Editing Bitola (section)

{{Redirect-distinguish|Manastir|Beli Manastir|Monastir, Tunisia{{!}}Monastir}}
{{For|the vilayet of the Ottoman Empire named after the city|Manastir vilayet}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Bitola
 | official_name            = 
 | native_name              = {{native name|mk|Битола|italics=off}}
 | settlement_type          = [[List of cities in North Macedonia|City]]
 | image_skyline            = {{Photomontage|position=center
| photo1a = Ambientalna ulica Marsal Tito-Bitola (10).jpg
| photo2a = Bitola 019.JPG
| photo2b = Седиште на Преспанско-пелагониската православна епархија се наоѓа во градот Битола.jpg
| photo3a = Магаза (Битола).jpg
| photo3b = Saat kula Bitola011.jpg
| photo4a = Bitola 055.JPG
| photo4b = Sirok sokak.jpg
| photo5a = Bitolj - crkva svete bogorodice.jpg
| size = 270
| spacing = 1
| color = #FFFFFF
| border = 1
| foot_montage = }}
 | imagesize                = 250px
 | image_caption            = Bitola
 | image_flag               = Flag of Bitola Municipality.svg
 | flag_size                = 150px
 | image_blank_emblem       = Coat of arms of Bitola Municipality.svg
 | blank_emblem_type        = Coat of arms
 | nickname                 = <wbr/>{{nowrap|{{native name|mk|Градот на конзулите|italic=no}}}}<br/>''Gradot na konzulite''<br/>("The City of Consuls")
 | motto                    = <wbr/>{{nowrap|{{native name|mk|Битола, бабам Битола|italic=no}}}}<br/>''Bitola, babam Bitola''
 | map_caption              = 
 | pushpin_map              = Republic of North Macedonia#Balkans
 | coordinates              = {{coord|41|01|55|N|21|20|05|E|region:MK|display=inline,title}}
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_name         = {{NMK}}
 | subdivision_type1        = [[Statistical Regions of North Macedonia|Region]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[File:Logo of Pelagonia Region.svg|15px]] [[Pelagonia Statistical Region|Pelagonia]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[Municipalities of North Macedonia|Municipality]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[File:Coat of arms of Bitola Municipality.svg|15px]] [[Bitola Municipality|Bitola]]
 | leader_title             = Mayor
 | leader_name              = Toni Konjanovski ([[VMRO-DPMNE]])
 | area_total_km2           = 26,37
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 
 | elevation_m              = 650
 | elevation_ft             = 
 | population_total         = 69,287
 | population_as_of         = 2021
 | population_density_km2   = auto
 | population_density_sq_mi = 
 | population_metro         = {{nochange}} 105,644
 | timezone1_DST            = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
 | utc_offset1_DST          = +2
 | postal_code_type         = Postal codes
 | postal_code              = 7000
 | area_code                = +389 (0)47
 | blank_name_sec1          = [[Vehicle registration plates of North Macedonia|Car plates]]
 | blank_info_sec1          = BT
 | website                  = {{URL|http://www.bitola.gov.mk}}
 | population approximately 2014 = 
 | timezone                 = [[Central European Time|CET]]
 | utc_offset               = +1
 | timezone_DST             = 
 | utc_offset_DST           = 
 | blank_name               = Patron Saints
 | blank_info               = [[Saint Nectarios of Bitola]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vecer.com.mk/?ItemID=CD3D6FA9DF1BE245B5CF81C6E1721E1C |website=www.vecer.com.mk |title=Saint Nectarios of Bitola proclaimed new city patron. (26-01-2008)|language=mk}}</ref>
 | blank1_name              = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
 | blank1_info              = [[Oceanic climate|Cfb]]
}}

'''Bitola''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|iː|t|oʊ|l|ə|,_|-|t|ə|l|ə}};<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref> {{langx|mk|Битола}} {{IPA|mk|ˈbitɔɫa||Mk-Bitola.ogg}}) is a city in the southwestern part of [[North Macedonia]]. It is located in the southern part of the [[Pelagonia]] valley, surrounded by the [[Baba (North Macedonia)|Baba]], [[Nidže]], and [[Kajmakčalan]] mountain ranges, {{convert|14|km|0|abbr=off}} north of the [[Medžitlija-Níki]] border crossing with [[Greece]]. The city stands at an important junction connecting the south of the [[Adriatic Sea]] region with the [[Aegean Sea]] and [[Central Europe]], and it is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It has been known since the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] period as the "City of Consuls", since many European countries had consulates in Bitola.

Bitola, known during the Ottoman Empire as '''Manastır''' or '''Monastir''', is one of the oldest cities in North Macedonia. It was founded as [[Heraclea Lyncestis]] in the middle of the 4th century BC by [[Philip II of Macedon]]. The city was the last capital of the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] (1015–1018)<ref>Zaimov J., Lysaght T. A., The Bitolya Inscription of the Bulgarian Autocrat Ivan Vladislav (1015—18). New Zealand Slavonic Journal No. 6, Summer 1970, 1-15. 418.</ref> and the last capital of [[Ottoman Rumelia]], from 1836 to 1867. According to the 2002 census, Bitola is the [[List of municipalities in North Macedonia by population|third largest city]] in the country, after the capital [[Skopje]] and [[Kumanovo]].<ref name="Statistical Office">{{cite web| url = http://www.stat.gov.mk/Publikacii/knigaX.pdf| title = Macedonian census, language and religion}}</ref> Bitola is also the seat of the [[Bitola Municipality]].