Set in pine woods on the hill above Strumica, the Monastery of the Holy Fifteen Martyrs is a peaceful retreat ten minutes' walk from the centre of town and a popular spot for local Sunday outings. It commemorates fifteen Christians said to have been martyred in Strumica (then called Tiberiopolis) during the persecution under Emperor Julian the Apostate in the 4th century. Excavations behind the monastery in the 1970s uncovered an early Christian basilica with a martyrium that has been argued to be the original burial place of the saints.
The present monastery church is a small modern building, but the setting — old pines, mountain views, a stream running through the grounds — is the reason to come. The walk up from town passes the city park and the start of the path to the fortress, so the two visits can be conveniently combined.