Prilep, Macedonia's fourth largest city

Prilep is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Macedonia, with a population of 66,246 citizens.It is known as "the city under Marko's Towers" because the towers of King Marko are located northwest of the city. The towers and surrounding village were guarded by only 40 soldiers. Marko is considered a local hero because of his struggle against the Ottomans. After Marko's death in 1395 the settlement was taken over by the Ottomans and remained in their control for 500 years.

Prilep also is noted for its churches, among them the Monastery of St.Michael Varosh which sits on a hill overlooking the city. Build in the 11th century it is one of the few places with a portrait of King Marko. Prilep was under Istanbul's control for six centuries, when it with Macedonia became part of the larger country of Yugoslavia.

About Macedonia

Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementing the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.

Source: CIA World Factbook