Elšani

Elšani (Елшани, pronounced Elshani) is a village in the Republic of Macedonia, located approximately 10 km south of the City of Ohrid. It is spread across the western slopes of Galičica National Park, and 0.1 - 2 km from the shore of Lake Ohrid.The main part of the village is located at 850 - 950 meters above sea level, while the new satellite settlement of Elešec (Eleshets) rises directly from the shores of Lake Ohrid, at 700 meters.

Population

Elšani has 680 inhabitants living in the village all year around. In summer days there are approximately 400 more temporary inhabitants staying in their holiday (second) homes, built in the vicinity of the lake.

Ethnicity

All of Elšani's inhabitants are ethnic Macedonians, and Macedonian is their mother tongue.

Religion

For centuries, Orthodox Christianity has been the traditional religion, and the dating of the oldest church in the village goes back as far as 1408 AD. There are two temples in the village: The Cathedral Church of St. Elijah (restored in 1859; painted in 1944) and St. Mina's (built in 1994). The chapel of St. Petka from 1947 is shared with the neighboring town of Peštani.

Economy

Most of the local people find employment in hotels by the lakeside, or in the Ohrid factories, alhough, there are still some more traditional activities: each family has its own vineyard and a garden, animals are still kept, and traditional production of wine and "rakija" (brandy) is still practised.

History of Elšani

* Early 13th century: first written record on Elšani under Byzantian rule
* 1395: Elšani is under Ottoman rule
* 1408: the church of St. Elijah (re)built
* 19 century: Elšani has about 240 inhabitants [ [http://www.promacedonia.org/vk/vk_2_39.htm Васил Кънчов. „Македония. Етнография и статистика“. София, 1900, с. 252.] ]
* 1912: end of Ottoman rule; during the First Balkan War Elšani is occupied by Serbs who impose recruitment on local men and 13 of them killed on battlefield
* 1915-1918: the time of Bulgarian military occupation during World War I
* 1918: Elšani under the rule of the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed into Kingdom of Yugoslavia)
* 1941: Italian fascist occupation
* 1943: Bulgarian occupation; many of the local men join the antifascist guerilla movement – 7 of them killed in fight
* 1944: end of the Bulgarian rule and Elšani is now in the (Socialist) Republic of Macedonia, which at that time is one of the six republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; the village makes the biggest progress in its centuries old history, when roads, water supply, electricity and telephony for very first time were introduced
* 1991: Elšani is now one of the prosperous villages in the independent Republic of Macedonia

Tourism in Elšani

Major Attractions

* Lake Ohrid
* Galičica National Park

How to get there?

Regular bus service operates from the City of Ohrid (10 km) to Elšani, and 5 - 7 times throughout the day. More buses run to the neighboring Town of Peštani, always stopping on the outskirts of Elšani.

Where to stay?

Accommodation can be found in 30 family homes with nearly 200 beds in total, all through the year and at different locations, down by the lake or up in the mountain. Also by the lakeside is the Elešec Camping Site, which is well structured, but operating during the summer period only. There are several village shops to provide food, drinks and other most needed things for a pleasant stay between the green heights of Mount Galičica and the blue waters of Lake Ohrid.

What to do?

Elšani is a base for mountain walks and rock climbing in the Galičica National Park. On the other hand, the wide network of paths, narrow village streets and local low traffic roads are ideal for use as walking, jogging or cycling trails by all levels of ability and age groups.

References