Kalesh Angja’s house in the village of Staravina
Kalesh Angja is one of the heroines mentioned in the folk songs at most; Staravina village is her birthplace.
She was a girl from Mariovo having iron will and ready at the cost of life to keep the faith and not to give to the Prilep qadi.
Kalesh Angja originated from Sirmevci family that were living in this quarter, so among the local population this house has been known as the “House of Kalesh Angja”.
Kalesh Angja was trapped perfidiously and her rescue from the qadi’s house somehow has been a prelude to organized uprising against the Ottoman Empire or so called “Mariovo riot” in 1564/65.
Mariovo population has given big resistance to the Ottoman army and has mastered it repeatedly. Although, they were surrounded on all sides and by far less than the multiple enemies the rebels had to retreat to the fortress Peshta located between the villages of Staravina and Gradeshnica. Unable to conquer the fortress by force, the Ottoman army applied wile. Ottomans found the location of the underground channel supplying water to the fortress. Some of the thirsted rebels decided to fight to the death at the gates of the fortress, while the other part together with the women and children were taken in captivity.
View to the place where the fortress Peshta has been located
After the Mariovo riot the fortress lost its original purpose and was abandoned. Today it is ruined at great extent because of the bombing during the World War I; it remains as silent witness to the turbulent history of this region. The legend of Kalesh Angja has been immortalized in Stale Popov’s novel with same name. The house where from originated the most beautiful and widely known maiden from the village still stands proudly on the original foundations in Staravina.
Today, the building named as the house of Kalesh Angja is traditional type of building, rectangular-shaped built of natural materials (wood, stone and mud) having functional and symbolic separation of “upper” and “lower” part; the upper part for the household and the lower one for the cattle. Open loggias are known due to mild climate of Mariovo. There is such a loggia in Kalesh Angja’s house.
The house before its reconstruction
