Smilevo

Smilevo (Смилево) is a village in North Macedonia, municipality of Demir Hisar.

It is famous for the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising which started in the village in the morning of August 2, 1903 (see Battle of Smilevo). The decision for the uprising was taken during the Smilevo congress of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) from May 2 to May 7, 1903.

The village is the native place of Dame Gruev, one of the founders and most prominent leaders of IMRO.

History
The village was the venue of the IMRO's Smilevo Congress of 1903, at which the decision for uprising against the Ottoman rule in Macedonia was taken by the most prominent members of IMRO.

IMRO's revolutionaries rose up on August 2, 1903, which was marked as the beginning of the Ilinden uprising.

Demographics
Smilevo is attested in the Ottoman defter of 1467/68 as a village in the vilayet of Manastir. The inhabitants attested largely bore mixed Slavic-Albanian anthroponyms, such as Gin son of Gerg, Gjorgo son of Progon and Millosh son of Gon.

The population of the village is Macedonian. In 1961, the number of inhabitants was 1,158, while in 1994, the number decreased to 384 due to migration of the people to the cities. It historically has been identified as a Mijak village.

Sights


Near the village is one of the most beautiful monasteries in the country dedicated to St. Peter and Paul (Свети Петар и Павле, Sveti Petar i Pavle). It has been recently renovated.

On the hill above the village, there is a memorial park dedicated to Dame Gruev.

A museum dedicated to the Smilevo congress and the National Liberation Struggle was opened on the 100th anniversary of the Ilinden uprising in 2003.

Famous inhabitants

 * Dame Gruev, founder of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation