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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.