Berovo

Berovo is a small town in the easternmost part of Eastern North Macedonia. It has about 7,000 residents, while the larger Berovo Municipality, consisting of eight surrounding villages, has a total population of under 14,000. It is a primary settlement of Maleševo Mountain, shared with Bulgaria. It is just 10 km (6 mi) from the small town of Pehčevo, which is also covered in this article.

Get in

The city can be entered only by a car, because there is only an asphalt road leading to it. Berovo is 165 km from the capital of North Macedonia, Skopje, and 142 km from the airport “Aleksandar Veliki”. Berovo is 335 km from the city of Ohrid (including Ohrid Airport). There are three entrances into Berovo: Kočani-Vinica-Berovo, Kočani-Delcevo Berovo and Strumica-Berovo. If arriving from Skopje you should take the highway towards Veles, and then continue towards Stip.

There is a daily bus line (five times / day) from Skopje via Veles, Stip, Kocani and Vinica to Berovo, and from Skopje via Delcevo to Berovo (two times / day).

One can reach Berovo from Republic of Bulgaria as well, using the border passes at Delčevo (45 km) and Novo Selo near Strumica (76 km).

See
  • 🌍 Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Црква „Рождество на Пресвета Богородица“). The main church of Berovo was built in 1912. It has a nice somewhat Italian appearance, particularly with its belfry which was added in 1930. There is a small square with a fountain beside the church. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Berovo Female Monastery (Беровски женски манастир). This monastery is known for being the only one in North Macedonia to produce mosaics. At its height in the 20th century, the monastery was home to 60 nuns. The main church, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, was built in 1818. The interior painting work was completed by 1920. Another church was built in the monastery in 2014. (updated Oct 2017)

Village churches

The villages of Berovo Municipality are old and contain excellent examples of Macedonian village architecture. These villages each contain one or two churches, primarily from the 19th century, some of the more interesting of which are listed below.

  • 🌍 Church of Saint George (Црква „Св. Ѓорѓи“) (village of Budinarci). Built in 1854, this is a three-nave church with a semicircular apse. It has lovely frescoes. The church grounds also contain a bell tower. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Church of the Ascension of Christ (Црква „Вознесение Христово“) (village of Vladimirovo). This church, built in the 1840s, suffered a fire in 2014 that resulted in the destruction of the entire interior. It has since been restored. The church also has a belfry. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Црква „Св. Петар и Павле“) (village of Ratevo). This three-nave church was completed in 1876 by the local population. It is a simple church with a pitched roof and a covered porch. The front facade has a domed bell tower. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Church of the Holy Mother of God (Црква „Пресвета Богородица“) (village of Dvorište). This a simple church with a prominent bell tower, rising at the main entrance of the church. The bell tower is built of brick and is covered with a tin curved pyramidal roof. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Church of Saint Elijah (Црква „Св. Илија“) (village of Mitrašinci). The biggest village church in Berovo, St Elijah was built in the 19th century in a prominent position in the village. The interior frescoes were completed in 1894 and it is the only church of Berovo that is entirely covered with frescoes. Its roof extends on the north and west sides, forming a porch. The enclosed yard also contains a bell tower with a small dome and cross atop its roof. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Church of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God (Црква „Успение на Пресвета Богородица“) (village of Smojmirovo). This 19th-century simple white church has an interesting stone fence. The entrance to the yard is at the base of the bell tower. The church has a wooden iconostasis. (updated Oct 2017)

Pehčevo Municipality

Pehčevo is a small town very close to Berovo. There aren't very many sights in Pehčevo Municipality but it sits in beautiful nature and features some old villages with historic architecture.

  • 🌍 Church of Saints Constantine and Elena (Црква „Св. Константин и Елена“), village of Negrevo. Built in 1858, the main village church of Negrevo is single-nave with a pitched roof and a bell tower attached to the western wall. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Црква „Успение на Пресвета Богородица“), village of Robovo. This church, built in 1847, is characterized by a large porch. It also features a detached bell tower. (updated Aug 2019)

Do
  • 🌍 Berovo Lake (Беровско Езеро) (8 km southwest of Berovo). This artificial lake lies 7 km (4.2 mi) from the Bulgarian border. It is surrounded by protected deciduous forests. The lake is used for recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, and sailing. Due to its high elevation, the waters remain quite cold year-round. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Ratevski Bamburci Carnival (Карневал Ратевски бамбурци), village of Ratevo. The Ratevski Bamburci Carnival is a traditional winter carnival event consisting of pagan rituals aiming for a happier and more prosperous new year. It is organized in the village of Ratevo near Berovo. Unlike most winter carnivals held on January 13 and 14 (New Year's Eve according to the Julian calendar), the Ratevo Carnival is held on January 20, on the feast of St. John the Baptist. Groups of men are masked in animal skins and using bells and other props perform ritual dances to scare away evil spirits. In the past few years, modern masks have also been incorporated, and carnival groups from neighboring countries have been invited to take part in the festivities. (updated Nov 2019)

Eat

Some local specialities include: pecheni kompiri (baked potatoes), ovcho sirenje (sheep cheese), bulamach, kachamak so rebra, domashna pita, and selsko meso (village meat).

Drink

This part of the country is renowned for their plum brandy (slivi rakija)

Sleep

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