Museum of Filigree · Ohrid
Vangel DerebanSeven generations of Macedonian filigree
A family craft since 1819, in the heart of the Ohrid bazaar.
Free admission · Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00
Open
Monday–Saturday
10:00–21:00
Sunday closed
Admission
Free
Address
St. Clement of Ohrid 40
The bazaar, Ohrid
Get directions
Three floors, one family craft
Lower floor
The Museum
Family tools, from wire-drawing plates to the old bellows, displayed beside traditional jewellery, church silver, costumes, and pieces made by Vangel Dereban himself. The collection is the Dereban family’s inheritance, gathered over generations of filigree making.
Ground floor
The Shop
Filigree jewellery and silverware made by the masters working here today. Every piece is handmade, and custom orders are welcome. Available in the shop only.
First floor
The Classroom
A fully equipped filigree classroom. Artisans, schools and cultural groups interested in holding courses or workshops here are welcome to contact us at info@vangeldereban.com or n.derebanov@viridi.mk.
Since 1819
The story
The Dereban family has worked in filigree for seven generations, beginning with Evtinko Dereban, named in a document from 1819. Vangel Dereban (1920–2013), the fifth generation, was born in Struga and opened his shop in Ohrid in 1962.
For half a century his shop in the bazaar was a small museum in itself, where visitors could watch filigree being made. Among them were Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Prince Henrik, who visited on 21 April 1977. Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright received a piece he made as a gift. One visitor wrote in his guest book: “Only golden hands could master silver like this.”
On 14 August 2021, in the year he would have turned 101, his grandson Nikola Dereban restored the shop and opened this museum in his honour.
The golden hands of Vangel Dereban
“Made in Macedonia”, Milcho Manchevski, 1999
Handmade in Ohrid
Made here
Earrings, rings, pendants and brooches made by our masters using the same techniques Vangel used: silver wire drawn, twisted and soldered by hand.
Contact
Location
MUSEUM OF FILIGREE – “VANGEL DEREBAN”
St. Clement of Ohrid 40
6000 Ohrid, North Macedonia
+389 71 321 462