One of the poorest European states, the Republic of Macedonia was once part of Yugoslavia. Landlocked and touristy, the country boasts only inexpensive ski resorts and some architectural landmarks in the capital and other cities. However, the culture of Macedonia is fraught with more than a couple of historical ruins. A former province of the Roman Empire and part of the Ottoman state, the country has preserved the ruins of ancient buildings, and basilicas of amazing beauty, and majestic minarets, and ancient frescoes of medieval monasteries.
Orthodox constellation
Despite the relatively small size of the territory, there are more than 1,500 religious sites in the country, including 1,200 Orthodox churches, cathedrals and monasteries. The most significant and famous of them can become points of an interesting tourist program, which is easy to complete in just a few days, given the size of Macedonia:
- A monastery founded in the 11th century by the hermit monk Gabriel Lesnovsky. One of the sights of the monastery is the 14th century frescoes depicting its founder and royal persons.
- The Bigorsky Monastery dedicated to John the Baptist. It was founded at the beginning of the 11th century in the place where, according to legend, an icon of John the Baptist was caught in the river by one of the local residents. It is the main shrine of the monastery in our time. By the way, the iconostasis of the monastery was created by famous silver carvers and is the most famous in Macedonia. The art of making silver church utensils is an integral part of Macedonian culture.
- The monastery of St. Naum, located on the shore of Lake Ohrid, where the relics of Naum of Ohrid, a disciple and follower of Cyril and Methodius, are kept. In the Middle Ages, the monastery, founded in the 9th century, served as a significant cultural center in the surrounding lands. Surprisingly, the relics of the saint were also revered by the Muslims, who did not touch the monastery even during the years of Ottoman rule.
Macedonia theatrical
There are just over a dozen professional theaters in the country, but the troupe of each of them are true masters of their craft. In the culture of Macedonia, great importance is attached to the musical education of its citizens, and therefore classes for studying musical notation are open in schools, and musical performances are staged in children's theaters. For adults, the most popular temple of art has been and remains the National Opera and Ballet Theater. Music festivals are also popular in the country, in particular, a large number of tourists gather the annual "May Opera Nights" in Skopje.
