The Old Bazaar of Skopje
Reaching the Old Bazaar, also known as the Turkish Bazaar, of Skopje was very easy. It was on the other end of the Roman Bridge. It definitely was very Muslim as could be seen from the people who lived and worked in it, the majority of the commercial and retail establishments, as well as the mosques and hammams in the area. Given its proximity to Macedonia Square, we came here twice a day everyday during our entire stay with the aim of getting to know the place well.
Originally built in the 12th century, it has always been a center of commerce. It has experienced a great fire (1555), a burning of the city (1689), an earthquake (1963), and destruction from the two world wars.
In 2008, the Macedonian parliament decreed that the Old Bazaar be permanently protected in the country.
So excited to be in the fabulous Old Bazaar! Too bad a lot of the souvenirs I wanted to buy like carpets and art work were a bit too expensive for my taste. Besides portcards and a prayer bead, I ended up leaving Skopje with not much more.
There seems to be an umbrella street in many cities now. Skopje certainly had it as evidenced by this street in the Old Bazaar. By mid day onwards, it was bustling with people.
Turkish sweets for sale
This used to be a hammam. It is now a contemporary art museum.
At the parking lot adjacent to the hammam turned contemporary museum in the Old Bazaar
The fountain of mothers
A quiet morning before the rush
I was totally floored by the presence of so many gold jewelry stores here. They occupied a store front after store front in the Old Bazaar.
Here's more gold.
This was a huge mosaic mural at a square in the bazaar. It was a hop and skip from restaurants and cafes at the base of the Skopje Fortress.
A partial close up view of the mosaic mural in the Old Bazaar
A view of one side of the Skopje Fortress from the bazaar
This store didn't sell gold. It was silver!
An ad from a travel agency. I never realized there were still travel agencies at this day and age. They've disappeared in many US cities for many years now.
There were a number of stores selling women's gowns too.
This was the entrance to an open air market where I was able to buy another Muslim prayer bead.