Nakolec

Nakolec is a village on the east side of Lake Prespa, close to the border with Greece. “Nakolec” means “on pillars”, referring to a former settlement built on pillars or stilts in the water. Ancient remains of such a settlement were also found in Lake Ohrid near the campsite Gradiste. This site at Lake Ohrid is now called “Bay of the Bones“, where a Museum with a reconstruction of such a Pile Dwelling Settlement was built.

The Church of St Nikola used to be just at the shore of Lake Prespa, but is more inland nowadays due to the declining shoreline of the lake. An inscription mentions the year 1921, probably the church was erected then.

We were told by the caretaker of the church (who we found in a hardware shop in Nakolec, you might be able to key of the church here) that there used to be an older church at this spot, which had to be broken down during the Ottoman regime.

When you take the dirt-road to the left, just before the Church of St Nikola, you will see the Church of St Atanas on your left after few hundred meters.

The caretaker of the churches St Nikola and St Atanas in Nakolec told us that there was an imprint of the foot of King Marko just before the border with Greece. Indeed, just between the barrier and the police station, there is a small monument and a stone with a foot-like imprint. I believe the police station is also called Markova Noga (Marko’s foot).

It seems that King Marko had really big feet! Another footprint of King Marko can be found in Mavrovo National Park near Galicnik. In the link you can find more information about the footprints of King Marko.