Resen is a town in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia, lying in the northern part of the Prespa Valley, on both sides of the Golema River, and not far north of Lake Prespa, at an altitude of about 880 meters. According to the 2021 census, the town has 7,904 inhabitants and belongs to the group of small towns.
The history of Resen and Prespa is deep and layered. From the days of ancient Pelagonia and early Christianity, through Byzantine and Ottoman times, to the struggle for freedom—Resen has always been a quiet witness to great events.
In antiquity, the Prespa region was inhabited by the Upper Macedonian tribe of the Orestae. Under Philip II of Macedon, they became firmly integrated into the Macedonian state. During the Roman Empire, the famous Via Egnatia passed through Prespa. Along this road, several settlements and way stations were built, one of them being Skiritania.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, the Slavic tribe of Brsjaci settled in the region.
In 1582, the Prespa nahiya covered the area around the northern shore of Lake Prespa, but Resen itself was not mentioned in this nahiya. Later, in the 17th century, Resen grew into a kasaba (small town), which the Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi mentioned, though still outside the Prespa nahiya.
By the late 18th century, crafts and trade began to develop in Resen, strengthening the economic power of local traders and artisans. This inevitably led to the formation of a čaršija (bazaar), and the settlement gradually became the economic center of Prespa.
Many inhabitants of Prespa emigrated for work abroad, especially in the early 20th century before and during the Balkan Wars and World War I, with most heading to overseas countries.
During the Ilinden Uprising of August 1903, fierce battles took place in and around Resen. Although several Prespa villages were liberated, the town of Resen itself was not freed. In the second half of August, three Ottoman army detachments and numerous bashibozuks—around 600 men in total—arrived to suppress the uprising in the area.
The Young Turk Revolution began in Resen on July 3, 1908, when Ottoman officer Ahmed Niyazi Bey organized the first rebel detachment, made up of Turkish soldiers and civilians. Macedonians joined the revolution in large numbers. Its goal was modernization, constitutionalism, and democratization of the country.
Prespa was liberated on September 11, 1944. A total of 1,902 fighters from Prespa took part in the units of the National Liberation War and partisan detachments. Of them, 29 were awarded the “Partisan Memorial 1941.” The poet Mite Bogoevski was proclaimed a national hero. In the struggle for the liberation of Macedonia, 128 fighters from Prespa were killed. Notable commanders and leaders included Naum Veslievski – “The Shepherd,” Mite Trpovski – “The Duke,” Cvetko Uzunovski, and others.
The culture of Resen is not told—it is experienced. From traditional Prespa weddings to art exhibitions, music festivals, and rich folklore customs, Resen speaks of a land that proudly preserves its heritage.
No one remains indifferent to the taste of the Prespa apple—sweet, juicy, and symbolic of the region. Other local specialties include:
The mountains and the lake make Resen an ideal place for an active lifestyle:
If your heart skips a beat when you hear the word “apple,” if your eyes water when you remember the view from Ljubojno, if in your soul still lives an old Prespa custom—then you know you are from Resen.
Resen and Macedonia will always be your home.
