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Macedonia
History & Architecture
History
Although the ancient kingdom of Macedonia once stood approximately where the modern country of Macedonia (or the Republic of Macedonia or the Former Yugoslav Republic (F.Y.R.) of Macedonia) stands, the people of these two entities have no close relation. The ancient Macedonians were very similar to the Greeks, while today's people in the region are primarily a combination of Bulgars and Slavs, but with numerous other ethnicties as well. Today the people are more ethnically and culturally Bulgar or Slavic, being nearly identical (on an ethnic level) to the Bulgarians.
The ancestors of the modern-day people of Macedonia first arrived in about the 700s, the same time the ancestors of today's Bulgarians arrived in Bulgaria. These people converted to Christianity in the 800s. During much of the time between the 800s and the 1300s the region was ruled over by the Byzantium Empire, although the people also gained independence from time to time.
In the 1300s the people became a part of the Serbian Empire, which was also a primarily Slavic group, but later that same century the Ottoman Turks came in and took control over what is today Macedonia and most of the Balkan Peninsula. This foreign rule lasted through the 1700s when the people began to rebel against their rulers, but with no success for nearly another two centuries.
Under Ottoman rule the region was very stable as the region of Macedonia was a stronghold for the Ottomans for centuries, however this also led to immigration of foreign people into the region and the drafting of Macedonians into the Ottoman army.
The 1800s continued the movements to gain independence in both the regions of Macedonia and Bulgaria, but again these movements didn't have the power to overthrow the Ottoman Empire. In 1903 the Macedonians finally obtained an independent state, but this legal establishment didn't translate to any success on the battlefield as they eventually lost the war ensuing for independence.
In the early 1900s the Ottoman Empire collapsed and the region that is today Macedonia was incorporated into the state of Serbia. After World War I, the region was incorporated into the country called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which was later renamed Yugoslavia.
During World War II (WWII) Yugoslavia was occupied by the Axis powers and the region that is today Macedonia was divided between the Bulgarians and the Italians (via Albania). One of the largest resistance movements during the war was led by the Yugoslav communists and as WWII concluded, the communist party came to power in Yugoslavia, which again took control of all of modern day Macedonia.
When communism in Yugoslavia collapsed in 1991, Macedonia peacefully declared independence. However, the Kosovo War in 1999 had a strong effect on Macedonia as many Albanian refugees fled into the country to escape the war. This led to a few battles with the ethnic Albanians, who then fought for independence within Macedonia's borders, but NATO quickly stepped in and the two sides came to a peaceful agreement in 2001.
Architecture
St. Joachim Monastery
The earliest architecture in Macedonia was built by the Romans. The aqueduct in Skopje and some of the ruins at Ohrid are the best preserved of these many ruins. However Ohrid isn't known for its Roman ruins as much as it is known for its later architecture. The growth and flourishing of the city brought in many buildings, including St. Panteleimon (800s), which is the oldest Slavic monastery in the world. Also in this city, St. Sofia's was built (800s-1000s).
When the Ottomans took over the region, beginning in the 1300s, the architectural style in the region quickly changed and adopted the new requirements. Mosques, hamams, and bazaars were built as some of the people converted to Islam. Skopje retains the best examples from this period, including their Sultan Murad Mosque and their old bazaar, which vastly grew during this period.
Traditional architecture
Architecture from the 1800s is again best represented in Ohrid. There are numerous residential houses from this period, which represent some of the oldest and best preserved domestic architecture in the country. These stone-based wood houses are easily recognizable due to their white color as they sit close together facing the lake. Another great example of houses from this time period is the village of Krusevo, which has similarities to Ohrid, but many distinctions as well.
Skopje
Perhaps the best place to see the country's modern architecture is in the capital city of Skopje. In fact, Skopje has a great sampling of architecture from nearly every time period in the region's history, although perhaps not as much significance as many of the buildings in Ohrid.
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This page was last updated: March, 2013