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Macedonia - that unforgettable name evoking
images of ancient, great civilizations and exotic adventure - is also a
warm and welcoming modern-day republic in the very heart of
southeastern Europe.
While easily accessible from all points abroad, and boasting all the
amenities of the Western world, Macedonia remains one of Europe’s last
great undiscovered countries: a natural paradise of mountains, lakes and
rivers, where life moves to a different rhythm, amidst the sprawling
grandeur of rich historical ruins and idyllic villages that have
remained practically unchanged for centuries.
Macedonia’s geographical and cultural position as bridge between East
and West, as the crossroads between Christian Europe and the mystical
Orient, is attested to today in its inhabitants. The Macedonian people –
a mixture of ancient Macedonians and Slavic tribes that settled here
starting in the 5th century C.E. – make up the greatest part of a
country where that mixed population is a vibrant reminder of
Macedonia’s rich and lengthy history. Minority populations include:
Albanians, arriving first from mountains of Albania and Kosovo; a
Turkish population established during Ottoman times; The Roma, hailing
ultimately from far-off India; Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats; and Vlachs,
famous tradesmen and likely descendants of ancient Romans.
In essence, today’s Macedonia is a unique patchwork of cultures, where
Balkan bloodlines have mixed with others more exotic still. Macedonia
resonates with the names of the many peoples who have set foot on its
eternal soil: from Armenians, Avars and Ashkenazi to Hellenes, Peonians
and Gorani; from Kumans, Montenegrins and Jews to Dardanians,
Ukrainians and Bulgars.
Such a diverse range of peoples has co-existed for thousands of years in
Macedonia, a place where hospitality always welcomes
visitors and it comes from the heart. And indeed, the country’s charms
have not been lost on an increasing number of Westerners today who are
now choosing it as their second home!
In addition to its diversity,, Macedonia’s cultural richness is
expressed in its archaeological legacy. Although just a little country,
it holds many antique theaters, Byzantine churches and Ottoman
mosques, in addition to relics from the Stone Age and even earlier
periods of human civilization.
The oldest traces of human habitation in Macedonia are the cryptic,
30,000 year-old stone engravings or “rock art” unearthed in the Kratovo
area, as well as the astronomical observatory/ religious ritual site
of Taticev Kamen, dating back almost 4,000 years.
The word Macedonia instantly conjures up memories of Philip II and his
son Alexander the Great, legendary emperor of the 4th century B.C.E.
who brought great expanses of the known world under Macedonian rule. In
this period, and the Hellenistic and Roman ones that followed it,
Macedonia reached the apogee of its influence and power. Today, many
ruins remain to attest to this ancient heritage, in the sites of cities
such as Heraclea, Stobi and Skupi, strewn with amphitheaters and
temples, and decorated with intricate mosaics and frescoes.
The missionary Apostle Paul brought Christianity to Macedonia for the
first time. Nine centuries later, his Byzantine successors Cyril and
Methodius created a brand new alphabet, the precursor to Cyrillic, to
expedite their missionary work with the Slavic-speaking Orthodox
Christians of the Balkans. Macedonia’s experience of Christianity has
thus always been linked with literacy and education. In fact, the first
Slavic university was established in the 10th century, in placid Ohrid
- famous during Byzantine times for its 365 churches, one for each day
of the year.
Today, Macedonia’s Christian heritage is visible everywhere, from the
myriad churches that fill up the landscape throughout the country to
the enormous “Millennium Cross” that lights up the Skopje night sky
from high atop nearby Mt. Vodno.
Following the decline of the Byzantium Empire, Macedonia and the entire
Balkans came under control of the Ottoman Turks. Macedonia owes its
Oriental influences to five centuries of Ottoman rule, a phenomenon
that affected everything from cuisine and language to architecture and
religion. The mosques of Tetovo and Skopje and the latter city’s grand
castle (Kale), and Stone Bridge exemplify vividly Ottoman aestheticism.
While firmly rooted in its traditions and nostalgia for the past,
today’s Macedonia is also a forward-looking country that has embraced
its diversity and is becoming integrated within European political and
economic institutions, continually expanding its links to the greater
global community and economy. It thus provides the curious traveler
with the best of both worlds: age-old traditions, historical treasures,
and a pristine natural environment, as well as all of the modern
amenities, services and consumer goods that today’s sophisticated
travelers need. Macedonia today is an undiscovered jewel in the heart
of Europe, offering something for tourists of all ages, nations,
interests and desires. |
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Ohrid, immortal Ohrid – a kingdom of light and water, a
repository of ancient ruins from Macedonia’s earlier kingdoms – is the
sublime lakeside town that for many represents the culmination of the
Macedonian experience.
Ohrid’s major attractions are all located within a remarkably concentrated
and eminently walkable area, among and above the narrow streets of the
Old Town, itself lined with restaurants and cafes perfectly suited for
relaxing on cool summer evenings. Ohrid’s many café bars and
nightclubs also make for vibrant nightlife.
As for the lake itself, it is so large and so deep that one
might mistake it for a small sea. The full range of water sports,
fishing and boating is available, and numerous churches alongside
Ohrid’s lake shores make for fascinating side trips.
The wooded ridge above the lake’s eastern shore is largely taken up
by Galicica National Park, a pristine wilderness area ideally suited
for nature enthusiasts.
The uniqueness of Ohrid’s lake and historical architecture
have been attested by UNESCO, which honored the town with an official
designation as one of the few places on the cultural institution’s
“World Inheritance” list.
Ohrid- History and Museums
Archaeological
finds indicate that Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in
all of Europe. The lake itself is over three million years old. Ohrid
town is first mentioned in Greek documents from 353 B.C.E., when it was
known as Lychnidos - or, “the city of light.” Only much later, in 879
C.E., was it renamed Ohrid. The name probably derives from the
Macedonian phrase “Vo Hrid” – meaning roughly, “the town on the hill.”
Apart from its ancient theater (which is still in use
today), the ancient Lychnidos boasted a classical agora, gymnasium,
civil basilicas and temples to the gods of Greek Antiquity. Under Roman
rule it developed more of the typical Roman architectural traits, and
became an important transit point on the Via Egnatia trade route that
bisected the Balkans.
The town as we know it today was built mostly between the
7th and 19th centuries. During the Byzantine period, Ohrid became a
significant cultural and economic center, serving as an episcopal
center of the Orthodox Church and as the site of the first Slavic
university run by St. Clement and St. Naum at the end of the 9th
century. At the beginning of the 11th century, Ohrid briefly became the
capital of Macedonia’s greatest medieval ruler, Samuel, whose fortress
still presides over the city today.
During Ottoman times, Ohrid remained the seat of the
autocephalous Ohrid archiepiscopacy (until 1726). During its Byzantine
apogee, the town was renowned for its 365 churches and monasteries. These, and a large number of sacral edifices, have been preserved and make up a large part of Ohrid’s rich medieval past.
Today, one of the city’s museums has a collection of more
than 800 Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons, most of which were painted
between the 11th and 14th centuries. Art historians count this
collection as being one of the most important in the world, along with
those of the Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow and Mt. Athos in Greece. |
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