Prilep is the second largest city in Macedonia’s largest plain, Pelagonia.

According to the 2002 census, the urban district of Prilep had a population of 73,925.

Prilep is situated in the north-eastern part of Pelagonija plain (south-central part of Macedonia), at an altitude of 620 meters above the sea level. Prilep can be accessed by the M5/E-65 roads. The other city in the Pelagonia plain, Bitola, is just 41 km away, while Skopje is 128 km. Prilep is a center for high-quality tobacco and cigarettes and the metal processing, electronic, timber, textiles, and food industries.

Many of the world’s largest cigarette makers use Prilep’s tobacco in their cigarettes after it is processed in local factories. When the Institute of Tobacco was established in Prilep to create new types of tobacco it was the first example of applying genetics to agriculture in the Balkans.

The Institute of Old Slavonic Culture is located in Prilep. Each year an International Art Colony is held in Prilep, as well as the Festival of Professional Theaters of Macedonia. Prilep has its essential growth in the after war free development period. Then it became respectably well known political, administrative, cultural, educational, scientific and commercial centre of Macedonia.

Prilep has invested more than 25 excellent writers in the literature, more than 20 painters and sculptures in the art, and numerous famous scientists in Macedonia and the world. The Macedonian currency bank-notes, the Denar, is also printed in Prilep. The Prilep’s old town architecture is extremely attractive.

Prilep tourist attractions

• TOWERS OF MARKO FORTRESS A 30 min hike from Varosh village will take you to the ruins of the medieval fortress known as Markovi kuli.
  The hike is through a strange bare landscape with huge rocks in different shapes. On the beginning is the Stone elephant work of nature. The remains of the fortress look as if they are growing from the huge rocks and there are striking views over Prilep and the surrounding plain. The remains that can be seen are from the 10th to the 14th c.
  The fortress can also be reached by much more scenic, but much more rough path from Holy Archangels Monastery.
  If you are visiting the fortress in summer do it before noon and bring water along since the path has no shades. 2.23 km NW from Prilep center
• TRESKAVEC MONASTERY The Treskavec monastery is situated under the peak Zlatovrv (1262 m), about 10 kilometers from the town of Prilep, in a striking mountain landscape, from where you have a great view of the Pelagonia valley. The Treskavec monastery was built during the 13th century on the ruins of an ancient town destroyed in the 7 century. The monastery complex consists of the church “Assumption of the Holy Mother”, monastery inns and the dining room. It is thought that the monastery was built in the 13th century and later in the 14th century, King Milutin renovated it. The monastery inventory includes: a Kosmitos cross and the choir, worked in encrustation. The Treskavec monastery’s fasade is made from faded red bricks, with ornamental external niches and – with its uneven roof, it looks like it was created at the same time as the gnarly rocks surrounding it. Before the monastery, there was an early Christian temple here and, according to the excavations, the region was inhabited since at least 2000 BC. 6.61 km NNW from Prilep center
• ARCHANGEL MICHAEL MONASTERY – VAROSH The Varosh monastery complex includes foundations of necropolis and settlements from the bronze and iron ages, thermal spas from the Roman period and numerous well preserved cultural-historical monuments from the middles ages. The most important monuments from the middle ages are the church St. Nikola (built in 1299) with one of the most important master-pieces from that period in Macedonia; the church St. Dimitrija with preserved reign doorways from the 15th century; St. Atanasius; St. Petar and Holy Mother Precista, as well as the monastery St. Archangel Michael. The monastery was built between the rock of Marko’s towers, it consists of a church and old monastery inns. It is believed that the original church was built in the second half of the 12th century, and later on rebuilt. Fragments of the old painting have been preserved, including the frescoes “Christ in front of Pilat”, and “The way to Golghota”, “Descending from the cross”. The monastery inns were built in the 19th century. The monastery is significant for its preserved stone pillars from the ancient period discovered in the monastery yard. One of them bears an inscription with Cyrillic letters from 996, and after the epitaph of Samoil’s parents, this is the second inscription preserved with Cyrillic letters 2.29 km NW from Prilep center
• ZRZE MONASTERY The monastery Zrze is located near the village Zrze, approx. 25km north-west of Prilep. The numerous remnants of the ancient period-pillars, basilica remains, and other exponents speak of the rich cultural tradition, of this area. Today, Zrze monastery complex consists of the church “St. Petar and Pavle”, the inns and several accessory rooms. The church has been renovated several times, and the painting is preserved only in fragments. In the 14th century, the church walls were painted with painting of extraordinary artistic value. Under the monastery are the monk cells, and their high number indicates the rich life of the monks, who belonged to the highest monastical order. 26.34 km NW from Prilep center