2024

MOSQUÉE HUNKAR

Mosque to visit

This mosque (Инќар Џамија/Inḱar Džamija, Xhamia e Hynqarit) is Debar's oldest. But it is awaiting renovation. It was erected in 1467 thanks to a gift from Sultan Mehmet II and bears the Turkish name of Hünkâr Camii ("Sovereign's Mosque"). Rebuilt in 1938, it is still used by the inhabitants of the old charchia district. However, the city's Muslims are more likely to frequent the "Clock Tower Mosque" (Xhamia e Sahat Kullës) built in 2013, 300 m south-west of Skanderbeg Square.

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2024

ÉGLISE SAINTE-BARBE DE RAJČICA

Churches cathedrals basilicas and chapels

This small, single-nave Orthodox church (Црква Света Варвара/Crkva Sveta Varvara, Kisha e Shën Varvarës) was founded in 1597 by the St. John-Bigorvski monastery. The exterior walls are in poor condition, but the church features superb 16th- and 17th-century frescoes. The church stands a little way from the hamlet of Sredno Maalo/Средно Маало ("Middle Village"), part of the municipality of Rajčica/Рајчица (160 inhabitants), or Rajçicë/Rajçica in Albanian.

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2024

RAJČICA MONASTERY

Abbey monastery and convent

This Orthodox monastery (Раички Манастир/Raički Manastir, Manastiri në Rajçicë) was founded in the 14th century and completely rebuilt in the 19th century. It is famous for providing some of the embroidery for the liturgical vestments worn by the Metropolitans (Orthodox bishops) of North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Beautiful embroideries are sold in the store. Attached to the Macedonian Orthodox Church, this complex is a dependency of the St. John-Bigorvski monastery in Rostuša. It was renovated in 2001 with the support of the Holy Nativity Monastery in Boston, USA, which is part of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis (bishopric) of Boston. The Rajčica monastery is thus occupied by a small community of American and/or English-speaking nuns. It is dedicated to Saint George the Victorious (Sveti Ǵorǵi Pobedonosec). In fact, it houses the only replica of a precious 10th-century icon "not made by human hands" depicting St. George slaying the dragon, kept at the Bulgarian monastery of Zographou on Mount Athos in Greece. The replica can be seen in the catholicon, the church of St. George. Dating from 1835, it is decorated with frescoes from 1875. It was built on the foundations of a 16th-century chapel, itself built on the ruins of an 11th-century castle. Next door, a building houses the nuns' cells, their sewing and embroidery workshops and a small chapel on the upper floor.

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