quran with the names of the first
Caliphs or with wise oriental sayings are
calligraphically written.
Loggia – a large space on the floor of
the traditional house which represents a
multifunctional opened or closed space,
connecting the remaining rooms of the
house.
Madrassa – basic term for the middle and
high schools of a boarding school type.
Mahfil – stone or wooden gallery of
columns, placed in the mosque beside the
wall with the entrance portal.
Mecca – birth place of Muhammad.
63

Metoch – monastic or church land or
estate, an estate awarded to a church or a
monastery.
Metropolitan – highest priestly rank
following the Patriarch or the Archbishop.
Mihrab – semi-spherical or polygonal
niche, placed opposite the main entrance
in the mosque in direction of the Qibla,
from where the Imam leads the joint
prayer.
Minaret – high tower beside the mosque
from which the muezzin calls upon the
Muslims for prayer; the mosques can have
from one up to six minarets.
Minber – step pulpit inside the mosque,
close to the mihrab, made of stone or
wood, from which on Friday, as well as the
first day of both Bayram holidays the Imam
holds a special preacher (khutbah).
Monk – a person who denounced the
secular life and dedicated himself to
religious service.
Mosque – A Muslim building used for
Islamic religious activities.
Muezzin - a person appointed in the
mosque to loudly call upon the believers to
prayer from the minaret of the mosque.  
Naos – inner, central part in the Antique
temples, as well as in the Christian
churches, dedicated to the believers.
Narthex – entrance porch in the Christian
sacral objects.
Necropolis – town of the decease,
graveyard.
64
MNPQRS
Neighborhoods – part of a town, town
quarter, quart, street.
Nishan – grave monument made of stone
on a Muslim grave or vault.
Niche – wall niche with shelves.
Plithar – adobe brick made of mud.
Portico – entrance porch leading to the
entrance door, a covered porch with a
colonnade.
Qibla – direction towards Mecca, a
direction which gives the orientation of
every mihrab part of the mosques toward
which all Muslims face during the time of
prayer.
Rue-house – ground floor, one parted
house, covered with straw of rue.
Şadrvan – fountain in front of the mosque
used for obligatory ritual washing of the
believers.
Semahane – a chamber in a tekke where
the dervish rite “zikir” is performed.
Şerefe – enclosed space of the minaret
(a balcony) from which the Muezzin calls
upon the Muslims to prayer.
Sergen – built in closet for beddings.
Şeyh – an old man, head, leader (of an
order, tribe)
Sheepfold – fenced space high in the
mountains in which the cattle folds are
kept during summer months.
Shingle - small and thick boards (made of
Mountain Hemlock or Elm tree) used for
roofing of the houses.
 STVWZ

Sicil – a register of the judge, a protocol of vakaf and its management; a cannon,
the sharia courts. statute of the Islamic endowment.
Sokak – short and narrow street. Vas Diatretum – a luxurious Roman glass
vessel with a rich decoration on its outer
Stables – ground floor part for cattle in the
surface.
houses or the barns.
Watermill – an object beside a stream
Stucco – a plastic, relief decorating of
or river which uses the water energy for
the interior and exterior of the building
grinding grain.
with the use of stucco mortars and other
materials. Woodcarving - applied art, a craft by
some, of elaboration of objects and
Tambour – cylindrical or multi-angled part
carvings of wood.
of a building, on which the dome is placed.
Zograf – fresco and icon painter.
Tajfa – an organized group of builders who
worked on construction of objects.
Tekke – dervish building in which the
dervish rites take place.
Timber cladding – horizontally placed
beams on the inner and outer side of the
timber frame wall construction.
Timber frame construction – wooden
skeleton system composed of columns
and beams which are usually orthogonally
placed, as well as jetty brackets for firming
of the construction. The filling can be of
earth mixed with straw, a wattle infill of
thin branches of willow or Cornus mas
tree, plithar etc.
Turbe – a mausoleum, grave with a dome.
Vakaf – endowment, votive gift; estate,
object and various material estates whose
incomes were used for establishing and
maintenance of the Islamic confessional,
charity and educational institutions.
Vakafname – endowment charter,
document for the establishment of the

65
 REFERENCES

Archaeological Sites in the Municipalities of Debar and Mavrovo and Rostusha

Алексова, Б., „Археолошки наоди од с. Лазарополе кај Дебар“, Разгледи I-1, Скопје
1959
Археолошка карта на Република Македонија, Том II, Скопје 1996, 107-116; 118-123.
Битракова Грозданова, В., „Прилог кон историјата на Дебарскиот крај“, Историја XVI-1,
Скопје 1980, 198-199; 200-201;
Ivanovski, M., “The grave of a warrior from the Period of Licinius I found at Taraneš”,
Archaeologica Iugoslavica 24, Ljubljana 1987, 81-90.
Mikulčić, I., Tabula Imperii Romani, K-34, Sectio Naissus-Dyrrhachion-Scup-Serdica-
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