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Finally my flight has landed in Skopje, Macedonia. It was a long flight from Jakarta.
I am very tired.

It was morning 8 AM in Skopje.
Skopje is the capital and largest city, is situated in the northern part of the country on the Vardar River.




I felt fresh in the morning.




I decided to take a hotel. so i was suggested Holiday Inn in Skopje .

I noticed a large number of Ottoman buildings and monuments. so after getting fresh i decided to visit the Old Bazaar. This bazaar is one of the largest bazaars in the Balkans and the largest in Macedonia. the bazaar has been the city's centre for trade and commerce since at least the 12th century. It heard that rapidly grew and reached its peak during Ottoman rule, evidenced by the number of mosques, caravanserais, and other Turkish buildings and monuments. Although Islamic architecture is predominant, there are several churches as well.



Old Bazaar By Night


From there i went to the Mustafa Pasha Mosque.
It stands on a plateau above the old bazaar and is one of the most beautiful Islamic buildings in Macedonia. It was built in 1492 by Mustafa Pasha, vizier on the court of Sultan Selim I. The mosque is elegant and intact, and no additions have been made through the years. The interior is beautiful, simple, and spacious. In the turbe next to the mosque, lies the daughter of Mustafa Pasha. The mosque has a rose garden and it offers fine views over Skopje's old bazaar.



It was evening.
Then my journey took me to the Çifte Hamam located in the centre of the old bazaar, was built in the 15th century under Isa Bey. The building is divided into two wings one for men and one for women.

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/National_Artgallery_of_Republic_of_Macedonia_%28Skopje%29.JPG/800px-National_Artgallery_of_Republic_of_Macedonia_%28Skopje%29.JPG[/img]

It was night i decided to go back to my hotel and then continue for next day.
Next morning i visited the Isa Bey Mosque. It is situated on the outskirts of the bazaar, this mosque was built as a memorial for Isa Bey after his death.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Aladja_Moschee01.JPG/450px-Aladja_Moschee01.JPG[/img]

People suggested that i go to the Kale Fortress.
Located on the highest hill in Skopje, overlooking the city and the river, the area upon which the fortress was built was first inhabited in prehistoric times, according to archaeological findings.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/KaleFortress-Skopje1.JPG/800px-KaleFortress-Skopje1.JPG[/img]

St. Spas Church was also very beautiful.
Revolutionary Goce Delčev is buried in a white stone sarcophagus in the church's courtyard.


The Skopje Aqueduct is an archaeological site located 2 km north-west of Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. The Skopje Aqueduct is the only aqueduct in Macedonia, and one of three in the former Yugoslavia.



It was evening i decided to take rest and hit the bed to start early next morning.

Church of St. Panteleimon in Gorno Nerezi near Skopje is a superb example of the Comnenian art on the all-Byzantine level. Commissioned by several members of the royal Comnenus family.



Church of St. Demetrius- This church was an orthodox cathedral church before the construction of the present-day cathedral church of St. Clement of Ohrid.


Church of the Holy Mother of God, this cathedral church, dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, was built on the place of an old church also dedicated to the Holy Mother, built in 1204 and later completely destroyed in a fire.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/SvBogorodicaSkopje.JPG/800px-SvBogorodicaSkopje.JPG[/img]

Church of St. Clement was Built in 1972, the Orthodox church in one of few in the world to be designed in modern contemporary architecture.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Soborna_Church_Skopje1.JPG/800px-Soborna_Church_Skopje1.JPG[/img]

Kale Fortress is situated in a hill above the city and there were settlements that existed before the Turks created the extensive castle walls that survived until today. The present fortress was originally built by the Byzantines in the 6th century. It is supposed that the stone blocks used in this construction were taken from the destroyed city of Skupi nearby. After the 1963 earthquake, Kale’s circular, rectangular and square towers were conserved and restored. Today this fortress is the one of the best sightseeing spots in Skopje.

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/KaleFortress-Skopje1.JPG/800px-KaleFortress-Skopje1.JPG[/img]

The Millennium Cross, situated on the peak of the mountain Vodno, is a tourist attraction. At 66 m (217 ft) high, it is the biggest cross in the world and can be seen from 30 km (19 mi) away. It was built to celebrate 2000 years of the existence of Christianity and of Macedonia as a biblical land.

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%83%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE_%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%98_%D0%A1%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%98%D0%B5.JPG/450px-%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%83%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE_%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%98_%D0%A1%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%98%D0%B5.JPG[/img]

There are several landmarks of Mother Teresa in Skopje, the city where she was born, including a marker of her birthplace, a statue, and a memorial house. The Memorial House of Mother Teresa in Skopje was opened in early 2009.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Memorialhousemotheteresa.JPG/800px-Memorialhousemotheteresa.JPG[/img]


And then to my last destination which is the Stone Bridge.
The Stone Bridge, across the Vardar River, connects the Old Bazaar to Macedonia Square in the new part of the city. The bridge, built in the 15th century under Sultan Murad, was built of stone blocks as its name suggests, which has helped it survive the fires and earthquakes Skopje has seen.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Stonebridgeskopje.JPG/800px-Stonebridgeskopje.JPG[/img]


Thus ends my eMacedonian trip.

Next destination - Kosovo, Serbia

It was a lot of fun i saw a lot of places and learn't a great deal about this wonderful country.

All said and done i have this one question in my heart?

Why isn't eMacedonia in erepublik?


SIgned,
Ostin
(Vice MoFa eIndonesia)