Bitola Museum is located in the building called “Old army Barack”, which is a registered monument of culture of the first category.
- Address: Kliment Ohridski 18, 7000 Bitola
- Phone: +389 47 233 187
- info@muzejbitola.mk
- www.muzejbitola.mk
- Open hours: Every day 08.00 – 16.00
- On Mondays, there are no guided tours
Built as a military high school (Idadie) in 1848 when the city of Bitola (Monastir) was the military, administrative, political and commercial center of European Turkey, the military high school existed until 1900, when it was transformed into Military Academy and as such works until 1909. From 1909 to 1912 it served as high military school – military gymnasium.
Among famous cadets who are educated in this facility are Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – the founder and first president of the modern Republic of Turkey, Ali Feti Bey and Nijazi Bey leader of the Young Turk revolution in 1908.
From the Balkan wars until 1974, the building was mainly used as an army barrack.
From 1976, the object gets a new purpose and within is located the National Institution – Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments and Natural Rarities, or as it is known today – NI Institute and Museum of Bitola.
In architectural terms, the building represents a synthesis of western and oriental architecture. In its dimensions and gauge as monumental building, it is a reflection of the builder accomplishments at that time in these areas. Also, in chronological terms, it is the only historical building of this type in the Republic of Macedonia.
Within the museum building are located the Permanent exhibition of Bitola area, the memorial room of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and administrative offices.
Read more: Memorial room of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (click here…)
Permanent exhibition
In the permanent exhibition in the Bitola museum, more than 2000 exhibits from various historical periods are presented. Beginning with prehistory, antiquity, early Byzantine, Medieval, Ilinden period, Balkan Wars, First World War, Socialist period up to the present, trough various especially valuable objects, the history of the Bitola region is presented.
The exhibited artifacts testify the existence of different eras – from the teeth of prehistoric mastodon, Neolithic tombs, mosaics and ancient basilicas, military weapons and artworks from some of the most famous Macedonian painters: Tode Ivanovski, Mende Ivanovski, Ljubomir Belogaski, Borislav Traikovski (Borislav Trajkovski), Jovan Dimovski, Lazar Licenovski, Dimce Nikolov, Ranko Strumenikovski, Dimitar Pandilov, Nikola Martinovski, Peco Spiroski and others.
The revolvers of Macedonian national heroes Goce Delchev (Гоце делчев) and Gjorgi Sugarev (Ѓорѓи Сугарев), coins from ancient rulers, original pieces of old jewelry, gospels, decrees of Samuel’s, are presented in the permanent exhibition of Bitola Museum.
The numerous artifacts, their originality and arrangement, create a harmonious blend of historical eras, giving a cozy museum world. It is surprising how many valuable museum exhibits are presented on an area of 700 square meters.
