# Golem Grad

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{{Short description|Island in Lake Prespa in North Macedonia}}
{{Infobox islands
| name                = Golem Grad
| image_name          = Prespa-ostrov.jpg
| image_caption       = Golem Grad from [Lake Prespa](/source/Lake_Prespa)
| image_size          = 
| image_map           = Golem grad-en.svg
| image_map_caption   = Map of Golem Grad with its ruins and archaeological sites
| pushpin_map         = North Macedonia
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in North Macedonia
| native_name         = Голем Град
| native_name_link    = Macedonian language
| nickname            = 
| location            = Lake Prespa
| coordinates         = {{Coord|40|52|N|20|59|E|display=inline,title}}
| area_km2            = 0.2
| highest_mount       = 
| elevation_m         = 50
| country                       = North Macedonia
| country_admin_divisions_title = [Municipality](/source/Municipalities_of_North_Macedonia)
| country_admin_divisions       = [Resen](/source/Resen_Municipality)
| population       = 0
| population_as_of = 
| density_km2      = 
| ethnic_groups    = 
}}

'''Golem Grad''' ({{langx|mk|Голем Град}}), meaning ''Big City/Town'', also known as '''Snake Island''' or '''Pelican Island''', is an island in [North Macedonia](/source/North_Macedonia). The island covers an area of more than 20 [hectares](/source/hectares).<ref name="Macedonian Information Centre">{{Cite web | title = GOLEM GRAD IN PRESPA (FROM ORESTIANS TO ROMANS) | work = micnews.com.mk | date = 2007-03-06 | accessdate = 2017-04-18 | url = http://micnews.com.mk/node/8032 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20170418092453/http://micnews.com.mk/node/8032 | archivedate = 2017-04-18 | url-status = dead }}</ref> It is located in [Lake Prespa](/source/Lake_Prespa), a few kilometers from the [Greek](/source/Greece) and [Albania](/source/Albania)n border. Golem Grad is home to several ancient ruins and churches. It is also home to several different communities of animals, especially [snakes](/source/Snake).<ref>[http://www.culture.org.mk/eGOLGRAD.HTM Culture in MK]</ref> In August 2008, the island opened to [tourists](/source/Tourism).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/716 |title=Balkan Travellers |access-date=2008-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901124534/http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/716 |archive-date=2008-09-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Description==
thumb|180px|Snake on the island

Golem Grad has an area of 20 hectares and is 600 meters long and 350 meters wide.<ref name="Macedonian Information Centre"/> The island is currently uninhabited and has been so since the mid-20th century, when the small monastic community left the island.
The island can only be reached by boat. The village of [Konjsko](/source/Konjsko%2C_Resen) is closest to the island with about two kilometers of water between the two.<ref name="Macedonian Information Centre"/>

==Tortoises==
Golem Grad is home to around 1,000 [Hermann's tortoise](/source/Hermann's_tortoise)s, which were introduced by humans to the island. Due to genetic variation or an initial imbalance in sex when they were first introduced, the tortoises present an extreme sex imbalance of 19 males for each female. As a result the males compete aggressively for the few females, often forming piles on top of them during the mating season. This sexual aggression triggers the flee instinct on the females, which drives them on the brink of cliffs where they sustain severe injuries or die.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/science/tortoises-island-sex-cliff.html|title=Constant Sexual Aggression Drives Female Tortoises to Walk Off Cliffs|last=Preston|first=Elizabeth |date=2026-02-14|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|accessdate=2026-02-16}}</ref>

==See also==
*[Lake Prespa](/source/Lake_Prespa)
*[List of islands of North Macedonia](/source/List_of_islands_of_North_Macedonia)
*[Maligrad](/source/Maligrad)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110707064428/http://golemgrad.4t.com/indexangl..htm Website about Golem Grad island]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Islands of North Macedonia
Category:Archaeological sites in North Macedonia
Category:Resen Municipality
Category:Lake islands of Europe

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Golem Grad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem_Grad) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem_Grad?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.