Aprons and Stockings

04. 10. 2013


The show was presented another ethnological treasure which has NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid, without which one cannot imagine the full national costume.

The visitors had the unique opportunity to learn about the 15 authentic pairs of socks and aprons from different parts of the country, which speak of enduring artistic creation and testify to the rich tradition and history that possesses this region.

The aprons are rectangular in shape and most of them are shaped in two folds joined horizontally or vertically. Most of them are made of wool, decorated with woven decoration still in the process of weaving and are special handicrafts with striking beauty.

The aprons can be classified into simple ones, intended for everyday use and most decorated ones that are used as part of bridal dresses.

They also depicted the status, and the age of those who wore them. There were also small children’s aprons, aprons for girls, for brides and for adult women. Depending on where they originated, the name of the aprons eas different. Somewhere they were called “bofcha”, “bokcha”, “futa”, “pregacha”, but the purpose of all is the same. They were worn at the waist as safety at work, anbut were also the ornament of folk costume.

Neither folk costume could be complete without wool socks that were worn by both men and women. They show the knitting skill of the Macedonian woman, who knitted socks on five, three or one needle, mainly of wool and rarely with cotton yarn. In terms of coloring, primary colors are red, white and black, with lesser or greater presence of other colors and decoration of geometric and floral motifs. All socks are long to below the knees and richly ornamented from the foot to the top of the male socks and the female ones are the richest decorated from the foot to the ankle, the part most exposed to the eyes, because the other part was covered by a long shirt. The socks were mostly worn in winter days as protection from the cold, but also during holidays, no matter if it was summer or winter.

Exhibition “Aprons and Stockings” in the House of Robev Family

Unimagined beauty-icons from Macedonia

09. 02. 2011 – 11. 05. 2011


This was the largest exhibition ever presented by the Republic of Macedonia in a foreign museum. The objective was to perform a broader presentation of the culture of our country in a friendly country such as the Netherlands and a way to restore the traditionally good relations, especially in the sphere of culture and tourism. The initiative for this exhibition was launched in 2005 during the visit of a large delegation from the Netherlands to Ohrid and after five years of preparatory activities came to its implementation in 2011. Their exhibits for the exhibition lent more institutions of our country: NI Museum of Macedonia-Skopje, NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid, the Museum of the City of Skopje, NI Institute and Museum-Bitola and NI Stobi. A total of 159 items, including 52 icons, archaeological, ethnological, and other liturgical objects were displayed, of which 29 from the collection of our institution.

Exhibition “Unimagined beauty-icons from Macedonia” Katarajnekonvent Museum in Utrecht, Netherlands

St. Naum of Ohrid icons in the ico painting of the Diocese of Debar and Kichevo from 18th and 19th centuries

03. 10. 2010 – 08. 10. 2010


The exhibition was organized on the occasion marking the 1100 anniversary of the death of St. Naum by the Macedonian Orthodox Church- the Diocese of Debar and Kichevo and it presented a total of 30 icons, of which 5 from the collection of NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid.

Exhibition “St. Naum of Ohrid icons in the ico painting of the Diocese of Debar and Kichevo from 18th and 19th centuries” in the church St. Sophia in Ohrid

Byzantium 330-1453

25. 10. 2008 – 22. 03. 2009


This exhibition was once again staked the splendor of the Byzantine Empire. There were around 323 objects displayed, including icons, original scenes and fragments of wall paintings, micro-mosaics, ivories, enamel, gold and silver. Some of the works had never before been shown to the public. The exhibition presented outstanding works from the treasury of the church of Saint Marc in Venice and rare items from collections across Europe, USA, Russia, Ukraine and Egypt. The exhibition begins with the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great and ends with the capture of the city by the Ottoman forces of Sultan Mehmed II in 1453. This was the first major exhibition of Byzantine art in the United Kingdom in the last 50 years.

A total of 136 museums, cultural, scientific, religious and other institutions and private collections from 27 countries around the world were presented with their exhibits at the exhibition, and the Republic of Macedonia was represented by NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid, with eight icons from its collection.

Exhibition “Byzantium 330-1453” at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, United Kingdom

Slavic apostles Ss Cyril and Methodius

30. 11. 2004


The exhibition was organized in honor of the great deed of the Holy Thessalonikan brothers Cyril and Methodius. The exhibition consisted of documents, photographs and icons depicting the Slavic educators, as well as some liturgical objects;

On the exhibition, set in the Museum of the City of Skopje 33 icons and other items were on display, of which two icons from the collection of NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid.

Later in the same month, the exhibition into some shorter form was transferred in Ohrid, in the Icon Gallery.

Exhibition “Slavic apostles Ss Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje City Museum and Icon Gallery-Ohrid

“Byzantium, Faith and Power (1261-1557)”

 23. 03. 2004 – 04. 07. 2004


The exhibition, organized by one of the largest and most famous museums in the world, was the third of a series of major international exhibitions of Byzantine art.

A total of 136 museums as well as cultural, scientific, religious and other institutions and private collections from 27 countries around the world were presented with their exhibits at the exhibition, with a total of 355 icons and other items, and the Republic of Macedonia was represented by five icons, four from the collection of NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid and one from the collection of NI Museum of Macedonia-Skopje.

Exhibition “Byzantium, Faith and Power (1261-1557)” in the Metropolitan Museum in New York

Exhibition “From the Ohrid treasuries”

 02. 10. 2001


The exhibition was organized to mark the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the National Museum in Ohrid, which is one of the oldest institutions of its kind, not only domestically, but also beyond.

The exhibition presented 52 exhibits, including icons, ecclesiastical embroideries, liturgical objects, parts of icon revetements etc., of which 32 owned by NI Institute and Museum-Ohrid and the remaining 20 of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Diocese of Debar and Kicevo.

Exhibition “From the Ohrid treasuries” in the Icon Gallery-Ohrid