The church St. John “Kaneo” is one of the most famous churches in Ohrid. Its placed on a rocky hill above the beach Kaneo in the old part of the city.
It is assumed that it was built at the end of the 14th century, and it is known that it existed in 1447.
During the Ottoman period, the church was abandoned until the 19th century, when efforts were made for its renovation.
From an iconographic point of view, this church provides important information about the history of medieval painting in Macedonia. According to the iconographic features, it is connected with the traditions of the art of the Comnenus (Komnenos) ruling family, that can be seen on some of the original preserved frescoes.
Due to its location, immediately above Lake Ohrid, today the church of St. John Kaneo is probably the most photographed detail from Ohrid and in a way, a symbol of the city called “Jerusalem in the Balkans” where 365 churches are believed to exist.
