Ancient Theatre of Ohrid
Hellenistic open-air theatre of about 200 BC below Samuel's Fortress in the Ohrid old town.
The ancient theatre stands on the eastern slope of the upper Ohrid hill, below Samuel's Fortress and near the Upper Gate of the walled town. It was cut into the hillside around 200 BC, when the settlement was the Illyrian and later Macedonian town of Lychnidos, and it is the only theatre of Hellenistic type known in North Macedonia. The auditorium is oriented so that the seats look out over the roofs of the Varoš quarter towards Lake Ohrid and the mountains beyond.
Under Roman rule the orchestra was adapted for gladiatorial games and animal combats, and blocks with the names of priests and officials survive among the seating. The structure was buried after antiquity and houses were built above it; it came to light again during excavations that began in the 1980s, and a programme of uncovering and consolidation followed from 1999. Since 2001 the lower tiers have been used once more for drama and concerts, including performances in the annual Ohrid Summer Festival.
Highlights
- Only Hellenistic-type theatre known in North Macedonia
- Seating tiers looking out over Lake Ohrid
- Inscribed seat blocks naming priests and town officials
- Used again for performances since 2001, including Ohrid Summer
