Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index 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. This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.