Greetings one and all. π
It was such a beautiful day today for walking...well, until it wasn't. π Luckily the cloudy whether wasn't so bad as to dampen the images. And if nothing else, it brought some nice variety to the scenery. (I hope) π
Today i'm taking you through one of the more famous locations in Skopje. The Old Bazaar, or as we call it Charshija - Π§Π°ΡΡΠΈΡΠ°. I'm sure it will prove a fun read for my fellow walkers. // is that a term? is that a thing? we going with it anyway.
π© A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON π©
So The Old Bazaar was built approximately 500 years ago, give or take. It served as the main marketplace for the entire region of northern Macedonia, back when Skopje was just an outpost to the great Ottomans Empire.
It has since remained a prime tourist destination for the city. And while Skopje nowadays borders on being a metropolis, for a long time The Old Bazaar was the focal point of the city. Nowadays its a bit too the side, but its majesty is still felt and respected. π
π© ENTRANCES π©
The Old Bazaar is comprised of several intertwining streets that connect the city center to the biggest present day marketplace and the Fort Kale. A medieval fort from the 10th century that I hope to one day share here with you all. π
There are many entrances, all spanning the length of The Old Bazaar. One entrance, that is in fact several entrances, is the National Museum of Macedonia.
π© NATIONAL MUSEUM π©
Before I entered the museum I bought myself a ΡΠ΅Π²ΡΠ΅ΠΊ (gyevrek). It's basically a salted pastry with sesame seeds that's all the rage over here. π
The museum is this sprawling complex along the eastern side of the bazaar. It connects three inner entrances with two outer. Anyone can enter/leave the complex at any time, even at night.
I can't show you the insides of the museum, unfortunately. π
π© SIGNS OF THE MODERN AGE π©
As with all historical landmarks, The Old Bazaar has fallen victim to neglect and just blatant human carelessness. π Like it boggles my mind that cars are allowed on these streets, damaging the ancient stones for the sake of capitalizm. π
The graffiti in my books is fine. It's still tastefully done and is not damaging anything reprehensible. If anything, it adds a nice contrast with the other structures/roads. I know I'm drawing arbitrary lines here, but motor transportation on roads meant for horses seems like a far fouler crime than having modern art on the walls. π€·ββπ© THE ONCE CAPITAL OF THE REGION π©
Does everything look kinda the same? Yes. Is it confusing? Yes. If you are a guest there's no way you'll be able to navigate the roads without a google maps. π Local, of course, know the streets by heart.
Most of the shops have been here for generations. With each staking their legacy proudly.
Modern structures are haphazardly placed across the bazaar. As some tenants sell their properties to move out of the hustle and bustle of the ancient streets.
It's not all bad though. As you walk through these roads you still feel the history beneath your feet. In the air. And all around you.
I hope to share different locations and environments from Skopje in the future. The city is just brimming with difference. That might sound weird but trust me, you'll see soon enough. π
Not sure where we'll go next week, but I reckon I'll find something interesting. π
Obligatory shout-out to the πPIZZAπ gang, π€ gang. π€
All pictures were taken by me using an iPhone 11.
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Thanks for reading and I hope you guys have a great rest of your week. π