- Smilevo
Smilevo ( _mk. Смилево) is a village in the
Republic of Macedonia , municipality of Demir Hisar.It is famous for the
Ilinden uprising which started in the village in the morning ofAugust 2 ,1903 .Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization 's (IMRO) Smilevo congress of 1903, at which the decision for the uprising was brought, took place in Smilevo fromMay 2 toMay 7 .The village is the native place of
Dame Gruev , one of the founders and most prominent leaders of IMRO.Geography
The village is situated in the southernmost part of
Demir Hisar municipality on the foothills ofBigla mountain on 880 m above sea level on an area of 16,4 sqare kilometres, 1400 ha of which are forests, 113 ha are pastures and 104 ha are cultivated area.It is 10 km from theDemir Hisar —Bitola road.History
The village was the venue of the IMRO's Smilevo Congress of 1903, at which the decision for uprising against the Ottoman rule in Macedonia was brought by the most prominent members of IMRO.
It was attacked by IMRO] 's revolutionaries on
August 2 ,1903 , which was marked as the beginning of theIlinden uprising .Economy
Smilevo people are traditionally masons who have worked on constructing houses and other objects in other villages and cities in the Republic of Macedonia, former
Yugoslavia and abroad. In addition to this, many villagers are involved in producing charcoal, agriculture, forestry and other businesses in the surrounding cities and abroad.Demographics
The population of the village is Macedonian. In 1961, the number of inhabitants was 1,158, while in 1994, the number decreased to 384 due to migration of the people to the cities.
ights
Near the village is one of the most beautiful monasteries in the country dedicated to
St. Peter and Paul ( _mk. Свети Петар и Павле, "Sveti Petar i Pavle"). It has been recently renovated.On the hill above the village, there is a memorial park dedicated to
Dame Gruev .A museum dedicated to the Smilevo congress and the
National Liberation Struggle was opened on the 100th anniversary of the Ilinden uprising in 2003.Famous inhabitants
Dame Gruev , founder of theInternal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
