Municipality of Demir Hisar

MUNICIPALIT Y OF
DEMIR HISAR
Demir Hisar, or as it is called in translation -
Mayor: Mr. Ljupcho Blazhevski
Mr. Ljupcho Kirilo Blazhevski was born in Demir
Hisar in 1967. He acquired his primary and secondary gymnasium education in his hometown
and he continued his higher education at the
Faculty of Agriculture at University “Ss. Cyril and
Methodius” in Skopje, where he obtained the title
Graduated Agronomy Engineer. After graduation he performed several tasks. As director,
he successfully managed private agricultural
pharmacy, and then, in 1998, he was employed
in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Water Management. After his employment in
the local unit in Demir Hisar, he carried out
several responsible public professional and
political functions. He was head of the local
unit, and then of the National Agricultural
Inspectorate. He attended and participated
in many international conferences, seminars,
and professional trainings and workshops in
the field of agriculture. His computer skills and
the knowledge of the French language enable
smooth communication to Mr. Blazhevski with
his domestic and foreign colleagues. At 2013 local
elections, he gains the trust of the citizens and is
elected Mayor of the Municipality of Demir Hisar.
Mr. Ljupcho Kirilo Blazhevski is a family man and
father of two children.
Iron Mountain is an area located in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia,
northwest from Pelagonija valley, around the
upper basin of the river Crna and its tributaries. Its terrain is mostly mountainous, and a
small part along the river Crna is lowland.
Main feature of this area are mountains
Bigla, Ilinska and Plakenska Mountain, with
the highest peak of 2000 m, which separates
Demir Hisar area from Prespa-Ohrid area.
Because these mountains are rich with iron
ore, the area was named Zheleznik. Turks
called it Demir Hisar, and it is the name it has
to this day. The first official written document
in which Demir Hisar was first mentioned as a
separate administrative unit under the name
“Demir Hisar borough” dates from November
1945. In June 1955, the National Assembly of
People’s Republic of Macedonia adopted a
new Law for districts and municipalities. With
this act, Demir Hisar was defined for the first
time as Municipality of Demir Hisar within
the Bitola area. Today, municipal administrative center is the City of Demir Hisar, which
is located at 650-670 meters above sea level.
As general administrative unit, Municipality of Demir Hisar borders with the Municipality of Bitola on the south, with the municipalities of Resen, Ohrid and Debarca on
the west, with the Municipality of Kichevo
on the north and with the municipalities of
Krushevo and Mogila on the east.
The municipality is located in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia, in the
upper catchment area of river “Crna” that runs
through the central part of the municipality.
It is surrounded on all sides by mountainous
land that rises above the alluvial plain terrain
and creates a natural whole open along the
river “Crna”. Municipality of Demir Hisar
covers an area of 480.15 km2 and is among the
medium-sized municipalities in the Republic
of Macedonia, with 41 settlements and a total
of 9497 residents. According to the structure
of the population by nationality, 9179, i.e.
96.65% are Macedonian, 232, i.e. 2.44% are
Albanian and 0.99% of the population are
members of smaller ethnical groups.
Forest vegetation in the Municipality of Demir Hisar occupies much of the total area, 22,970 ha,
and is characterized by relative preservation. Natural conditions and characteristics caused the
emergence of two vegetation belts, oak and beech. The rest is agricultural land.
Demir Hisar is one of the few municipalities on whose territory played large, important
and significant historical events of the Macedonian national history. Therefore, numerous
significant cultural and historical monuments and sites, which are an ideal prerequisite for
the development of tourism, are located throughout the entire municipality.
River “Crna” springs on the territory of the municipality, in village Zheleznec, and it passes through
the central part of the municipality. It gathers all river flows, thus forming the hydrographic network
in the municipality. River “Crna”, with an average annual flow of 15.0 m3/sec, presents largest river
potential. Rivers Zhaba, Stara Reka, Boishka ans Zhureshnica have a small average flow and only
partially meet the needs of the areas they pass through. In the southern part of the municipality were
built three micro-accumulations for purposes of irrigation, fish production and flood protection.
We should mention village Smilevo, village Rakitnica and village Velmevci as villages rich
with memories of Ilinden period. Smilevo is a hilly village at an altitude of 880 meters,
covered with oak and beech forest, pastures and 100 acres of arable land. It is populated with
Macedonian population, and is one of the few Mijak enclaves outside ethnic environment
Mala Reka in the Republic of Macedonia in which Mijaks live. Smilevo is one of the few
villages in Macedonia that has a rich historical past, which is witnessed by the numerous
monuments of Ilinden period.
There are a total of 62 churches and monasteries on the territory of the
municipality, of which, several stick out by their age, preservation, method
of construction, colorfulness and location, and they are protected by law
as permanent features of a certain people and a certain period.
The memorial ossuary of Dame Gruev, Macedonian revolutionary and
organizer of the Macedonian People’s Liberation Movement of the
Ilinden period, one of the founders and first secretary of VMRO, is located
here. Smilevo is national pride, historical monument since the Ilinden
event. The famous Smilevo Congress, on which was decided to start the
Ilinden Uprising, was held in this village in May 1903. In memory of the
dead and the importance of historical events and people, monument of
Smilevo Ilinden fighters, memorial museum “Smilevo”, and a memorial
park “Dame Gruev” were build in the village.
Duke Vele Markov and most of his comrades were killed in battle in
the village Rakitnica on 23rd of July 1902. He was buried in Rakitnica
and his grave is still located there. Duke Jordan Piperkata was buried in
county Chereshn, near the village Velmevci. Here, apart from his grave,
are located the graves of three of his comrades, and a monument was
erected at the spot.
Those are the monasteries St. John
Pretecha near Slepche, St. Athanasius of Alexandria near Zhurce,
Monastery church St. Nicholas
Toplichki located near the intersection of village Mrenoga and village Sloeshtica etc. It is believed
that Demir Hisar is the second
municipality in the country according to the number of registered churches and monasteries, after Ohrid. Important
tourist attractions and rarities
in this region are the springs of
the river Crna and Demir Hisar
upper-rural architecture of the
village Zheleznec, then the village Babino with the largest
private library in Macedonia,
which has over 15,000 copies,
site Ilinska Mountain, the presses in the village Virovo in which
is located perhaps the only specimen of bread baking oven built
on a loggia in the world.
Bitolska nn
e-mail: [email protected]
7240 Demir Hisar
[email protected]
Republic of Macedonia
[email protected]
www.demirhisar.gov.mk
Phone/ Fax: + 389 47 552 661