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Introduction
Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of) is a mountainous land right at the heart of the Balkans. Its churches and mosques contain many fine examples of art and architecture from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods.
SKOPJE: Macedonia’s capital is largely new, owing to an earthquake in 1963. There is, however, plenty to see. Skopje Old Town is the most attractive quarter of the city. It is full of shops and restaurants. Here also is the Church of the Holy Saviour with its intricately carved iconostasis (a screen in orthodox churches on which icons are hung). Also to be found in the Old Town are the Kursumli Ani (16th-century) and the Suli An (15th-century) caravanserais and the Daut Pasha Baths with its two large and seven small domes. It now houses the Art Gallery. There are also a number of mosques dating from the Ottoman period, particularly the 15th-century Mustafa Pasha Mosque as well as the old tenth-century Kale Fortress and a magnificent footbridge spanning the River Vardar. Near Skopje is the Nerezi Monastery with the accompanying 12th-century Church of St Pantelejmon housing magnificent Byzantine frescoes.
BITOLA: Located 18km (11 miles) from the Greek border, Bitola is the second-largest town in Macedonia. It was an important centre of Ottoman rule and also has the nearby ruins of the Greek city of Heraclea.
OHRID: Situated on Lake Ohrid, this is probably the most attractive town in Macedonia. Here St Clement of Ohrid laid the foundations of the first Slav university. In the tenth and 11th centuries Ohrid became the capital of the Macedonian Tsar Samuil. The walls of his fortress still survive and now provide a venue for summer concerts, operas and plays. Near the old fortress are the remains of a Classical theatre. Dotted around this beautiful town are a number of ancient churches, particularly the Cathedral of St Sophia containing some magnificent tenth-century frescoes.
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