Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon, Ohrid

The Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon, located in Ohrid, is a significant Byzantine architectural monument and an important historical and religious site. Attributed to Saint Clement of Ohrid, a disciple of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius, this church stands on the grounds believed to be where the first students of the Glagolitic alphabet were educated. These teachings facilitated the translation of the Bible into Old Church Slavonic during the First Bulgarian Empire.

Saint Clement arrived in Ohrid under the commission of Boris I of Bulgaria. Upon his arrival, Clement restored an existing old church. However, dissatisfied with its size, he decided to construct a new church over the old structure, dedicating it to Saint Panteleimon. This new establishment not only served as a church but also as a monastery, which Clement possibly designed himself. Alongside Naum of Preslav, another disciple of Cyril and Methodius, Clement used this monastery as a hub for teaching the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets to the newly Christianized Slavs. This educational activity effectively turned the monastery into what is considered the first and oldest discontinued university in Europe.

Architecturally, the church reflects its intended purpose as a literary school, with its design emphasizing educational and monastic functions. The exterior of the monastery is noted for its intricate mosaics and features a stone baptismal font, likely used by Clement to baptize his disciples. This combination of religious and educational elements underscores the church's historical significance as a center for religious teaching and Slavic literacy during the Byzantine period.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Ohrid. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon
Sight Location: Ohrid, Macedonia (See walking tours in Ohrid)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Ohrid's Historical Churches

Walking Tours in Ohrid, Macedonia

Create Your Own Walk in Ohrid

Creating your own self-guided walk in Ohrid is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Ohrid's Historical Churches

According to the legend based on the observations of 15th-century Ottoman traveler Evlia Celebia, the town of Ohrid used to have within its boundaries 365 chapels 鈥� one for every day of the year. At some point during Medieval times, Ohrid was even dubbed Slavic Jerusalem. Today, although the number of churches is considerably smaller, the architectural and historical value of those that remain... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

Ohrid Introduction Walking Tour

Ohrid was called "Lychnidos", meaning "City of Light." By the late 9th century, the town was referred to as "Ohrid." This is Slavic, meaning "on a hill." With its 365 churches, it was known as "Jerusalem of the Balkans."

Legend says King Cadmus, banished from Thebes, founded the town on a hill overlooking the lucid waters of Lake Ohrid. That may... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

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