Kičevo

Infobox Settlement
name =PAGENAME
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native_name =Кичево
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settlement_type =Town
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image_caption = Kičevo


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pushpin_map_caption =Location within Macedonia
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = MKD
subdivision_type1 = Municipality
subdivision_name1 =Kičevo municipality
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area_water_km2 =48
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population_as_of =2002
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population_total =30,138
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timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
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latd=41 |latm=31 |lats=04 |latNS=N
longd=20 |longm=57 |longs=56 |longEW=E
postal_code_type = Postal code
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area_code =+389
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footnotes = Kičevo ( _mk. Кичево, audio-IPA|Mk-Kichevo.ogg| [ˈkitʃɛvɔ] ; _sq. Kërçovë "or" Kërçova) is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, located in a valley in the south-eastern slopes of Mount Bistra, between the cities of Ohrid and Gostivar. The capital Skopje is 112 km away. The city of Kičevo is a seat of the Kičevo municipality.

Population

The town of Kičevo has 30,138 inhabitants. The largest ethnic group is the Macedonians who constitute for 15,031 people (54%). The next largest groups are the Albanians with about 9,202 people (31%), and the Turks with about 2,406 (8%).

Name

The name of the city in Macedonian is "Kičevo" (Кичево). Kičevo is first mentioned as "Uskana" in the reign of Perseus, king of Macedon during the Third Macedonian War (171-168 BC). The next written record of the town did not come until 1018, under the name of "Kičavis", noted in one of the documents of the Byzantine emperor Basil II.

It is presumed that the present name of the town originates from the name of this settlement populated by the Slavic Brsjaci tribe. The Albanian name of the city is "Kërçova".

History

Kičevo was noted in one of the documents of the Byzantine emperor Basil II in 1018, and also mentioned by the Ohrid archbishop Theophilact in XI century.

When the region was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, Kičevo was turned into the military and administrative center of the region. Notable monument of that period is a clock tower built in the foothills of the nearby hill called "Kichevsko Kale".

The activities of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) in the region of Kičevo were initiated by the priest Josif from the monastery of Bogorodica Prečista near the city, supported by many teachers from the neighbouring villages. Priest Josif and Pere Toshev formed the first armed detachment in Kičevo in 1878, led by Duko Tasev. On August 2, 1903, the citizens of Kičevo joined the struggle for Macedonian independence, led by Arso Vojvoda and Jordan Piperkata.

In 1919 Kičevo and the whole region were incorporated in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

During World War II, Kičevo was occupied by forces from Fascist Italy. On September 11, 1943, Kičevo became the first liberated city in Macedonia.

Monuments

Saint Bogorodica Precista Monastery ("Monastery of Immaculate Mother of God") is a significant monastery near Kičevo. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the feast day of this monastery is "Mala Bogorodica", (Birthday of the Virgin Mary on the 21st of September). The monastery, dedicated to the Annunciation and lodgings for devout monks, represents a medieval monastery that was known under the name Krninski monastery in the past.

Another important monument is the monastery of St. George located in the vicinity of Kičevo.

References

External links

* [http://www.kicevo.gov.mk Kičevo web site]
* [http://kicevo.net.mk Kičevo portal web]
* [http://kicevo.blog.com.mk Kičevo blog]
* [http://www.dentist-mk.com/Macedonia/Kicevo/SvBogorodica/Precista.htm Monastery of St. Bogorodica Precista]
* [http://www.esiweb.org/picturestories/neg/kicevo.htm Information on Kicevo as part of the "New Economic Geography" map of the European Stability Initiative)]