Bitola
Bitola, formerly known as
Monastir, is a city in the present day
Republic of Macedonia. As Heraclea Lyncestis, founded by
Philip II of Macedon, it was a major city during the
Roman Empire, lying on the
Via Egnatia. Later it was settled by
Slavs and in
1395 it was conquered by
Ottoman Empire, which made the city a major
military and commercial center. The Macedonians liberated the city from the Ottoman Empire during the Second Balkan Wars.