Is this Macedonia?

As I crossed the border from Albania to Macedonia, I kept a careful eye on the signs. The republic of Macedonia is the country I’m aiming for, but there is also a region of adjacent Greece which claims the name Macedonia. To make things more complicated, the republic has opted to change its name to North Macedonia.

Macedonia was once an ancient kingdom of great importance. During the reign of Alexander the Great 2300 years ago, his empire was the most powerful in the world, ranging all the way to the Indus river. In 168 BC the Macedonian monarchs were replaced by Roman rulers. Later decades saw the rise of Ottoman dominion as well as the formation of Yugoslavia.

The giant Alexander the Great statue in Skopje.

I later stood beside the statue of Alexander at Plostad Makedonija, the central square of Skopje, trying to absorb as much as possible of the ambience. I tried to envision all the people who has come and went by this very place.

Unfortunately the city center has been changed beyond recognition. After the massive construction project in 2014, dozens of buildings had their facades remade and over 40 sculptures were added to the area, included the large “Warrior on a Horse” (said to be Alexander, but officially the name being kept vague for political purposes).

Old Bazaar quarters.

A better place to find the soul of the city is to walk north across the bridge into the Old Bazaar quarters. Located below the old stone fortress, the quarters are still kept in their old Ottoman architectural style.