The Culture of Macedonia is as diverse as it is ancient. Historical Macedonia encompassed 67,000 square kilometers whereas the modern Republic of Macedonia is much smaller and the traditional Greek population has either moved south or died off over the years being replaced by a majority Slavic Macedonian ethnicity. In Ohrid Cyrillic was created in Macedonia in the 9th century by Saints Cyril and Methodius leading to the creation of the modern Belarusian language, Bulgarian language, Macedonian language, Russian language, Serbian language, and Ukrainian language. Prior to the Renaissance, while the rest of European culture was still in the middle ages Macedonian builders and artists were embodying iconography and creating frescoes at least as early as the 11th century. Official languages Macedonian¤,2 Capital Skopje President Branko Crvenkovski Prime Minister Vlado Bučkovski Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % water Ranked 145th  25,713 km²  1. ... The Macedonians Slavs are an ethnic group which forms about a third of the population of the geographical region of Macedonia in southeastern Europe and about two thirds of the population of the Republic of Macedonia¤. They speak the Slavic Macedonian language and are generally associated with the Macedonian¤ Orthodox... Ohrid (Macedonian: Охрид, Greek: Οχριδα, Albanian: Ohër) is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in western Macedonia. ... The Cyrillic alphabet (or azbuka, from the old name of the first letters) is an alphabet used to write six natural Slavic languages (Belarusian, Macedonian, Russian, Ukrainian) and many other languages of the former Soviet Union, Asia and Eastern Europe. ... This earthenware dish was made in 9th century Iraq. ... Saints Cyril and Methodius painted by Jan Matejko. ... Belarusian (белару́ская мо́ва) is the language of the Belarusian nation. ... Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Southern branch of the Slavic languages. ... The Macedonian language (Македонски, Makedonski) is a language in the Eastern group of South Slavic languages. ... Russian (русский язык   listen?) is the most widely spoken language of Europe and the most widespread of the Slavic languages. ... The Serbian language is one of the standard versions of the Central–South Slavic diasystem, formerly (and still frequently) called Serbo-Croatian and based on the Å tokavian dialect. ... Ukrainian (украї́нська мо́ва, ukrayins’ka mova) is the official language of Ukraine. ... Salvator Mundi is an iconography depicting Christ with his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand holding an orb. ... A XIV Century fresco featuring Saint Sebastian Note: Fresco is the NATO reporting name of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. ...

Architecture

The historical sites for archaeology of extraordinary quality include those at Stobi in Gradsko, Heraklea Lynkestis in Bitola, Lychnidos and one of the best known historical monuments, the Church of St. Sophia in Ohrid and Scupi in Skopje. Historians and archaeologists became greatly interested in Macedonian architecture when terracotta icons were discovered at Viničko Kale (near Vinica). The Basilica Mosaic in Heraklea Lynkestis is one of the most famous ancient mosaics. There are many remains from Roman times and the early Christian period in Macedonia. Stobi was an ancient town of Paionia, later conquered by Macedon, and later still incorporated into the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris (now in the Republic of Macedonia). ... The Heraklea Lynkestis was a town from the Hellenistic period and early middle ages in Macedonia. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Ohrid is a city in western Macedonia, on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid. ... The Church of St. ... Ohrid (Macedonian: Охрид, Greek: Οχριδα, Albanian: Ohër) is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in western Macedonia. ... Modern Skopje Skopje (Macedonian: Скопје, Albanian Shkup, Latin Scupi; Turkish: Üsküb) is the capital city of the Republic of Macedonia. ... Skopje (Macedonian: Скопје; Albanian: Shkup; Bulgarian: Скопие; Greek: Σκόπια, Skópia; Latin: Scupi; Serbian: Скопље, Skoplje; Turkish: Ãœsküb) is the capital city of the Republic of Macedonia. ... Vinica is a city in the Republic of Macedonia. ... The Heraklea Lynkestis was a town from the Hellenistic period and early middle ages in Macedonia. ... This article is about a decorative art. ...

Famous architects and fresco-painters worked on numerous churches in Macedonia, and in Ohrid alone there are over thirty churches. UNESCO has declared that the city of Ohrid and its lake must be protected, as they are important to the history of the world. Several churches, the most renowned among which is St. Pantelejmon, bear witness to the times of the educator St. Clement and in 1990 work on the Cathedral of St. Clement of Ohrid in Skopje was completed. Along with other cultural monuments the 11th and 12th century churches of Macedonia are famous throughout the world, characterized by unique architecture and priceless frescoes and icons. UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1946. ... Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ...

Monuments of Islamic culture such as mosques, bazaars and baths from the Turkish Period have been discovered. In the 14th century, Skopje was described as being an important trading center with its Old Bazaar, Covered Marketplace (Bezisten), the Kursumli An Caravanserai, Daut Pasha Baths and the Mustapha Pasha Mosque. Another important monument of Islamic culture in Macedonia is the Painted Mosque in Tetovo. A large number of monuments were erected after the liberation of the city. One of the most interesting monuments erected following Macedonia’s liberation is the memorial devoted to the Ilinden Uprising in Kruševo. Other memorials renowned for their beauty and expressiveness can be found in Prilep, Kumanovo, Veles and Štip. Islam   listen? (Arabic: al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second largest religion. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... A bazaar is a market, often covered, typically found in areas of Muslim culture. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... Tetovo is a city in the north-west Macedonia, built on the foothills of the Å ar mountain and divided by the Pena (Shkumbin) river. ... The Ilinden Uprising as seen by the English daily The Times, Aug. ... Prilep (Cyrillic: Прилеп, other forms: Parleap, Pirlepe and Perlepe) is a city of 73,925 citizens, covering 1. ... Kumanovo is an important city in the northern part of the Republic of Macedonia. ... Veles is a city in the center of the Republic of Macedonia on the Vardar river. ...

Art

The founders of modern Macedonian painting included Lazar Licenovski,Nikola Martinoski, Dimitar Pandilov, and Vangel Kodzoman. They were succeeded by an exceptionally talented and fruitful generation, consisting of Borka Lazeski, Dimitar Kondovski, Petar Mazev and many others who are still active. Vasko Taskovski's work was presented to the Paris public in 1992 with an imposing exhibition and auction of about 100 works. Vangel Naumovski, who was long classified by art historians as a Naive artist, is well known for his Ohridska Porta Gallery, as well as for the original world of his paintings.

In addition to Dimo Todorovski, who is considered to be the founder of modern Macedonian sculpture, the works of Petar Hadzi Boskov, Boro Mitrikeski and Tome Serafimovski are also outstanding. The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Gallery in the Daut Pasha Baths are considered the best galleries. In 1993 there were 413 exhibitions visited by over 240,000 people, 12 artists' colonies with 120 participants, of whom 40 were foreign painters and sculptors. There are several museums entitled the Museum of Contemporary Art. They include: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois, USA Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, California, USA Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Florida, USA Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia This is a...

Music

Main articles: Music of Macedonia The Republic of Macedonia, formally known by international organizations and foreign states as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), is a diverse country, with a Slav Macedonian majority (65%) and a large Albanian minority (25%), and Turks, Cincars, Gypsies, Greeks and Serbs. ...

Macedonia has an exceptionally rich musical heritage. The studies of Sotir Golabovski and Octoechos concerning the tradition of Macedonian spiritual and church choir hymns are a significant contribution to Macedonian and Balkan cultural history. The Composer's Association of Macedonia currently has 60 members. After the 1st generation of modern Macedonian classical music, consisting of Trajko Prokopiev, Todor Skalovski, Stefan Gajdov and Zivko Firfov, came the work of second generation composers like Kiril Makedonski, Gligor Smokvarski, Vlastimir Nikolovski, Toma Prosev, Tomislav Zografski, Mihailo Nikolovski, Ljubomir Brangolica and Risto Avramovski. Octoechos (8 echos) is the fundamental structure for classifying and describing modes in byzantine music. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

The Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, established in 1944, is the oldest cultural institution in the field of music in Macedonia. There are six chamber ensembles, such as ‘Tanec’, that represent the richness of Macedonian folklore and songs, and there are ten other folklore ensembles that are active. There are three professional and twenty amateur choirs. Each year about 50,000 people attend concerts of the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra and the various folk dance ensembles and other cultural and artistic associations. In addition to the concerts held as part of the Ohrid Summer Festival, an annual festival of classical music named Interfest was established in Bitola a few years ago. The Skopje International Jazz Festival has become a highly prestigious music event. Many of the most renowned jazz groups and names in the world of jazz have taken part in the festival, and in concept and atmosphere, participants and critics consider it one of the most successful jazz festivals around the world. 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Folk music is one of the most cherished areas of Macedonian culture, and several folk festivals take place each year. The oldest is Folkfest, held in Valandovo, and most festivals have greater turnouts among Macedonian expatriates in Australia and Canada. The Festival of Old Town Songs in Ohrid and the Ilinden Days of Folk Song in Bitola are events that celebrate traditional Macedonian songs. Mak-Fest in Stip and the Skopje Festival are the two best-known festivals of popular music in Macedonia.

The pop group Leb i Sol, with its original music infusing traditional folk themes and rhythms with modern influence, has been active for over twenty years and has become widely known both inside and outside Macedonia.

Theater

There are 13 professional theaters in Macedonia. From 1993-1994 1,596 performances were held in Macedonia, and more than 330,000 people attended. The Macedonian National Theatre (Drama, Opera and Ballet companies), the Drama Theatre, the Theatre of the Nationalities (Albanian and Turkish Drama companies) and the other theatre companies comprise about 870 professional actors, singers, ballet dancers, directors, playwrights, set and costume designers, etc. There is also a professional theatre for children and three amateur theatres. For the last thirty years a traditional festival of Macedonian professional theatres has been taking place in Prilep in honor of Vojdan Cernodrinski, the founder of the modern Macedonian theatre. Each year a festival of amateur and experimental Macedonian theatre companies is held in Kocani. Kocani the City of Rice is only 120 km away from Skopje, situated in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. ...

The word karagoz is a Turkish word literally meaning a black eye, but it is a specific type of theatre in Macedonia. This picturesque, original and exceptionally popular theatre reached the Balkans from the Far East. Shifting slowly but surely from the Far East towards the Middle East, this type of theater went through a transformation as it was passed along from person to person through many cultures. The Karagoz Theater came to the Balkans together with the Ottoman Empire. In the history of Macedonian culture the name of this theater was mentioned starting from the 11th, or at least the 14th century. A Turkish legend speaks about the origin of the construction of a large mosque in Bursa and its constructors among whom were two friends and storytellers known as Karagoz and Hadzivat. Instead of working, they sat and told comical stories to the workers. Their performances were so attractive to their audience that the construction of the mosque completely stopped - the construction site instead became a theater. When the Sultan heard what had happened he became furious and ordered the execution of the two friends. Karagoz and Hadzivat were unable to escape their fate but the citizens of Bursa were overcome by grief at the loss of the two heroes. The Sultan realized his folly and tried to correct it by ordering the revival of the two men. Unable to actually give them life, the sultan kept them alive in the form of small, transparent puppets made of thin and colored skin. If they were to be placed in front of a white curtain with a burning candle behind it, they would dance as if they were alive and the sultan had redeemed himself. KARAGOZ TRADITIONAL TURKISH SHADOW THEATRE KARAGOZ made by Emin Şenyer The shadow theatre, which involves two-dimensional figures casting their shadows on a screen, had important place in Turkey as well as throughout the larger area of the Ottoman Empire. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe southeastern Europe (see the Definitions and boundaries section below). ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (Ottoman Turkish for the Eternal State) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Constantinople (İstanbul) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 6. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... KARAGOZ TRADITIONAL TURKISH SHADOW THEATRE KARAGOZ made by Emin Şenyer The shadow theatre, which involves two-dimensional figures casting their shadows on a screen, had important place in Turkey as well as throughout the larger area of the Ottoman Empire. ...

Although this theatre includes a number of characters-puppets, its eminent theatricality emerges from the complex relation between its central masks of Karagoz and Hadzivat. Karagoz personifies an ordinary, everyman. He is dressed simply as any other passers-by on the streets of Constantinople. He speaks plainly and in a language common to the people. He is clever and stupid at the same time, naive and witty. Although he is as poor as a dog, he desires only to eat his bread in without distraction or interference. Equally important is his teasing his constantly angry enemy, whose name is Hadzivat and who is a little bit slow, but not necessarily stupid. Hadzivat speaks conceitedly using archaic words, pretending to be wise and in actuality being a boringly pedant, rigid, corruptible, opportunist who constantly emphasizes his aristocratic origin. Karagoz Theater is Macedonian folk humor at its best. The famous Turkish traveler and diplomat, Evlija Celebija, traveled in the Balkans in the first half of the 17th century and wrote about his travels in ten books in which he discusses performances of Karagoz in Bosnia, Serbia, and in the Macedonian capital Skopje. Karagoz Theater was brought to Macedonia by the Ottoman Turks and easily adapted to the new environment, existing for centuries up to the 1950s. Map of Constantinople. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Bosnia and Herzegovina (officially Bosna i Hercegovina, shortened to BiH, also in English variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... Serbia and Montenegro  â€“ Serbia    â€“ Kosovo and Metohia        (UN administration)    â€“ Vojvodina  â€“ Montenegro Official language Serbian1 Capital Belgrade Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % water  88,361 km²  n/a Population  â€“ Total (2002)     (without Kosovo)  â€“ Density  7. ... Skopje (Macedonian: Скопје; Albanian: Shkup; Bulgarian: Скопие; Greek: Σκόπια, Skópia; Latin: Scupi; Serbian: Скопље, Skoplje; Turkish: Ãœsküb) is the capital city of the Republic of Macedonia. ...

See also

• Culture
• Culture of Albania
• Cultural Bias
• Cultural Diversity
• History of Macedonia

Cultural studies developed in the late 20th century, in part through the re-introduction of Marxist thought into sociology, and in part through the articulation of sociology and other academic disciplines such as literary criticism. ... Albanian folklore Albanian language Albanian literature Albanian mythology Albanian proverbs Cinema of Albania Cuisine of Albania Albanian poets List of Albanians Music of Albania Religion in Albania Sports in Albania Tourism in Albania See also Albania Culture The Tale of the Eagle External links Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports... Cultural bias is interpreting and judging phenomena in terms particular to ones own culture. ... Cultural diversity is the variety of human cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. ... For history of the whole Macedonian region, see Macedonia For history of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, see History of the Republic of Macedonia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

External links

• General Information on Macedonia
• Macedonian Cultural & Information Centre