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The Republic of Macedonia (Macedonian: Република Македонија) is an independent state on the Balkan peninsula in the heart of southeastern Europe. The country borders Serbia to the north, Albania to the west, Greece to the south, and Bulgaria to the east. In 2005, the Republic of Macedonia received official candidate status for the European Union. The capital is Skopje with more than 600,000 inhabitants. It also has a number of other significant cities, notably Bitola, Prilep, Tetovo, Gostivar, Kumanovo, Ohrid, Veles, Stip, and Strumica. The Republic of Macedonia is often called a land of lakes and mountains. There are more than 50 natural and artificial lakes and sixteen mountain ranges higher than 2000 metres above sea level.

 

 

Kosovo Serbia Bulgaria Greece Albania Skopje Bitola Veles Štip Strumica Tetovo Kumanovo Prilep Gostivar Kičevo Great Korab (2 753 m) Ohrid

 

 

The Republic of Macedonia has a rich cultural heritage in art, architecture, poetry, and music. It has many ancient, protected religious sites. Poetry, cinema, and music festivals are held annually.

Macedonian music styles developed under the strong influence of Byzantine church music. Macedonia is among the countries with the most beautiful preserved Byzantine fresco painting, mainly from the period between the 11th and 16th centuries. There are several thousands square metres of fresco painting preserved, the major part of which is in very good condition.

In Macedonia the past meets the present. Its age-old architecture and monasteries and churches of exquisite beauty make an interesting contrast to the super modern new architecture. Most of the Macedonian monasteries, built in various periods, and particularly those built between the 11th and 15th -16th centuries, have been completely preserved until today. The Macedonian collection of icons, and in particular the Ohrid one, is among the most valuable collections in the world today. After the Sinai and the Moscow collection of icons, it is third in importance in Orthodoxy. From a Byzantological aspect, it is unique.

The most important cultural events in the country are the Ohrid Summer festival of classical music and drama, the Struga Poetry Evenings which gather poets from more than 50 countries in the world, Skopje May Opera Evenings, International Camera Festival in Bitola, Open Youth Theatre and Jazz festivals in Skopje etc.

 

 

The city of Ohrid

 

 

Galičnik (pronounced Galichnik, in Macedonian Галичник) is a village in the Republic of Macedonia, on Mount Bistra, 10 km from Mavrovo. Each summer on the Orthodox Christian holiday of St. Peter's day the Galichnik Wedding Festival takes place. The festival consists of a wedding done in traditional Macedonian style, featuring ancient customs, traditional music and dances. Participants all wear traditional costumes and mix with the visitors on the village square, which also contains an amphitheater.

 

 

... that the capital city of Skopje (see also other names of Skopje) is the hometown of the great humanitarian and Nobel Prize winner, Mother Theresa...

... that the Megalithic Observatory, Kokino is more than 3800 years old and it is placed on 4^th position on NASA list of ancient observatories by importance [1]

... that the smallest ethno museum in the world is located only 5 km on the northwest of Tetovo, in the picturesque village of Džepčište and as such is listed in the Guinness Book of Records

... about the Stone town, situated by the Kuklica village in the Kratovo area. According to the sources, the stone figures that are called Dolls by the local population, date from the ancient prehistory...

 

 

Statue of women fighter in NOB in Tetovo

 

 

Krste Misirkov (born 1874 in the historic village of Pella in Aegean Macedonia (modern day Greece), died in Sofia, 1926), was the most prominent Macedonian publicist, philologist and linguist who set the principles of the Macedonian literary language at the beginning of the late 19th century.

His opinions on the political and national issues of his time carry the proof of the struggle of the Macedonian intellectuals and their contribution to the fight for the liberation of the Macedonians and the creation of an independent Macedonian state. In 1903 he published the book "Za Makedonckite Raboti" ("On Macedonian Matters") in which he laid down the principles of the modern Macedonian language.

One of his most famous quotes is:

"Yes, Macedonian culture and history are quite separate from Greek, Bulgarian, and Serbian culture and history; they have never been the object of an impartial and detailed study. The Greeks, Serbs, and the Bulgarians most unfairly took from Macedonian culture only what they could make use of for the glory of their own national names; ignoring facts of capital importance either because they did not concern them, or because they contradicted their own national aspirations. Unfortunately, the Macedonians themselves are only now beginning to study Macedonian history, having realized, towards the end of last century, that they could no longer trust the historians of Athens, Belgrade or Sofia..."

 

 

Group of women in folk costumes in Galičnik (1903-1908)

 

 

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• A day in Macedonia
• A day in Macedonia 2
• The land of colours
  

 

 

 

 

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