If you are interested in history and ancient monuments that evoke interest in distant times and other nations, you should definitely visit Macedonia . This country is rich in sights , in particular, ancient architectural monuments, which are now under the protection of the state. The most interesting of them are the fortresses of Macedonia, symbolizing the heroic past of this corner of the Balkans.
Macedonian fortresses in appearance resemble medieval castles and are scattered throughout the country. We will get acquainted with the largest and well-preserved ones.
Skopje Fortress
Its other name is the fortress of Calais . For the first time people settled on this place in the IV century. BC, and the walls of the fortress were erected during the reign of the Byzantines in the VI century. On the territory of Calais are both the ruins of ancient buildings, and more modern buildings. Inside the fortress is also a well-arranged park with fences, street lamps, benches and paved paths.
In the summer, at the walls of Skopje fortress, theater plays take place, in which the life of the Middle Ages, concerts and parties are reconstructed. The entrance to it is free and open at any time of the day or night. The best preserved are several towers and a fortress wall. From the elevation, on which the fortress is located, beautiful views are opened to the capital of Macedonia, in particular, to the Pink Mosque and the beautiful stadium Vardar. Around the fortress there is a market. Part of the building is given under the premises for an art gallery.
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The Markovy Kuli fortress
This is one of the most popular medieval fortresses in Macedonia. It is located near the Macedonian town of Prilep and according to legend served as the residence of the legendary local ruler Marco Kralevich as early as the 14th century. Buildings of the fortress were erected in a saddle between two mountain peaks . From them there is not much left, but it is quite possible to get an idea of what kind of strengthening was. It was the main citadel, surrounded by two rings of powerful defensive structures. Having climbed to the top of the fortress, you can admire the beautiful view of Pelister National Park and Prilep itself.
Walk to the castle you can walk from the very center of Prilep. To do this, it is necessary to cross the oldest urban area - Varos - and go beyond the city limits to the ascent to the mountain. Hence the stronghold will be clearly visible. The payment for her visit is not taken.
The fortress of King Samuel
The fortress is built near the town of Ohrid , famous for its sights , on a hill overlooking the village of 100 meters above the Ohrid Lake itself . The walls of the citadel impress with its massiveness, and its age is more than 1000 years. In our time, excavations here find objects dating from the 5th century.
The fortress was named in honor of the Bulgarian king Samuel, but the first fortifications were erected here long before his reign. It has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once, therefore in this memo of old times one can feel a mixture of different architectural styles. In this case, the citadel performed not only a protective function, but also was a residential settlement. Nearby is the medieval amphitheater , which is open for excursions at any time.
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