Ohrid Amphitheatre

Antique theatre in Ohrid

The first notions about the existence of the antique city Lichnid were made by the Russian art historian Kondakov in the year 1990. The Russian scientist based his assumptions on the rich building materials (seats, architrave joists, etc.) that were built-in on many locations in the city. Then Kondakov saw the two relief tablets of Dionysus and the muses, discovered on the property of the church Sv. Bogorodica (Holy Mother of God) Bolnicka, that remind of the theatrical performances and certainly once upon a time were a part of the decor installed in the theatre building.

Excavations of the Antique Theater

The theatre was discovered in the central part of Varosh, in 1935 by the archaeologist Nikola Vulic and during the archaeological excavations during 1959 - 1960 by the Ohrid archaeologist Vasil Lahtov.

According to the analysis of the inscriptions found in the theatre, it is presumed that it was constructed in the antique times, and was used for theatre performances - plays, and after the Roman conquest of the town, the theatre was turned into an arena for gladiator fights. It was adorned by numerous sculptures and reliefs that are preserved to the present days. Particularly attractive are the two relief tablets that depict the God Dionysus and the muses - patrons of poetry and theatrical plays.

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