Learn Macedonian: Letter B
Learn Macedonian: Letter B - Буквата Б
The church is home to the richest preserved medieval fresco ensemble in the region of Struga
The Church Holy Virgin Of Pestani is one of the most visited cave churches in the Ohrid region.
Macedonian Folk tale from the Tetovo region. The grandmother and the twelve months.
Ohrid devoted a beautiful monastery, built in a cave along the road Ohrid-Struga, near the very shore of the lake to his early Christian preacher.
Boris Trajkovski (1956-2004) was the second Macedonian President. He died in a plane crash on February 26, 2004
Kuzman Josifovski Pitu was a Macedonian National hero killed by the Bulgarian police in 1944.
Dimitar Kondovski's work reflect the rich tradition of medieval Macedonian art. He is the author of more than 2,000 illustrations and 200 scenery for television shows, theater, opera and ballet performances.
This shrine holds as a rare example of a church built in the specific natural environment on the shores of Lake Ohrid.
The small cave church, St. Stephen - Armour (Св. Стефан Панцир in Macedonian) is located five kilometers south of Ohrid, on the site Pancir. This church is dedicated to the first Christian Martyr - Archdeacon Stefan.
The Ohrid Archiepiscopate shall be restored as an independent Macedonian Orthodox Church that shall not be subordinated to any other national Orthodox church.
The partizan units liberated Ohrid on 8th of November, 1944.
The musical folklore of Ohrid includes on the most famous songs "Biljana Platno Beleshe".
The old Ohrid boat was the most interesting type of vessel of the Balkans. Usually, it was made out of beech or fir. It was 4-6m long, 1.40-1.60m wide,
More intensive building of churches in Ohrid and its surroundings occurred towards the end of XVIII century, and particularly during XIX century.
The presence of the Bulgarians in the Ohrid region will be remembered by the numerous robberies. A large number of objects, books, and other valuable chattel that were century-old testimonies of the growth and achievements of the Ohrid Archiepiscopate, as well as in art and literature were taken away.
Top 10 countries investing in Macedonia from 1997 to 2017.
Through an up-close look at the art of wild beekeeping and one of its last practitioners, a Macedonian documentary explores tradition, loneliness and the relationship between humans and nature.
The revolutionary organization TMORO (The Secret Macedonian-Odrian Revolutionary Organization) was founded on 23rd October 1893 in Thessalonica.
Dimitar Miladinov, the leader of the Macedonian Revival, was one of the prominent figures in the struggle against Greek spiritual influence.
The Greek government officially recognized for the first time the separate national entity of the Macedonians within Greece’s borders.
Mirka Ginova (Rusilovo, Aegean Macedonia 1916- Enidze Vardar, Aegean Macedonia 27 July 1946) was a Macedonian freedom fighter and revolutionary.
The Ohrid Archiepiscopate was the only medieval feudal institution that continued to exist in the time of the Turkish rule. Why the Turks decided to leave it active can only be assumed.
The exact date of Ohrid's fall under the Turkish rule cannot be determined accurately. However, the inscription in the church St. Ilija, located in the village of Elsani in the Ohrid region dating back from 1408 is considered to be accurate evidence of the presence of the Turks.
Church paintings (frescoes) of XI century were made in monumental style, the strongest emphasis given to face expression. Artists were striving to depict the inner feelings of the painted saints. This style can be found in the in the preserved fresco paintings in the cathedral church of St. Sofia.
During the Turkish rule in Ohrid, many of the Christian churches were converted into mosques. It is estimated that these churches were demolished in the course of XV century. In that period Clement's church, St. Pantheleimon was destroyed and on its ruins a mosque was erected.
The Ohrid Church became a tool of the Byzantine Empire for maintaining their rule over the Macedonians. During the reign of Vasileus II Ohrid Archiepiscopate consisted of 32 eparchies. At the end of XI century the number of eparchies was reduced to 26.
In the Ohrid region Christianity was inaugurated as the official religion as early as IV century AD. Since the first part of IV century the town of Lychnidos became an episcopal center.
From the beginning of VI century the Slavs started passing the river Danube more frequently devastating and robbing the rich Byzantine towns, fortresses and villages, penetrating even the interior of the Balkan peninsula.
A polyconched church from the early Christian period is located north from the Monastery of St. Clement's compound. Its monumentality, architecture and splendid mosaics distinct it from all discovered Early Christian basilicas in the region of Ohrid. It is unknown to whom it was devoted.
The contemporary city of Ohrid is a descendant of the antique town of Lychnidos.
The library was founded in 1944 with a modest stock of 150,000 items. Its activity has its foundations in the rich tradition of literature and libraries on Macedonian soil. The patron saint, Clement of Ohrid (830-916), established the first monastic library in Ohrid.
The Park covers an area of 227 km2 between the Lakes of Ohrid and Prespa, and it stretches in a meridian direction.
Postal (zip) codes and telephone area codes for Macedonia.
The figures were taken from the official censa conducted in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1953 – 1981) and later in the Republic of Macedonia (1991 – 1994).
The Republic of Macedonia is a country of lakes. There are three large tectonic lakes, fifteen artificial lakes and twenty-five glacial lakes located in the highest areas of the mountain ranges dating from the Ice Age.
There are four national parks protected by law in Macedonia covering an area of 130,000 hectares.
Given that the Balkan Peninsula is named after a mountain located in its centre, Mt. Stara Planina ("Old Mountain"), and that Macedonia covers its central regions, it seems obvious enough that Macedonia must be a mountainous country.
Love letter from Tetovo written in the Tetovo dialect.
Macedonian Prayer Book. Makedonski Pravoslaven Molitvenik.
Jovano, Jovanke is one of the most famous Macedonian songs. The best performances, original and transliterated lyrics and guitar chord and sheet music.
Traditional Macedonian Folk Proverbs - Македонски Народни Поговорки
Macedonian painters gallery, presented by VMacedonia.com
Lazar Lichenoski was one of the first Slavic expressionist painters and one of the most authentic Macedonian painters of landscape, in which he imported folk elements as well.
Ja izlezi Gjurgjo - Ја излези Ѓурѓо, Macedonian folk song with lyrics and music.
Ajde slushaj, slushaj kalesh bre Angjo, traditional Macedonian folk song.
Clickable map of the names of Macedonian cities and villages changed by the Greeks.
Darko Markovic, also known as Dar Mar was a caricaturist, satirist, film director, screenplay writer and art director, animator, comic artist, illustrator and designer.
A gallery of traditional Macedonian Folk Costumes.
We have made an attempt to give only one short survey of the process of migration movements and repercussions on the exchanges of the ethnic structure in Aegean Macedonia for the period of 1912-1971. They according to their propositions and consequences belong to the most important of this kind in Europe during this period.
"According to the official Greek terminology," the author says, the local Slav language is called a "Slav language idiom." The majority local population, on the other hand, speaking this language, says: "Our language is the Macedonian language."
These were, that the Macedonian dialect was closest to that language which had been created by Cyril and Methodius and their disciples Clement, Naum and others. But, as we have seen, the Bulgarian philologists and politicians were unfavorably disposed towards this dialect terming it "defiled Bulgarian or Serbian".
Greece manifested territorial aspirations towards Macedonia soon after it became an independent state. Various societies, such as the Association for the Promotion of Greek Literacy and, later, the armed gangs operating in Macedonia and fighting the so-called Macedonian war, had a sole purpose of converting the Macedonian population into Greek.
For the local Macedonians from the region of Florina in northern Greece this process, which had its beginnings in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, is still continuing in the 1990s both in northern Greece as well as in diaspora communities in Canada and Australia. Inhabitants of the same villages, members of the same families, who have adopted different national identities, continue to argue about whether they are Greeks or Macedonians. They continue to argue about what nationality they really are.
Today we are confronted by the irrational white-heat of a Greek-Macedonian dispute which has assumed such dimensions that it has rendered rational communication an impossibility not merely on the diplomatic level but also on the economic, cultural and political levels.
At times I get the impression that the “Macedonian Question” in politics is a similar case to that of legasthenia in pedagogy – you have to go into it very closely to realize that it does not exist.
The Macedonian language was proclaimed the official language of the Republic of Macedonia during the war, at the First Session of the Antifascist Assembly of 'the National Liberation of Macedonia, held on August 2, 1944, in the Monastery of St. Prohor of Pchinja
Ajvar is popular appetizer made of roasted paprika, ripe tomatoes. Ajvar is a seasonal dish in Macedonia, always made in late summer and early autumn.
Comprehensive list of male and female Macedonian names of biblical origin.
The Macedonians, like many other nationality groups, have special days and celebrations throughout the years. The origins of these celebrations were the orthodox Christian holidays. We cannot describe them all but we will explain those which are most important and include preparation of special foods.
In its concern for the faithful beyond their fatherland, the Church endeavors to organize them into Macedonian church districts. The first such district came into being in 1958. Today there are more than forty Macedonian church districts in the U.S.A. Canada, Australia and Europe.
The Macedonian Orthodox Church has played an important role in the long struggle of the Macedonian people for the preservation of its national identity, as well as in its education and culture. Its roots are ancient. The Archbishopric of Ohrid was the first autocephalous Slavic Church.
On November 17, 1991, the Assembly of the Republic adopted and proclaimed the new Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, which confirmed the state's name, and the Republic of Macedonia was defined as it sovereign, independent, democratic and welfare state (Article 1), in which the sovereignty derives from the citizens and belongs to them (Article 2).
The liberation of Macedonia by its own forces was an outstanding military and political accomplishment of the Macedonian people and at the same time it was a significant contribution by a small people to the anti-fascist struggle in the Balkans and Europe.
It is clear that Macedonia was not "liberated" by the Greek army (as the modern Greeks claim) today but occupied by the same. One liberates ones own territory from foreign rule, and only foreign territories are occupied.
In the period between the two world wars an important role in Macedonian national affirmation was played by the many thousands of emigrants throughout Europe and in North and South America. Besides the VMRO (United) mouthpiece "Makedonsko Delo", there were many other newspapers published by the Diaspora.
Greece was a winner and quite triumphant after the acquisition of Thessaloniki and most of Macedonia up to and including the port of Kavala,
After the Balkan Wars, Macedonia was completely devastated. Besides the tens of thousands killed in the war, there were several hundreds of thousands of refugees. More than 135,000 Macedonians escaped from the Aegean part of Macedonia occupied by the Greek army alone.
Macedonians are tested by struggle and, if to armed struggle is added that for a real Macedonian culture and science, and if these are intensified, Macedonia will not be lost and Macedonians will accomplish their historic mission...
Macedonia will be an independent and complete entity. We, the Macedonians, guarantee this. Our worth is not well known, but that will not prevent us from claiming victory for our just cause, in so much as it does not come into conflict with anyone else’s interests and is entirely in accord with the liberation tasks which Russia, England and France have set themselves.
The magazine Loza, despite all its weaknesses and deficiencies, its denials and retreats, has an important place in the history of Macedonian scholarship, language, literature and culture and stands as a real watershed between two epochs of Macedonian history.
The Macedonian people was subjected to very severe de-nationalization and assimilation. Greece applied such means of violent pressure that it forced a great part of the Macedonian population to accept “voluntary” emigration.
Delcev's ideals are incorporated in the history of the Macedonian collective conscience perpetuated through the new generations of today. St. Elijah holidays of 1903 and 1944, as well as the 1991 break away of Macedonia from the Yugoslav federation, represent a fulfillment of Goce's long awaited dream for a free and independent state of Macedonia.
Long live the fighters for freedom and all honest and good Macedonian sons!
The idea of a Macedonian polity and state demanded that equality of nations and minorities be established and that privileges based on nation, class, station and religion be abolished.
The violations of the basic human rights of the Macedonian minority members in Greece still continues. There does not seem to be much room for hope that the Greek government would act in accordance with her obligations and responsibilities under the international agreements and law.
Human Rights Watch concluded after visiting Aegean Macedonia that the large Macedonian minority in Greece is under daily oppression.
The Kresna Uprising above all represents a high point in the development of the struggle of the Macedonian people for cultural, political, and social emancipation.
On St. Elijah's Day, Ilinden, August 2nd, 1903, in answer to TMORO's call, the people rose up in rebellion. During the previous month preparations had been made and the whole territory divided into rebel regions and districts led by staff officers.
In all areas that I visited I heard no names but those of Alexander (the Great) and Marko Krale. They both live in the national memory as figures of general significance.
The usage of Macedonian and Macedonia separate from Greek or Bulgarian and Greece or Bulgaria is more than obvious. Also these sources are objective, old and clear, and do not offer any further interpretation; that is how they prove the existence of the Macedonians as a Nation with this name in this region, separate from the Greeks and Bulgarians in many ways.
King Marko was born about 1335. The first time he is mentioned in a document is when he visited Dubrovnik as a delegate of Volkashin. His name is also mentioned in some notes and chronicles of his time as a son of Volkashin or, later, as a king.
Ljubojna devoted itself to the idea of creating music with one good vocal, that can have several faces, but to have one Macedonian soul.
In Macedonia the Bogomil movement was particularly influential in the creation of favorable circumstances for a liberation uprising for an independent state.
It was considered that with the eradication of the Archbishopric of Ohrid the traditions cherished by the Macedonian people would also be eradicated.
The work of St. Naum of Ohrid has been extremely significant in preserving Macedonian identity.
The manuscripts from Clement's language tradition, with their illuminations, vignettes and initials and their linguistic structure undoubtedly originate from the tradition of Cyril and Methodius.
In the course of the 7th century the Slav tribes which had settled in Macedonia were already attempting, through an association of larger tribal leagues, to take Salonica, which had remained as the single Byzantine base on the territory of Macedonia, and to create their own Slav state in Macedonia.
"Preaching without an alphabet and books is like writing upon the water," said Constantine, whom the sources also call Teacher and Philosopher,
The question of the origin of the founder of the Macedonian dynasty has called forth many contradictory opinions, mainly because sources vary greatly on this point.
Salvador Dali stated that Vangel Naumovski was a "painter from a fairy tale."
Nikola Martinoski is the founder of contemporary Macedonian art. Biography and gallery of paintings.
Sharplaninec is a breed of Antiquity, believed by many to be one of, if not the oldest true Molosser in the World.
I could not have blamed you for being the first to lose heart if I, your commander, had not shared in your exhausting marches and your perilous campaigns;
Alexander was born the sixth of Hecatombaeon, which month the Macedonians call Lous, the same day that the temple of Diana at Ephesus was burnt;
The Hellenes considered Macedonian domination in the Greek states as an alien rule, imported from outside by the members of other tribes, the, as Plutarch says, allophyloi (Plutarchus, Vita Arati, 16).
The Macedonian barbarian defeated the united Greek states at the battle of Chaeronea at the beginning of August 338 BC and appointed himself "Commander of the Greeks". Philip's army was outnumbered by the Athenian and Theban forces, yet his phalanxes overwhelmed the Athenians and Thebans.
What is for certain is that Alexander spoke Macedonian with his own Macedonian troops and used Greek in addressing the Asians and Greeks.
There is nothing in the ancient literature to suggest that ancient Macedonia was a Greek land. On the contrary, the ancient authors knew the difference between the Greek city-states and the kingdom of Macedon.
The Macedonians did not have Greek names. Judging by the distinctiveness of the surviving Macedonian names and glosses, many scholars proved that the Macedonians were not Greek.
The very first time that the modern Greeks have seen the Macedonian sun symbol (Vergina sun) was in 1978. The modern Macedonians had known about this symbol ever since Alexander the Great and his father Philip II had used it. The Macedonian sun can be found engraved on the centuries-old Macedonian churches and monasteries.
Relying on authentic ancient and modern evidence we found clear mistakes and even distortions made by the modern authors Sakellariou, Martis, Daskalakis, Hammond, Errington, and Wood.
After the war ended in 1949, the terror, exiles, tortures and frightening of Macedonians continued. The people continued to look for salvation in foreign countries. All Macedonians' houses were spied 24 hours a day, as they were not allowed to speak their mother tongue.
The question of the language was the most delicate for the Greek side. It could not be concealed nor could it be "explained".
Todor Skalovski is the composer of the anthem of the Republic of Macedonia Today over Macedonia.
Vlado Maleski is the author of the text of the Macedonian National Anthem, Denes Nad Makedonija.
Macedonian State symbols: The flag of Republic of Macedonia
The Prespa Agreement explained in simple terms: Who has to do what?
In forefront of the coat of arms is the Shar mountain, and the waters of Ohrid lake.
The agreement on the name issue between Macedonia and Greece explained. The boxing match will be decided on points. Take a look to see who is winning. This is Round 1.
Full text of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia 1992.
Testimonies of the expelled Macedonians from the Aegean part of Macedonia
Macedonia Foreign relations and a list of countries that recognize Macedonia as Republic of Macedonia.
Moreover, the insistence that Alexander is a Greek, and descendant from Greeks, rubs against the spirit of Herodotus 7.130, who speaks of the Thessalians as the first Greeks to come under Persian submission–a perfect opportunity for Herodotus to point out that the Macedonians were a non Greek race ruled over by Greek kings, something he nowhere mentions.
"... not only no Greek, nor related to the Greeks, but not even a barbarian from any place that can be named with honors, but a pestilent knave from Macedonia, whence it was never yet possible to buy a decent slave"
That whenever the priests of the people offered prayer on behalf of the Athenian people and their allies, their armies and navies, they should on every occasion HEAP CURSES and execrations on Philip, his family and his realm, his forces on land and sea, AND THE WHOLE RACE AND NAME OF THE MACEDONIANS.
Philip should withdraw from the whole of Greece," Flamininus, the Roman general, clearly separates Macedonia from Greece, and demands from the Macedonian king to withdraw from Greece into his own Macedonia.
The truth is that they hated the Macedonians more for conquering Greece, then they did the Persians.
Alexander was born on the sixth day of the month Hecatombaeon, which the Macedonians call Lous, the same day on which the temple of Artemis at Ephesus was burned down.
The campaigns of Alexander the Great. Arrian, Greek historian.
Full text of the 1995 Interim Accord.
What is of greater historical interest is the question of how Greeks and Macedonians were perceived by each other. We have now become accustomed to regarding Macedonians as “Northern Greeks” and, in extreme cases, to hearing Alexander’s conquest described as in essence Greek conquests. The former certainly became true, in Greek consciousness in the course of the Hellenistic age; the latter may be argued to be true ex post facto.
2hr documentary about the Exodus of Children from Aegean Macedonia in Macedonian with English subtitles.
Documentary film on the greek colonization of Aegean Macedonia 1912-1953 (in Macedonian)
Major dates in the life of the Macedonian King, Alexander the Great.
Bulgarian and Greek propagandists insist that Macedonian is not a language, that it is only a western Bulgarian dialect, despite the fact that Macedonian is an internationally recognized language and taught at several prestigious universities throughout the world.
In this work the Macedonian Renaissance is viewed from one particular aspect - that of the appearance of Macedonian text-books in the course of the last century.
FINAL AGREEMENT FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF THE DIFFERENCES AS DESCRIBED IN THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS 817 (1993) AND 845 (1993), THE TERMINATION OF THE INTERIM ACCORD OF 1995, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
Most people believe that Strumica was named after a beautiful young woman named Struma. The Tomb of Struma is located in the village of Veljusa. There are few legends who actually Struma was. One of them says Struma was King Marko’s sister.
Following the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest, the Macedonian place names were gradually changed to Greek names. Here is a list of those changed names.
Over 160 Macedonian villages were burned with significant loss of life and the remaining population forced to flee.
The Greeks do not only persecute living Slavs (Macedonians)..., but they even persecute dead ones. They do not leave them in peace even in the graves. They erase the Slavonic inscriptions on the headstones, remove the bones and burn them.
Stip is the largest textile production center in the country; Center of the fashion industry in Macedonia, as well as the location of the sole public university in eastern Macedonia, Goce Delcev University of Stip .
Kratovo is known for its many reminders from the past. One of its symbols are its stone towers. Once there were twelve of them, but now there are only six towers remaining (Saat or Clock Tower, Simić, Krstev, Eminbeg, Zlatković and Hadži Kostov Tower). The towers were built in late Middle Ages, starting from late 14th century and were used not only for protection but also as storage rooms.
Kumanovo is situated in the northeastern part of the Macedonia, near the capital city of Skopje. The coordinates of the city are approximately 42°05'N and 21°40'E. Kumanovo lies 340 metres (1,115 feet) above sea level.
Prilep is situated in the northern part of Pelagonia Plain. It is often called "the city under Marko's Towers" since the town is located on the skirts of the Towers of the legendary hero King Marko, who is common in Macedonian folk songs and tales as a powerful, wise ruler, and fighter against the Turks.
The Macedonian-Greek conflict is a very complex issue. Lots of books have been written about Macedonia, but many of them simply serve to justify the aspirations, propaganda, and the partition of Macedonia of 1913, by the neighboring countries such as Greece.
In order to justify their shameful and inhumane practices, the Greek authorities have issued a number of legal Acts infringing the identity of the Macedonian nation. It should be noticed that all the Acts run counter to the decisions of the agreement of August 10, 1920 and to the international legal Acts binding in this respect. Despite this, they are still in force.
It is also important to emphasize that the inhabitants, just as they are not GREEKS, are also not BULARIANS or SERBS or CROATS. They are MACEDONIANS. Here I cannot dogmatise, as I do not know the history and particularly the ethnology of the MACEDONIANS. The GREEKS always call them BULGARS and damn them accordingly, except for EAM/ELAS, who for once in a way have shown some wisdom and who call these people 'SLAV-MACEDONIANS'.
The terror, mass murder and other forms of repression proved ineffective when it came to breaking the spirit of Macedonians. Indeed, the Macedonian national liberation movement grew into an important and in certain periods even a decisive military and political factor in the country, one with clear and defined strategic goals.
Although Macedonia is a young state, since it became independent in 1991, its roots run deep into history. The name "Macedonia" is in fact the oldest surviving name of a country in the continent of Europe. Archaeological evidence shows that old European civilization flourished in Macedonia between 7000 and 3500 BC.
Identifying the Greeks from the ethnic and linguistic point of view with the ancient Macedonians, the current Greek regime accuses "Skopje" of encroaching upon the name Macedonia and on a part of a cultural heritage which belongs only to the Greeks. In fact this is nothing more than their conviction which for years now has been handed out to young people in Greek schools from their earliest years and, most recently, has been propagated throughout the entire world. The thesis of the "Greek identity of Macedonia" is not scientifically supportable.
Kocho Racin is the founder of the contemporary Macedonian poetry.
The Macedonian Language in various books and texts.
The modern Macedonian language belongs to the eastern group of the South Slavic branch of Slavic languages in the Indo-European language family, together with Bulgarian and the extinct Old Church Slavonic.
Located on the shores of Lake Ohrid, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. Its ancient name was Lichnidos, which was used to refer to the settlement of Ohrid and the lake.
Macedonia is characterized with high mountain massifs rich in flora and fauna, mountain rivers and tectonic lakes, numerous thermal springs, basins, and valleys.
Macedonia is a treasury of cultural wealth: the works of old builders and mosaic masters, icons, frescoes, carvings, paintings, old church books and other documents, or various folk handicrafts, can be found here.
A lot of struggles, injustices, sufferings and divisions have been impressed into the historical memory of the Macedonian people.
The Republic of Macedonia is situated on the Balkan Peninsula, on the crossroads of the main routes which have for millenniums connected the three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Set against a background of political turbulence in Macedonia and contemporary London, three love stories intertwine to create a powerful portrait of modern Europe in Milcho Mancevski’s BEFORE THE RAIN.
Macedonia is a historical and geographical area whose name originates from the classical period and which is mentioned as a land at several points in the Bible. Many travel writers have also experienced Macedonia as a biblical country. All who have described Macedonia in the past an in its more recent history have been fascinated by it.
The rise of the great Macedonian kingdom began in the fourth century BC when both Athens and Sparta had passed their zenith and had exhausted themselves with 30 years fighting against each other. The Greeks regarded the Macedonians as "barbarians"!
Debar is located in the western part of Macedonia, near the border with Albania.
Bitola is the second largest town in Macedonia, situated in the southern part of Pelagonija Valley , on the upper flow on the both sides of the river Dragor, at an altitude of 600 meter height above the sea level.
Situated on the both sides of the river Luda Mara, Kavadarci is most famous for its vineyards and production of quality wines.
Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. As largest city in the country, it is a political, economic, and cultural center of Macedonia. It lies on the upper course of the Vardar River and is located on a major north-south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens.
Tetovo is located at the foothills of the Shar Mountain in north-western Macedonia, 468 m above the sea level, on the edge of the Polog Valley. The city is separated by the river Pena, which flows from the Shar mountain.
Macedonia is not an island. It has never been "a forgotten place" or "a place of forgetfulness"; it has never hidden from distance and threats behind opaque walls. It never took root in distrust, nor grew in a place where hatred of the Other might be considered an honorable shelter from the fear of the Other.
Macedonia is a landlocked country. Its terrain is punctuated alternately by deep valleys and rugged mountains and hills. More than one-third of the country's territory-primarily along the western side-is forested with such trees as beech, pine, and oak.
MACEDONIA, the land of myths and legends, lakes, valleys and mountains, sunshine and grapes, wine, dance and song, is situated in the central part of the Balkan peninsula.
The Republic of Macedonia is a small, landlocked country in the Balkans, bounded on the north by Serbia, on the east by Bulgaria, on the south by Greece, and on the west by Albania. Its capital is Skopje. Formerly part of Yugoslavia, it became independent in 1991.
