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Macedonia Baptist Church Praise Dancers

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Things to see and do in Macedonia

Discover lakeside Ohrid

Go to Ohrid, possibly the most attractive town in Macedonia, situated on Lake Ohrid. Here St Clement of Ohrid laid the foundations of the first Slav university. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Ohrid became the capital of the Macedonian Tsar Samuil. The fortress walls survive and now provide a venue for summer concerts, operas and plays. There are a number of ancient churches, particularly the Cathedral of St Sophia containing 11th-century frescoes.

Explore Skopje

Explore Skopje, Macedonia's capital. It's largely new, owing to an earthquake in 1963. There is, however, plenty to see. Skopje Old Town is the most attractive quarter of the city, full of shops and restaurants.

Mosques and monsteries

See the many mosques dating from the Ottoman period, particularly the 15th-century Mustafa Pasha Mosque, as well as the old 10th-century Kale Fortress and a magnificent footbridge spanning the River Vardar. Near Skopje is the Nerezi Monastery with the accompanying 12th-century Church of St Pantelejmon housing magnificent Byzantine frescoes.

Old town sights

Visit the Church of the Holy Saviour with its intricately carved iconostasis (a screen in orthodox churches on which icons are hung). Also to be found in the Old Town are the Kursumli An (16th-century) and the Suli An (15th-century) caravanserais and the Daut Pasha Baths with its two large and 11 small domes. It now houses the Art Gallery.

Ottaman ruins

Discover Bitola, the second-largest town in Macedonia. Located 18km (11 miles) from the Greek border, it was an important centre of Ottoman rule and has the ruins of the ancient city of Heraclea nearby.

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