Problem
Macedonia and Skopje - where are they? It was Roman, part of Yugoslavia, ... Tell me more.
I went to Wikipedia and listened. Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia. Skopje - how do you say it? It's pronounced skop - yeah!
Map from Wikipedia.
The country is landlocked. No sea but some attractive lakes. Greece is to the south and the Greeks are a bit peeved about Macedonia and the Alexander the Great because the Greeks consider both part of their heritage.
Kosovo is to the north. Albania is to the west. The population is a mixture of Muslims and Christians.
Bulgaria is to the East. Like Bulgaria, Macedonia uses the Cyrillic alphabet.
The population is only half a million. The city is built around a river. What landmarks must I remember to see?
1 Stone Bridge
The city's symbol is the stone bridge, a series of humps.The stone bridge links the Centar (left bank or West), with the east old city, an area partly destroyed by the 1963 earthquake and rebuilt.
The Stone Bridge. Photo from Wikipedia.
Centar
Think of this as the new centre.
Here you find
The main square.
2 Statue of Alexander the Great on horseback, surrounded by a water fountain floodlit at night. Actually the official name is the warrior on horseback. But it is popularly believed to be Alexander The Great. I must say that sounds more appropriate to me than calling an airport Alexander the Great.
Alexander the Great Statue and water display. Photo from Wikipedia.
3 The new Holocaust museum
The new Holocaust Memorial Museum, open April 2018. Most of the population was killed by the Nazis at Treblinka in Poland. Exhibits include a railway carriage, wood, no windows.
Exhibits include a partisan frieze and a ladino street scene.
Is there anything jolly or happy? Yes. Reproduction of the Gutenberg Press.
4 Synagogue
Curtain over the scrolls in the one existing synagogue, the Beth Jacov (Beth meaning building or house, Jakov meaning Jacob.)
Decorative curtain over scrolls in the Skopje synagogue, Beth Jacov.
Sign on holocaust Memorial Museum. In various languages. Photo in Wikipedia by Wisco2000.
5 Mother Teresa Memorial House. Site of the house where she was born and lived to the age of 18.
She lived here but the original has gone. Chapel and exhibits.
Mother Teresa Memorial House. Photo from Wikipedia.
6 Transport includes red buses imitating the British Routemaster.
Over To The Old City
7 The east old city has the hilltop sold walls of the fortress.
Getting there
8 You arrive at Alexander the Great airport
How could you not feel excited, arriving at Alexander the Great airport. Yes, it's a bit of an anachronism, no planes in his days.
9 The Macedonia Gate
Gateway. Has a shop inside. Roof on top was deigned for weddings. Picture from Wikipedia.
10 Macedonia Flag
Red and yellow and the sun. Doesn't it make you feel happy!
Flag from Wikipedia, in public domain.
Useful Websites For Travellers
http://www.exploringmacedonia.com Official website.
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/macedonia-prepares-to-unveil-new-holocaust-memorial-museum-1.460904
