“It has 2,150 stores. There are squares and markets with vaults and domes. Of all the most beautiful are: the Bazaar of Bezazes (cotton fabrics), umbrellas, slippers, paints and hats. These are big bazaars made according to plan. Their streets are clean and cobbled. Each shop is decorated with hyacinths, violets, roses, basil, lilac and lily in vases and pots. With their smell, they simply get into the brain of visitors and traders. There are educated and very honest people. During the summer months, the entire Skopje market resembles the Baghdad shadows, because all its bazaars are covered with covers and vaults in Sarajevo and Halep.”

This famous Turkish traveler, Evliya Celebija, described the Old Skopje Bazaar on his visit to Skopje in 1661. His travel documents are particularly significant for Macedonian historiography. He traveled around the region for about 40 years and carefully recorded his vision. If you go through the Bazaar only once, you will smell the spirit of the Ottoman and the remains of Byzantine architecture, as well as the hallmark of modern living. We have explored how we live now in the Old Bazaar, about 800 years after the first mention of its existence.

Enjoy with the other contents our team prepared for the April issue of Voices.