GET TO KNOW MACEDONIA

MACEDONIA

THE LAND OF THE SUN

Get to know Macedonia

Culture: History, People&Nationalities, Religion,Languages, Food and Drinks, Traditional Clothes, Famous People.

Nature: Ohrid Lake, Canyon Matka, National Park Pelister, Shar Mountain.

Monuments: Stone Bridge, Kale Fortress, Old Bazar (Charshija), Sharena Xhamija (Painted Mosque),The Church of Kaneo.

MAP of Macedonia

FACTS

Macedonia is a mountainous landlocked country on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Kosovo. The capital city is Skopje. The second biggest city is Bitola. It has a population of around 2 million people. Official language is Macedonian. Second language is Albanian. Nationalities: Macedonian, Albanians,Turkish,Roma,Bosnians,Serbians etc. And all of us live in peace together.

HISTORY

Macedonia has a long and complicated history. Each historical period shaped the people and culture today.

End of 20th century until today

King Philip II and his son Alexander the Great made Macedonia the largest empire in the world that spanned from Greece to India.

Macedonia was captured and ruled by the Ottoman Empire for 500 years

Under the rule of the First Bulgarian Empire that defeated Tsar Samuil's Kingdom.

On 25th of September 1991 Declaration of Independence was formally adopted by the Macedonian Parliament making the Republic of Macedonia an independent country - although in Macedonia independence day is still celebrated as the day of the referendum , 8th of September.

15-20th century

10th century

7th century

13-14th century

5th century

The fall of the Ottoman empire was caused by Balkan Wars. After that period, Macedonia became part of a communist country called Yugoslavia.

After the fall of the Macedonian empire, the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian II came

Byzantines ruling was ended by the Serbian rule.

Nationalities,Language and Religion

The most common religions are Christianity and Islam. There is small percent of Catholic and Jewish people.

Macedonian is the official language. Six other languages are officially recognized as the minority languages of the country: Albanian, Turkish, Romani, Bosnian, Serbian and Aromanian.

The ethnic structure in Macedonia is as follows: 64.17% are Macedonians, 25.17% Albanians, 3.5% Turks, 2.66% Roma, 0.48% Vlachs, 1.78% Serbs, 0.84% Bosnians and 1.04% belong to other ethnic groups.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Our dishes are the perfect combination of organic produce, dairy, and quality meat, and there is something for everyone regardless of food preferences or taste. Macedonians enjoy salads before meals, drink strong alcohol, and consume different varieties of bread and pastry. However, the highlight is fresh organic vegetables often mixed with juicy meat or served alone in various combinations. People in Macedonia love to drink. Coffee during the morning, varieties of tea, alcohol before the lunch, and wines for dinner.

Home made Rakija

Turkish coffee

Tea

Famous for the Macedonian Wine - we export it to all the Balkan countries as well as to China, Russia and USA.

Macedonian Beer

Traditional clothes

Famous people from Macedonia

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu known as Mother Teresa, was from Skopje Macedonia. She was born on 26th August 1910.Her family was of Albanian descent. At the age of twelve,she felt strongly the call of God. At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history's greatest military minds who, as King of Macedonia and Persia, established the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen.

NATURAL BEAUTIES OF MACEDONIA

SHAR MOUNTAIN

The Shar Mountains form a mountain range that extends from Kosovo and the northwest of Macedonia to northeastern Albania. It also has a series of lakes which are all above 1600m. If you ever go hiking there, you will find out that you don’t need to bring water with you, because, every 10m that you walk you will see a stream of crystal clear water. There is a huge amount of water inside the mountains and the underground streams surface with drinkable water. The Shar mountains are probably one of the best tourist attractions to visit in all of the countries its mountain range spans in. It has breathtaking nature attractions and also a wide range of animals.

SHAR MOUNTAIN

There is a specie of wild cats (lynx) witch exist only in that area and they are endangered and illegal to hunt. There is also a species of dogs called Sarplaninac which also exist only in the mountain range. It is thought to be one of the most fearless and strongest bog breeds in the world. The locals have learned to breed the species for thousands of years and they used it to protect their flock against wolfs, wild cats and even bears. Shara is the best winter destination!

OHRID LAKE

Ohrid Lake located in the city of Ohrid, is the largest and most important natural lake in Macedonia and probably the most important biological water ecosystem in Europe. Lake Ohrid is the oldest lake in Europe. An international science team has now revealed that the lake was first established 1.36 million years ago and existed continuously since then. It has a unique aquatic ecosystem of worldwide importance, with more than 200 endemic species. Ohrid is the best summer destination!

OHRID PEARL AND FILIGREE

The world famous Ohrid Pearl is made from the scales of fish Plashica (bleak), endemic species of fish in the lake Ohrid. Skills for making Ohrid Pearl remain a secret family tradition that is inherited from generation to generation. The secret is carefully kept for centuries. It's the light and uniqueness of the original Ohrid pearl, a jewel for which the city is also widely known. Filigree is an art with a long tradition. It is passed from generation to generation and requires a lot of patience, vision and above all, love in creating. Simple silver wires are intertwined miraculously. Each filigree has a history and heaviness in making it, and each one is unique for its beauty and the use of the silver wire.

CANYON MATKA

Matka is canyon located west of central Skopje, Macedonia. Covering roughly 5.000 hectares, Matka is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in Macedonia and is home to several medival monasteries. The Matka Lake within the Matka Canyon is the oldest artificial lake in the country. There are ten caves at Matka Canyon, with the shortest in length being 20 meters and the longest being 176 meters. The Canyon also features two vertical pits, both roughly extending 35 meters in depth. Matka is also known as the land of butterflies because it is a home to 77 endemic species of butterfly that can only be found in this area.

NATIONAL PARK PELISTER

North Macedonia's oldest national park, created in 1948, Pelister covers 171 sq km of the country's third-highest mountain range, the quartz-filled Baba massif. Eight peaks top 2000m, crowned by Mt Pelister (2601m). Two glacial lakes, known as 'Pelister's Eyes', sit at the top. Summiting both Mt Pelister and the lakes is one of the park's biggest hiking attractions. The most famous lakes are the PELISTER EYES. The Pelister National Park offers activities for the visitors all year round and is rich in beautiful hiking,biking,and sports areas.Special attractions during the summer months are the jeep safari excursions to the Pelister’s eyes.

MONUMENTS

The Old Bazaar and The Stone Bridge

The Old Bazaar is the oldest,most historically impotant and most atmospheric part of Skopje. Skopje Old Bazaar dates back back to the 12th century,making it the oldest marketplace in the Balkans and one of the original trading hubs in Europe. The Old Bazaar itself offers a nice experience for the street food lovers, with tiny traditional shops, coffee shops, Turkish sweets and tea. The Stone Bridge is located in the heart of the city. It connects the Old Bazaar and Macedonia Square. It was built in the 6th century, shortly after the catastrophic earthquake in 518. Both are made by the Ottoman Empire.

The Painted Mosque

Sharena Dzjamija (Decorated Mosque or Painted Mosque), is a mosque located near the Pena River in Tetovo, Macedonia.The mosque was originally built in 1438 and later rebuilt in 1833 by Abdurahman Pasha. The garden of the Sarena Dzamija is filled with many flowers, a fountain, and a Turbe. The octagonal ‘’turbe’’ houses the resting places of Hurshida and Mensure, the two sisters who financed the construction of the mosque in 1438.

Sveti Jovan – The Church of St John at Kaneo

The Church dates back to the 8th century. It is believed that just sitting by it in contemplation gives you a sense of deep calm and purity: the view itself can wash and feed your soul. The architecture of the church is important when studying the medieval monuments of culture. The broadly accepted viewpoint is that the constructor achieved a highly successful combination of Byzantine and Armenian architectural elements. Notable about the architecture is the Armenian influence in the zig-zag line of the roof of the dome. St.John Kaneo church is located on a cliff over Lake Ohrid.

KALE Fortress

Kale fortress has the dominant place in Skopje. It was built of stone blocks from the ruins of the city of Skopje (called Skupi back then), during the rule of the Byzantium Emperor Justinijan the 1st. It originates from the 6th century. It was a stationary point of the Turkish army until 1913, when Skopje falls under Serbian authority. And in the period from 1913 to 1953 the Yugoslav army settled there. Today in the space of the fortress is an arranged park, which serves for recreation and fun, and in the evening hours besides the sounds of the folk music, the visitors have a wonderful view on the city and the river Vardar from there.

THANK YOU!

MADE BY students of the School of Step by Step:

Amra, Vjollca, Azra, Berna, Alda, Armand, Valon, Lush, Neron & Teacher Dina!