Bargala

The ancient city of Bargala is located 12 km northeast of Shtip, near Upper Kozjak, by the Kozjachka River, at the foot of Mount Plachkovica. Bargala has Thracian origins, and its name is etymologically linked to the Bregalnica River. The first excavations at this site began in 1966 under the leadership of Blaga Aleksova. In the 70s – XX century, a joint Yugoslav–American team worked at the site, during which the Episcopal Basilica was discovered. Further excavations at Bargala were later carried out under the supervision of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and the People’s Museum of Shtip.

So far, only about one tenth of the entire site has been explored, as it covers an area of approximately 4.7 hectares. Among the structures uncovered are the main gate (Porta Principalis), the Episcopal Basilica, the Episcopal Residence, the Civic Basilica, the Baptistery with a cruciform plan, a water cistern, a communications route (a small street), a small thermae, large thermae, a winery, a glass workshop, and other facilities.