Architectural and Cultural Impact of the Church of Saint Sophia on the Urban Fabric of Ohrid, North Macedonia

The Church of Saint Sophia in Ohrid, North Macedonia is a major religious and architectural landmark whose presence has contributed to the character of the surrounding urban landscape. Constructed in the Byzantine period, the church has historically served as both a spiritual center and a prominent topographical reference point within the city. This study examines how the church has remained a cultural and visual anchor amid broader urban change. It documents and interprets the spatial transformations that have occurred in the vicinity of Saint Sophia, focusing on how its monumental form has contributed to the evolving morphology of the city. However, this research does not claim a direct, prescriptive influence of the church on vernacular architecture but instead explores patterns of proximity, alignment, material continuity, and symbolic centrality. It uses a multidisciplinary methodology comprising archival research, field observation, spatial mapping, photographic comparison, and interviews with local stakeholders. Direct observation of urban transformations was conducted from January to December 2023, with field visits in each season to capture variations in use, atmosphere, and visual conditions. These visits concentrated on the Varosh neighborhood, Ohrid’s oldest residential quarter surrounding Saint Sophia Findings reveal that although commercial encroachment and urban densification have diminished, Saint Sophia’s visibility and spatial prominence, its role as a point of orientation and cultural memory endures. These results contribute to a nuanced understanding of how monumental religious architecture participates in shaping both the physical structure and the symbolic identity of historic cities over time.