“Macedonia 🇲🇰 ~Skopje Fortress and Macedonia Square”
We found the old Fortress of Skopje, and enjoyed walking around it, then we went on to check things out in the interesting Macedonia Square.
We think the Fortress was technically closed, but the gate was not locked, so we walked in. Not a soul around, and nobody yelled at us to leave. (when I checked online, it said the Fortress was open).
We headed for the Archeologist Museum, next and found a performing arts center along the way. Both looked quite worthwhile to see, but neither building were open for visitors.
This Fortress was built from materials taken from the Roman city of Skupi after the city was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 518. However, very little is known about the early life of the fortress or what life was like inside the fortress or its garrison.
After our exploring, we got back in the car and head out of Macedonia, by driving over the border to Kosovo 🇽🇰. We had the best day, and absolutely love Kosovo. We will be at our first stop for two night.
But, not wanting to get too far ahead of myself, first I will post about our visit in the capital city of Skopje in Macedonia.
We do have many places to see in Macedonia, so we will be back, but for now, we are driving a gigantic loop of sorts (heading north) through many Eastern European countries, and will come back to Macedonia, again, soon.
Sometime during Ottoman rule, the Fort fell into a state of neglect and was left completely empty. During the 19th century, warehouses, arsenals, a military hospital, and prison were discovered inside the Fortress.
The Fortress was greatly damaged during another earthquake in 1963, which left most of the defensive towers and buildings in rubbles.
The Kale was renovated in the 11th century, after damage sustained during the Bulgarian-Byzantine wars. Once the Ottomans took over the city, the Fortress was expanded and given an a extra set of walls.
Much of this is speculative, because it’s only recently that the fortress has been treated as an archaeological site. The first academic digs began in 2006, and uncovered evidence of human activity dating back to 3000 BC. The site has always been an attractive area for settlement, and it’s not hard to see why. High on a bluff with excellent visibility in every direction, and on the banks of an important river, this is a natural spot for a fortress.
Settled as early as the 3rd century BC, Skopje only began to make a name for itself as an important trading centre with the rise of Byzantium and the Orthodox Christianity around the 6th century AD
Another cultural legacy from the earthquake is the Museum of Contemporary Arts, built in the years following the tragedy and probably one of the best of its kind in the region; thanks to the outpouring of donations from artists and collections from around the world.
The Stone Bridge rises magnificently over the Vardar River in the central part of Skopje; the capital of Macedonia. The bridge connects the old and the new part of the city. All important events throughout history and all the events of today, take place on it.
Various interpretations explain the history of the Stone Bridge. Some of them lead to the period of the second half of the 15th Century, during the time of the rule of sultan Mehmed II. However, there are certain indicators that say that the bridge dates from much earlier. This is supported by a writing in Isa-Bey s mosque, where the time of its construction is related to the time of the rule of Murat II, at the beginning of the 15th century.
As the name itself says, the Stone Bridge was built of solid stone blocks, while its massive construction is supported by firm columns, connected with semicircular arcs. The fact that the bridge resisted all the numerous accidents and threats throughout history and all natural disasters, supports the theory of its really solid construction. The Stone Bridge was reconstructed and conserved several times, but that did not have any impact on its original appearance.
Karposh was known as the “King of Kumanovo.” When the battle was over, all rebels who resisted were slaughtered. Karposh and the others were taken prisoner. After conquering Kumanovo, the Ottomans left for Skopje where they executed Karposh and the others. The statue was placed next to the Stone Bridge where Karposh allegedly was gruesomely impaled.
Inside, there are three floors displaying the cream of Macedonian archaeological excavations beneath the dazzle of hundreds of tiny lights. Highlights include Byzantine treasures; sophisticated 3D reconstructions of early Macedonian faces from skulls; a pint-sized replica of an early Christian basilica showing the life phases of mosaic conservation; and a Phoenician royal necropolis.
Walk around the square, taking in the nearby mountain scenery. Pass by the numerous monuments that dot the plaza, including those honoring Roman emperor Justinian, Tsar Samuel, and several groups of Macedonian revolutionary figures. Be sure to get up close to the towering statue of a sword-bearing warrior on horseback, controversially said to represent Alexander the Great.
The capital of Macedonia, Skopje, is inhabited since at least 4000 BC. Conquered by the Romans around 100 AD and later part of the Byzantine Empire
Also, right in their parking lot was was this family of storks.
We do not recommend the Bellevue Hotel in Skopje. After we checked in, the A/C quit working, the hot water quit working as well as the WIFI. We spoke with the manager at checkout, and agreed we would not pay our tab on our dinner the night before. We still got ripped off, but sometimes this happens, especially in places where the economy looks to be suffering
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Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More
Love all the detailed information – and of course the photos are sublime! ❤️
Thank you for looking, Laurie. We are thrilled to share!