Uterus Canyon ( Macedonian Uterus ) is a canyon in Northern Macedonia located to the west of the city of Skopje , Northern Macedonia . It covers an area of about 5000 hectares [1] . Matka Canyon is a popular holiday destination in Northern Macedonia, a place where several medieval monasteries are located. Matka Lake in the canyon is the oldest man-made lake in the country. [2]
Content
- 1 Geology
- 2 Flora and fauna
- 3 Attractions
- 4 Monasteries
- 5 Gallery
- 6 References
- 7 notes
Geology
There are ten caves in the canyon area. The shortest of them has a length of 20 meters, the longest - 176 meters. The canyon has two vertical dips, 35 meters deep. [one]
In the canyon flows the Tresca River. Next to it is the Vrelo Cave with many stalactites. One of the stalactites, due to its shape, is called the "bump". At the end of the cave are two lakes. The smaller lake is located at a depth of 8 meters, the larger - at a depth of 15 meters.
The exact depth of the cave is unknown, but some believe that this cave may be deeper than many caves in Bashkortostan . [3]
Flora and Fauna
Uterus Canyon is home to a variety of plants and animals, some of which are Red Book. There are 77 endemic butterfly species in the canyon. [4] Large bat populations live in canyon caves.
Attractions
Due to its proximity to Skopje, Matka Canyon is a popular holiday destination for citizens and tourists. Tourists visit the canyon from spring to late autumn, kayak on the Tresca River, swim, engage in fishing and hunting. [four]
Monasteries
In the canyon area is located St. Andrew's Monastery, as well as other historical churches and monasteries. St. Andrew's Monastery is located in the gorge of the Tresca River. Built in 1389, the monastery preserves the frescoes of Metropolitan Jovan. [5]
The Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 14th century, [6] is located on the left bank of the Cod. According to the inscription on the church of the monastery, someone named Militsa in 1497 found this church in poor condition, without a roof. He replaced the roof, painted new murals, built a portico and created a vineyard. [7]
The monastery of St. Nicholas is located on a cliff above the gorge and over the monastery of St. Andrew. The date of construction of the temple of the monastery is unknown. The first mention of it dates back to the 17th century - the time of Ottoman oppression. The iconostasis of the church was painted in 1645, and the western side of the church was painted in 1630. The monastery was depopulated in the 18th century. The monastery offers beautiful views of the canyon. [8]
Gallery
Climbers
Kayakers
Uterus Lake
Uterus in 1919
Canyon view
Uterus Monastery
Rock walls above the water
Uterus Canyon and the surrounding mountains
Monastery of St. Nicholas
Canyon Dam
Links
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 macedonia.co.uk
- ↑ macedoniaholidaysandtours.com
- ↑ SETimes
- ↑ 1 2 Exploring Macedonia Archived on September 1, 2011.
- ↑ skopje.mk (inaccessible link)
- ↑ Exploring Macedonia Archived on May 27, 2011.
- ↑ skopje.mk (inaccessible link)
- ↑ skopje.mk (inaccessible link)