Harmonious Simplicity

Macedonia was among the first countries in the Balkans which were taken over by the Ottoman Empire. After the conquest, churches gave way to mosques as centres of religious life.  There were many other novelties, too. As small unstable feudal states were replaced by a huge empire, walled medieval cities were no longer needed. This change ushered in new architecture that adapted to the requirements of Ottoman urban life. The new focal points of the urban landscape were the inn, the hamam (Turkish bath), the bedesten, (covered marketplace), and the mosque. Located close to each other these public buildings became a typical characteristic of the Ottoman urban planning and the centres of public life. Read more …