4/25/2007 - Macedonian Eurovision Representative 2007

4/24/2007 - Film by Filip Kondovski in Monte Carlo

Film by Filip Kondovski in Monte Carlo

4/24/2007 - Two-year Film Academy opens in Skopje

2/16/2007 - Traditional Events

Traditional Events

Skopje Film Festival

International film festival - March

Cvetnici

Folk music Festival - April

Days of Macedonian music

March

Gocevi denovi

February - Universal hall

Majski operski veceri

Kej Dimitar Vlahov bb, Phone: + 389 2 3114 691, Fax:+ 389 2 3114 691

Mlad otvoren teatar

International theatre festival - September/October

Skopje JAZZ Festival

October - Universal hall

Skopsko leto

Summer festival of exhibitions, concerts and performances.

World gallery of caricature

2/16/2007 - Cuisine and Wine

FOOD AND DRINK   Did you know that... ... traditional Macedonian cuisine combines Balkan and Mediterranean traits, borrowing heavily from the Turkish tastes that prevailed during the long centuries of Ottoman rule. Some specialties, such as taratur (yogurt with bits of cucumber), pindzur (cream salad with peppers and eggplant) and the world-famous baklava are therefore characteristic of Balkan cuisine in general. Other Turkish-influenced dishes include kebapcinja (grilled beef kebaps) and the omnipresent burek (a flaky sort of pie filled with cheese, spinach or ground beef). ----------------------------------------------------------   Cuisine and Wine Macedonia has a long and praised tradition of culinary delights. Over the centuries, many civilizations have enjoyed the produce of its fertile soil. Having avoided negative influences of urbanization, Macedonia remains the agricultural heartland of the Balkans, filled with a wonderful variety of foodstuffs native to both Mediterranean and Central European climates. In fact, few countries as small as Macedonia can offer such variety of products including everything from citrus fruits, grapes and hazelnuts to tobacco, rice and mountain teas. In addition, Macedonia is also rich in meat, producing beef, chicken, pork and lamb, and a whole range of game. Macedonia’s many lakes yield a variety of freshwater fish, most famous of all being Lake Ohrid Trout. As a dairy producer, Macedonia is especially well known for its cheeses: soft white cheese (sirenje), similar to Greek feta; yellow cheese (kashkaval), similar to Italian Locatello Romano; and also its yoghurt and milk. Every Macedonian village offers unique and tasty local varieties. Macedonia is also famous for its wines, produced by unusually high quality grapes, such as Vranec, classic Cabernet Sauvignon, and mellow Merlot. Today, several small boutique wineries in Macedonia produce delectable red and white wines comparable to any French, Italian or California vintages. Besides its wines, Macedonian vintners produce fiery brandy (rakija) and mastica. Products of Macedonia breweries are enthusiastically guzzled by tourists and locals alike. Traditional Macedonian cuisine combines Balkan and Mediterranean characteristics, inherited largely from Turkish tastes that prevailed during long centuries of Ottoman rule. Some specialties, such as taratur (sour yogurt with bits of cucumber), pindzur (cream salad with peppers and eggplant) and the world-famous baklava are characteristic of Balkan cuisine in general. Other Turkish-influenced dishes include grilled beef kabobs and the omnipresent burek, a flaky sort of pie filled with ham, cheese, spinach, ground beef and combinations thereof. Macedonian dishes like tavce gravce (baked beans), shopska salata (a salad made of sliced tomato, cucumber and onion, topped with ground soft white cheese), selsko meso (pork chops and champignon mushrooms in a rich brown gravy), pastrmajlija (a sort of pizza topped with meat and sometimes egg) and, above all, ajvar (the national sauce, made from sweet red peppers).

2/16/2007 - Weekly Cultural Guide

Weekly Cultural Guide

Permanent exhibitions: Archaeology: From the Paleolithic 10.000 BC to the 14th century AD History: From settling of Slavs 6th century AD to 1945 Ethnology: Exhibition of folk costumes, jewellery, traditional architecture, textiles, crafts, economy, customs and traditional musical instruments Art history Exhibition of fresco-replicas Lapidarium - Exhibition of stone monuments in Kusumli Inn Icon Gallery - Exhibition of icons from 14th - 19th century

Opening hours: Work days 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Monday closed

PRICE: 50,oo denari  

THE MUSEUM  OF CONTEMPORARY ART

2/16/2007 - Gallery in Skopje

MUSEUMS OF MACEDONIA

Gallery in Skopje

Address	T.C. Leptokarija, Karpos IV Skopje
	Gallery and antiquity shop
Phone	+389 2 3069802
Spoken Languages	English
Payment forms
Working hours	10.30 - 15.30     17.30 - 20.30

2/16/2007 - Gallery Bezisten Skopje

MUSEUMS OF MACEDONIA

Gallery Bezisten Skopje

Address	Veljko Vlahovic 3-Center
	Gallery and antiquity shop
Phone	+389 2 3177150
Spoken Languages	English
Payment forms	VISA, Master Card, Diners Club,  American Express.
Working hours	08.30 - 20.00

2/16/2007 - Umetnicki rakotvorbi Skopje

MUSEUMS OF MACEDONIA

Umetnicki rakotvorbi Skopje

Address	Mito Hadzivasilev - Jasmin  48/3-Center
	Traditional craftsmanship
Phone	+389 2 2523354
Spoken Languages	English
Payment forms	VISA, Master Card, Diners Club,  American Express.
Working hours	08.30 - 20.00

2/16/2007 - Botanical Gardens Skopje

MUSEUMS OF MACEDONIA

Botanical Gardens Skopje

University “St.Kiril and Metodij” Skopje
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Institute of Biology, Division of Botany and Botanical Garden

Address	Gazi Baba bb, 1000 Skopje
Location	Center
Phone	+389 2 3117 055
Fax	+389 2 3228 141
Payment forms	10 denars
Working hours	April to October 8am-3.00pm; except Sunday

The Botanical Garden in Skopje has been established in 1948 and it is the only botanical garden in Macedonia. The Botanical Garden is a home to numerous species of the flora from Macedonia, the Balkan Peninsula and other parts of the world. Apart from visits from the general public, the Botanical Garden is used for educational purposes by the Institute of Biology and primary and secondary schools. The Garden preserves endangered plants in ‘ex situ’ conditions; Cultural events are also taking place in the Botanical Garden. On a small area of 450 m2, the object for acclimatization, growing and reproduction of endemic, relict, rare and medicinal plants of the Macedonian flora offers a rare opportunity to see a part of our plant species and which are known for their pharmacological properties. In 22 systematic fields in the object there are species found in water, marsh and meadow environment, vegetation from hills, mountains and high-mountain pastures, fragments from halophytic and steep vegetation action an area of 7 hectares, the Botanical garden has successfully introduced and acclimatized over 200 wood-like and bush plants, as well as over 300 indigenous and foreign herbaceous. In the greenhouse of the Botanical Garden there is a collection of tropical, subtropical, desert and half-desert plants (palm trees, cactuses, cactuses, other succulent plants, etc.)

2/16/2007 - Handmade Paper "St. Kliment Ohridski" Ohrid

MUSEUMS OF MACEDONIA

Handmade Paper "St. Kliment Ohridski" Ohrid

Address	Samoilova 60
	National Workshop for Handmade Paper, Ljupco Panevski
Phone	+ 389 46 253 610, + 389 75 465 131
Spoken Languages	English
Payment forms	VISA, Master Card, Diners Club,  American Express.
Working hours	08.30 - 20.00

The national workshop for handmade paper is one of the seventh in the World in witch the paper is made in the original Chinese way from the Second century BC. Don't miss the unique opportunity to be present this way of making the paper and imprint your memories from Ohrid from our rich history on Gutenberg's machine from XV century. The equipment and clothes witch are used are completely authentically. All products are unique and you can buy in only here. 

2/16/2007 - Museums of Macedonia

Museums of Macedonia

Macedonia’s long and legendary history has been carefully preserved in its museums, the most important of which are in Skopje. The Archaeological Museum takes the visitor on a journey through the millennia, from the Neolithic Age, the Bronze and the Iron Ages, the Classical and the Hellenistic Periods, all the way through to the Roman, Slavic, Byzantine and Turkish periods. 

The Historical Museum gives a chronological overview of Macedonian history through the centuries up to the National War of Liberation.

The Ethnographic Museum has a substantial amount of items which are thematically displayed. Finally, the Museum of Natural History showcases many examples of the indigenous and sometimes odd flora and fauna found throughout Macedonia.

Apart from their permanent exhibitions, Macedonia’s museums organize temporary exhibitions and other events, and feature gift shops where tourists can buy certified replicas of Macedonian icons, booklets and other souvenirs.

In addition to the major museums found in Skopje, smaller museums and archives with their own unique collections can be found throughout Macedonia’s other cities and towns.

2/15/2007 - Historical Sites

HISTORICAL SITES

• The Stone Bridge - Skopje
• The Old Town - Skopje
• Skopje Fortress "Kale"

2/15/2007 - The Stone Bridge - Skopje

HISTORICAL SITES

The Stone Bridge - Skopje The Stone Bridge, dating back to the 15th century, is the most prominent landmark of Skopje; the bridge connects the old and the new parts of the city. Although the guardhouse on the highest point of the bridge was damaged on several occasions, modern restoration is underway to bring the bridge closer to its original condition.   MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SKOPJE CAN BE FOUND AT SKOPJE ONLINE WWW.MACEDONIANGUIDE.COM

2/15/2007 - The Old Town - Skopje

HISTORICAL SITES

The Old Town - Skopje

Skopje’s Old Town (or Stara Charsija, as the locals call it) is located on the eastern bank of the River Vardar, opposite the modern city center. Today it is a vibrant quarter filled with winding streets of cobblestone and narrow archways, of centuries-old mosques and a Turkish bath.

Even before the arrival of the Ottomans, Stara Charsija had been the city’s commercial hub, with documented history dating it back to at least the 12th century. With its mix of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture, and hundreds of little shops, it remains one of the biggest and the most colorful centers of its kind in Europe.

Here, age-old traditions are kept alive by goldsmiths, shoemakers, coppersmiths and other skilled craftspeople.

At the far end of the Old Town is the covered market (Bit Pazar), which originates in the Turkish period. Here everything from vegetables to textiles to bric-a-brac are bought and sold. Numerous tea rooms, pastry shops and exchange offices line the adjacent alleys.

Among the Old Town’s finest attractions are several Islamic buildings from the 15th century. The Daut Pasha Hamam, one of the largest Turkish baths in the Balkans dating from 1466, today hosts the National Art Gallery’s special collection. The Chifte Hamam, which once operated as a bath with separate rooms for women and men, also today serves as a gallery for contemporary art. The unique Kursumli Han is a former caravansaray, or inn, used by traders during the Turkish period. Finally, the ornate Mustafa Pasha Mosque, with its high minaret and impressive marble interior, stands as Skopje’s most important monument to the Turkish Islamic tradition.

The Old Town also features Christian churches, such as that dedicated to St. Spas, famous for its finely carved wooden iconostasis dating from 1824, and also the 19th century church of St. Dimitrije.

2/15/2007 - Skopje Fortress "Kale"

HISTORICAL SITES

Skopje Fortress "Kale"

On a high cliff overlooking the River Vardar, Skopje’s fortress (dubbed ‘Kale’ from the Turkish) has kept a watchful eye on things for centuries.

As the highest point in Skopje, Kale has always been prized by local inhabitants. Long before the Turks created the extensive castle walls that survive today, settlements had existed here. The earliest traces of life date back to the Neolithic period and early Bronze Age, or some 4,000 years before Christ.

The present fortress was originally built by the Byzantines in the 6th century C.E., with stone walls some 121 meters (400 feet) long. According to archaeologists, the stone blocks used in this construction were taken from the destroyed city of Skupi nearby.

Due to its strategic location, the fortress was built, destroyed and rebuilt many times by different conquerors. After the 1963 earthquake, Kale’s circular, rectangular and square towers were conserved and restored.

Kale today is one of Skopje’s best sightseeing spots, offering a fantastic view of the city and proximity to the sites of the city’s Ottoman old town. It also hosts outdoor theatrical performances in summer.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SKOPJE CAN BE FOUND AT SKOPJE ONLINE WWW.MACEDONIANGUIDE.COM

2/15/2007 - Churches and monasteries

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES

• St. Panteleimon, Nerezi - near Skopje
• The Church of St Spas - Skopje
• St Naum- Ohrid
• St Sophia - Ohrid
• Plaosnik - Ohrid
• St. Joachim Osogovski – Kriva Palanka
• St John Caneo - Ohrid
• St John the Baptist - Stip
• Markov Monastery - Skopje
• St Jovan Bigorski
• Church of St George - Staro Nagoricane
• The Monastery of St. Nikita

2/15/2007 - St. Panteleimon, Nerezi - near Skopje

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES

St. Panteleimon, Nerezi - near Skopje

The 12th century church of St. Panteleimon contemplates Macedonia’s capital city in untroubled serenity from the tiny village of Gorno Nerezi, high on the forested slopes of Mt. Vodno. Only a 15 minute drive  from downtown Skopje, the church, which is one of the oldest and most important in Macedonia, was built and painted in 1164 under patronage of Byzantine prince Alexios Komnenos, whose name is immortalized in marble above the entrance to the church. It was dedicated to St. Panteleimon, the protector of health.

2/15/2007 - The Church of St Spas - Skopje

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES

The Church of St Spas - Skopje

The Church of St. Spas, situated in Skopje’s Old Town, is characterized by an unusual design: half of it was constructed underground, due to the 17th century edict of the Turkish Sultan that prohibited Christian structures from being higher than mosques. The church contains one of the most beautiful carved wooden iconostases in Macedonia, an early 19th century creation of the famous Mijak school of Macedonian wood carvers.

The founder of the Macedonian liberation movement of 1903 and its most prominent member, Goce Delcev, is buried in the courtyard of the church.

2/15/2007 - St Naum- Ohrid

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES

St Naum- Ohrid

The monastery of St Naum, set amidst lush verdure where the River Crn Drim tumbles into the lake, is a refuge of tranquility at the very corner of the Macedonian Republic. Situated 29 km (18 m) from the town of Ohrid, and only 1 kilometer (0.6 m) from the Albanian border, the monastery brings the Macedonian experience to a dramatic culmination.

As with most Byzantine churches, St. Naum was chosen primarily for its location – on a high, rocky outcropping over the lake, above deep forests and the life-giving springs of the Crn Drim. The monastic complex and church of St. Naum were built originally at the turn of the tenth century by the monk of the same name; Macedonians believe you can hear the saint’s heartbeat by pressing an ear to his stone coffin inside the church.

The monastery has been renewed and enlarged several times over the centuries. While most of its iconostases and frescoes date from the 16th and 17th centuries, earlier etchings in the Byzantine Greek vernacular also remain. But numerous orthographical mistakes indicate that they were written by Slavic-speaking local monks. Other inscriptions in the church make up some of the oldest epigraphic evidence of Slavic literacy.

The icons of St. Naum are among the best achievements of religious painting in the Balkans. They date from the first half of the 18th century. The wood-carved iconostasis itself was made in 1711 by an unknown artisan.

A final unusual element of St. Naum is located not on the inside of the church but on the outside: the preponderance of multi-colored peacocks strutting around and luxuriating in the grass.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OHRID CAN BE FOUND HERE!