Church of St. John at Kaneo, Ohrid (must see)

The Church of Saint John is dedicated to Saint John the Theologian, traditionally identified with John the Apostle. Christian tradition also associated him with the author of the Book of Revelation. The architecture and surviving frescoes of the church point to the late 13th century, while the earliest paintings have been dated to around 1290. The church therefore predates the Ottoman conquest of Ohrid, which occurred toward the end of the 14th century.

The church has a cross-in-square plan inscribed within a rectangular base and is crowned by a single dome. One of its most unusual architectural features is the roofline: instead of forming a simple horizontal or gently undulating cornice, it rises into a series of angular tympanums. This treatment is considered highly unusual in the architecture of the central Balkans. The building also combines Byzantine traditions with architectural details that have sometimes been interpreted as showing Armenian influence.

Once inside, look up toward the dome, where Christ Pantocrator dominates the space above you. From there, turn your attention toward the sanctuary, where most of the surviving frescoes from around 1290 are concentrated.

In the main worship space you can still make out fragments from the Passion of Christ. Closer to the altar, look for liturgical scenes and the Adoration of Christ the Lamb, surrounded by portraits of important church figures.Among the most notable are Saint Clement of Ohrid, Saint Erasmus of Lychnidos, and Saint Constantine Cabasilas, who served as Archbishop of Ohrid in the 13th century.

From the church, the views across Lake Ohrid and back toward the Old Town are worth seeing. From there, steps and paths descend to the lakeshore, where cafés and restaurants around the old fishing settlement offer a convenient place to rest after the walk.