Europe

[Visited: July 2020]

After seeing the hill all the way from the Vrsnik mountain north of Kruševo, I drive to Prilep, and head directly to the foot of the hill on which Marko's towers are located. I walk up the quiet streets of Varoš, once a separate village and now integrated into much larger Prilep. Above me, on rocks rising steeply from the valley floor, I see the destination of the morning: Marko's towers, or Marovi Kuli in the local language. The ramparts rise up from the steep slopes. I follow the official road, which is all white, perhaps because of all the marble in the ground here. The road takes a loop around the base of the hill, veers back, deteriorates, and ends up right where the rocks take over. From here, several trails fan out over the terrain of the acropolis. There is a crenelated wall that was built right on top of the rocks.
Research has shown that this hill was already used by the Romans, and remains of an early basilica have been found. Nowadays, you can easily see the foundations of the various buildings and rooms. This was a Serbian stronghold in the 13th and 14th century, and named after medieval prince Marko Mrnjavčević. Some of the defensive towers still look strong. Despite its strength and strategic position, the fortress was taken by the Ottomans in 1395. The inhabitants moved on to settle at the foot of the hill, which now is Varoš. I climb the stairs to the very top of the mountain, where an iron cross is erected. This is of course the best vantage point to get a 360 degrees view of the surrounding landscape of plains, rocky hills, and the mountains further to the south, as well as the city of Prilep.
Three teenagers have also climbed the hill, probably in search of some space far away from their parents; they have a lot of fun, but do not seem very interested in the location. I let them, and enjoy the views all around. Oh, how much would I want to hike to the Treskavec monastery, but I simply do not have the time, as I am heading to the far north of the country. When I come down to the saddle again, the entrance of the fortress, I follow a different trail, which takes me around the corner, and runs through the high grass and past rocks, to an area which gives me great views up of the ruined fortress. I meander down the hill, through an area that has been burnt, until I come back to the foot of the hill, where I find Elephant rock with a remarkable resemblance of a young elephant. I walk around the city centre of Prilep, and whenever I look north, I see the hill with the towers on top, and the cross dominating it.

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Marko's towers (North Macedonia)

Marko's towers > North Macedonia > Europe

[Visited: July 2020]

Around the World in 80 Clicks