Audio tour Chebren Monastery - Mariovo

The monastery Chebren is built over the foundations of the same-called ancient city, and today it is known by the dam which is predicted to be built on that place. The walk to this monastery is a wonderful possibility to acknowledge some of the rich cultural and natural heritage in the region of Mariovo.

The settlement or the city of Chebren existed in the period of the Roman occupation, as well, meaning during the reign of the Macedonian Empire, which is proven by the findings of the counterfeit coins of the kings of Ancient Macedonia. According to the written sources, the city of the locality “Chebren” near the village Zovikj in the middle century was called Chemren. In the past, the local mountain road that passed the field on the west and crossed the south-Mariovo hill, touched Chebren and climbed the valleys of Kajmakchalan-Kozuv on the east, towards the old iron mines. Nowadays, that is the road to Suvodol – Rapesh – Manastir – Polchishte.
The Monastery complex is formed in the period before the conquer of the Ottoman Empire, meaning in the first half of the XIV century. As the time went by, the city of Chebren started to disappear and only the monastery remained. The Monastery at the beginning of the XVIII century had a school with priests who performed worship service in the churches throughout the Mariovo area and it was very active up to the first decades of the XX century. In its centennial existence, it was renovated couple of times due to the frequent fires, thefts and destructions. There is some data which says that during the First World War, some parts of the monastery were ruined and destroyed. The Monastery complex was protected with a fence wall which does exist even at present, yet it is also partially demolished.