Saint Naum Monastery
OVERVIEW
Listen to a still beating heart of Saint Naum in the monastery perched on a high cliff over Lake Ohrid.
Beating Heart
The most famous legend of the monastery surrounds the tomb of Saint Naum, located in a small chamber inside the church. Local folklore claims that if you place your ear against his stone tomb, you can still hear the saint’s heartbeat. Sceptics and scientists suggest the sound is actually the muffled vibration of water from Lake Ohrid crashing against the rocks directly beneath the monastery cliff. However, for believers, it remains a profound spiritual experience.
Free-Roaming Peacocks
Visitors to Saint Naum are greeted not just by monks, but by dozens of colorful, free-roaming peacocks. These birds have lived on the monastery grounds for decades. In Christian iconography, the peacock is a symbol of resurrection and immortality, which is why they were originally introduced. Today, they act as the monastery’s unofficial guardians.
Once Part of Albania
The monastery is located just a few hundred meters from the Albanian border, and its geopolitical history is fascinating. Between 1912 and 1925, the monastery actually belonged to Albania. In 1925, King Zog of Albania ceded Saint Naum to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (which North Macedonia was then part of) as a gesture of goodwill and a "thank you" for Yugoslav assistance in helping him secure the Albanian throne.
Crystal-Clear Springs of the Black Drim
Directly adjacent to the monastery are the springs of the Black Drim River. This is a unique natural phenomenon where water from nearby Lake Prespa filters through the Galicica Mountain and bubbles up through deep underwater springs into Lake Ohrid. The water is so pure and clear that you can easily see the plants and bubbling sand at the bottom, even at depths of several meters. You can take quiet rowboat tours of these springs, which are strictly protected to preserve their ecology.
Cradle of Slavic Literacy
Saint Naum, along with Saint Clement of Ohrid, was a disciple of the famous Saints Cyril and Methodius, the creators of the Glagolitic alphabet. He helped establish the Ohrid Literary School, which was one of the most important cultural centers of the First Bulgarian Empire.
The Saint of Mental Healing
Historically, Saint Naum was widely revered as a healer, particularly of those suffering from mental illnesses and psychological disorders. Throughout the centuries, people of all faiths traveled from all over the Balkans to sleep next to his tomb, believing his spiritual energy would cure their mental ailments.
Layered Architecture
While Saint Naum founded the monastery in 905, the original church was completely destroyed by the Ottoman Turks. The current multi-domed, Byzantine-style church was built between the 16th and 17th centuries. Inside, the walls are covered in breathtaking, vivid frescoes painted in 1806. One of the most famous frescoes depicts Saint Naum’s miracles, including a famous local legend of him harnessing a wild bear to plow a field after the bear ate his ox.
How to get there
Best and most scenic way is to take a boat from Ohrid that will stop here for 3 hours. Should be plenty of time to visit the monastery and even take a boat tour on the spring. If you prefer to have this place all to yourself without all the tourists take an early morning bus from Ohrid.
TAGS
NEARBY IN Ohrid
- SIGHTF/ORAY41.04°, 20.72°North Macedonia · Ohrid
Lake Ohrid.
★ 4.9 1,341One of the oldest and deepest lakes in the world and a double UNESCO world heritage site.
VIEW ENTRY - CHURCHF/ORAY41.11°, 20.79°North Macedonia · Ohrid
Church of Saints Clement of Ohrid & Panteleimon.
★ 4.7 1,223Home of the first Slavic University and birthplace of Cyrillic alphabet.
VIEW ENTRY - ATTRACTIONF/ORAY40.99°, 20.80°North Macedonia · Ohrid
The Bay of Bones.
★ 4.6 4,922Authentic reconstruction of a prehistoric pile-dwelling settlement on Lake Ohrid.
VIEW ENTRY
◆ have a find?
Send me a place
Send the address and a 2-sentence note on why it's worth it. No PR, no comp — if it's good, it goes on the map.
f/_
New guides, what broke, which visa expired, which border I won't cross again. One email. Every week.
OhridSkopje