Smilevo

This article does not cite any sources. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Smilevo Смилево
Village
Panoramic view of the village
Smilevo Location within North Macedonia
Coordinates: 41°09′18″N 21°06′40″E / 41.15500°N 21.11111°E / 41.15500; 21.11111Coordinates: 41°09′18″N 21°06′40″E / 41.15500°N 21.11111°E / 41.15500; 21.11111
Country	North Macedonia
Region	Pelagonia
Municipality	Demir Hisar
Population  (2002)
• Total	321
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Smilevo (Macedonian: Смилево) is a village in North Macedonia, municipality of Demir Hisar.

It is famous for the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising which started in the village in the morning of August 2, 1903 (see Battle of Smilevo). The decision for the uprising was taken during the Smilevo congress of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) from May 2 to May 7, 1903.

The village is the native place of Dame Gruev, one of the founders and most prominent leaders of IMRO. Smilevo also has a statue of Dame Gruev on one of its mountain sides. Below this mountainous terrain is the village. The village has one of the largest schools in the Demir Hisar municipality.

Geography[]

The village is situated in the southernmost part of Demir Hisar municipality on the foothills of Bigla mountain on 880 m above sea level on an area of 16.4 square kilometres, 1,400 ha of which are forests, 113 ha are pastures and 104 ha are cultivated area. It is 10 km from the Demir Hisar — Bitola road.

History[]

Museum dedicated to National Liberation Struggle

Women from Smilevo in national costume in 1913

Woman from Bitola, dressed in traditional costume from Smilevo, photographed in the studio of the brothers Manaki in Bitola, between 1898-1912

The village was the venue of the IMRO's Smilevo Congress of 1903, at which the decision for uprising against the Ottoman rule in Macedonia was taken by the most prominent members of IMRO.

IMRO's revolutionaries rose up on August 2, 1903, which was marked as the beginning of the Ilinden uprising.

Economy[]

Smilevo people are traditionally masons who have worked on constructing houses and other objects in other villages and cities in North Macedonia, former Yugoslavia and abroad. In addition to this, many villagers are involved in producing charcoal, agriculture, forestry and other businesses in the surrounding cities and abroad.

Demographics[]

The population of the village is Macedonian. In 1961, the number of inhabitants was 1,158, while in 1994, the number decreased to 384 due to migration of the people to the cities. It historically has been identified as a Mijak village.

Sights[]

Monastery of St. Peter and Paul

Near the village is one of the most beautiful monasteries in the country dedicated to St. Peter and Paul (Macedonian: Свети Петар и Павле, Sveti Petar i Pavle). It has been recently renovated.

On the hill above the village, there is a memorial park dedicated to Dame Gruev.

A museum dedicated to the Smilevo congress and the National Liberation Struggle was opened on the 100th anniversary of the Ilinden uprising in 2003.

Famous inhabitants[]

• Dame Gruev, founder of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation

References[]