The center of town might be south of the Vardar, but Skopje's most picturesque neighborhood is on the northern side the bridge. The Old Bazaar, also called the Čaršija, extends roughly from the Kale Fortress to the Bit Pazar. With its mosques, antique shops, baklava bakers, hamams and tea gardens, the Čaršija might as well be a neighborhood in Istanbul. We loved it here, and visited whenever possible.
In 1910, a child named Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu was born to an Albanian family in Skopje. Raised a Roman Catholic, Anjezë received God's calling at the tender age of 18, and gave her life over to the church and the care of the world's least fortunate. She took the name Teresa and spent the rest of her days making the world a more humane place.
On the western edge of Skopje, we came across an archaeological dig in full swing, with dozens of laborers hard at work dusting off rocks, writing in notebooks, and carting away earth-laden wheelbarrows. This was the site of the ancient Roman city of Skupi, and the archaeologists were in the process of exposing its massive theater.
The Balkans were a major theater of World War I, and fighting was especially intense in Macedonia, which was part of Serbia at the time. The Allies and the Central Powers sent tens of thousands of soldiers into the land, many of whom would never return home.
After a devastating earthquake nearly destroyed Skopje in 1963, the international community came to the rescue, contributing aid in the form of money, materials, manpower... and art. A Contemporary Art Museum was among the principal projects for the post-earthquake city, and the artists of the world were determined to help make it something special.
Found on a hill in Skopje's Old Bazaar near the Kale Fortress, is Sveti Spas, or the Church of the Holy Savior. It's a small structure whose modest exterior belies the incredible artwork hiding within.
South of Skopje, on the outskirts of an unassuming village called Markova Sučica, is the Markov Monastir. Built in 1346 by King Marko of Serbia, this medieval monastery has remained remarkably unaffected by the passage of time.
Just outside the city center, north of the Vardar River in a field which borders the barracks of the Macedonian army, is an ancient aqueduct. Its state of preservation is impressive, considering that it's been neglected for centuries.
Among the Ottoman-era buildings still standing in Skopje's Old Bazaar are three Turkish trading inns and an old covered market called the Bezisten. We visited them all, to see how these ancient buildings have been incorporated into the modern city.
Located in a grand neoclassical building set along the banks of the Vardar River, the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle opened its doors on September 8th, 2011: the twentieth anniversary of the country's independence from Yugoslavia.
