CULTURAL MONUMENTS

CLOCK TOWER

BEZISTAN

CHURH “ST. DIMITRIJA”

CHURCH “ST. BOGORODICA”

Bitola and its surrounding are very rich in cultural and historical monuments. They all prove the human activity in the past, as a spiritual continuity of past historical events and civilizations that had been present on this geographic space in the time of: prehistoric, antic period, Roman rule, Slavic migrations, Byzantine rule, the first Macedonian state of Samoil, the rise of middle age Balkan states, Crusades, Ottoman slavery, Macedonian renaissance, World Wars, etc. Most of these monuments are located in the central city core, as a natural bond between the historical and the contemporary modern shape. Most of them are known in their monumentality, historical and artistic values, built according to the example of folk, oriental and western European architecture their neo-styles. Urban folklore buildings and original structures are also present. In the wider architecture complex of the city there are a lot of sacral and profane cultural monuments of great value, supplemented by certain characteristic ambient elements. The main street-Shirok Sokak dominates with its specific individualism and beauty. All this architectonic treasure instigates the curiosity of the admirers of historical and artistic values. It fills the soul with pleasure of what had been seen, holding the attention especially on those structures which make Bitola a famous Macedonian cultural center.

Clock Tower. When we talk of Bitola cultural monuments, we usually start with the Clock Tower, or “The Clock”-as citizens call it, not because of its age, but because of its dominance in the central city area and the recognizable characteristic it gave to Bitola. It is located right in the center of the city, in the northern part of Shirok Sokak, around which there are numerous cultural and historical monuments and new imposing buildings, as a permanent urban link between the old, which is less and less present, and the new, which exceedingly imposes itself in the quest of place under the sun here in the heart of the city as well. No specific documentation of its building has been found so far. It is evident that a number of adaptations have been done on the building. It is not known why a famous commercial, administrative, transit and cultural center, as Bitola was, with population that quickly adopted the European living habits, did not have a city clock. The answer should be looked for in the oriental living habits and the philosophy of that time authorities, which did not accept the new living trends easily, where the traditional measuring of time by the moon, the sun and stars existed for long. This was, of course, not a habit of the powerful citizens, as individuals, because among them there was a real passion for precious watches and clocks, which were brought to the Ottoman Empire from Europe.

Certain, still insufficiently confirmed, scientific assumptions and distant people’s memories say that the Clock was built at the same time with the church “St. Dimitria” (1830) during the period of Turkish rule. The basic building material that the structure was built by is carved stone and mortar. According to the stories, during its construction 60000 eggs, gathered form the rural households around Bitola, were put in the binding material of the stone blocks. The constructor held an opinion that it would make the walls stronger. The last past century completely justified their constructing mastery, which is yet another proof of the architectonic art that the beauty lies in the eternal as well. The Clock Tower is 33m high. It has a square basis with sides of 5.8m each. On the north side it has a semi-circled are entrance through which stone spiral stars lead to the top. At the end of the stairs, at the upper part of the town is the clock mechanism. On all the four sides there are special metal plates and the clock hands and the engraved Roman numbers from one to twelve can be seen on the plates. The topmost part is a small cupola, which lies on a square platform, protected by an iron fence. It offers a magnificent panoramic view, not only of the city but the wide surroundings as well. The city clock, with its height, dominance in space and the clock mechanism, which ticks the hours and also used to play popular music, attracts the attention and constantly works for the citizens, viewers and listeners who have a need of somebody to measure the time for them. It seems the accelerated dynamics that modern people live in could not be imagined without this need of the good old City clock to inform Bitola people timely and accurately.

BEZISTAN. Out of most of Bitola cultural monuments, the Bezistan is one of the best preserved and the most valuable old buildings, with recognizable architectural and esthetic qualities. Located in the central part of the old Bitola Bazaar, among the Clock Tower, Isak Chelebi Mosque, Ieni Mosque, Jewish Synagogue, the church “St. Dimitria”, as well as the few markets: Pekmez Pazar, Zhitni Pazar, it always attracted the attention of passers-by who happened to walk through this part of Bitola. Actually, the Beziten was a covered oriental market, intended mainly for sale and keeping of precious goods, textile, money and other values.

The first written sources about it date from the beginning of 16^th century, from the second vakafnama of the ktitor od Ishak Mosque-Ishak Chelebi Ibni Isa in 1508.

The famous Venetian travelogue writer Lorenzo Bernardo gave additional information about the Bezistan. In the last two decades of the 16^th century he was a representative of his country in Istanbul and in 1951 he had a chance to see this building in Bitola, a famous trade center in this part of the Balkan. This interesting individual left a lot of reports of the conditions in the Turkish state. He was very close and trusted by the most prominent dignitaries of the Empire (the sultan, the vizier, military officers etc.). Practically, there was no travelogue writer who happened to pass through Bitola and not to mention it as an outstanding building, most frequently as a place where one could buy expensive sterling silver, linen, cotton, silk, cord, gold, masterly made tin products, weapons etc. This building was directly or indirectly mentioned in the reports and other documents from 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century, which are very informative not only of the Bezistan but the life in Bitola in general.

From an architectonic point of view, it was mentioned as a special landmark of the city in almost all Turkish documents related to that time construction work (16^th-18^th century). It was built out of a solid material. It impressed by its dimension, with cupolas made of lead that could be seen from afar. Three Streets passed though it and 86 shops were located on the streets one next to the other as a string of pearls. It could be entered through four vaulted gates, with a lot of decorated, baroque aticas and starry marble hems over them. The need of external heavy and massive iron gates and a special night keeper-pasvangia, with his own special room, are clear indication of the valuable treasure that was kept in Bezitan, among other things, state money collected from the people. The regulation that no one was allowed to move around the city without a lantern says a lot of the danger robbers that threatened the building. Also the fact that the treasure of the rich was kept here says a lot. It is known that the valuable possession of the Rumelian district were kept here (a pistol with precious stones, Silahada sword, a stamp ornamented with diamonds, parade sabre decorated with gold and gevairs, precious Persian weapon and many other valuable objects). The protection was regulated by a special Kanunnama issued by the Sultan from Istanbul. But besides all that, the Bezistan especially from 17^th century onwards, had been violently robbed by different groups many times. These have been some of the historical truths but interesting stories as well, which were told in Balkan restaurants, inns, caravansaries, as well as dark café’s-“café-Shantan”, i.e. “damen-kapeli”, where Bitola love songs could be heard in late hours, especially in the Old Bazaar.

As far as the exterior of the building is concerned, it represents a basilica solution of a longitudinal structure. It has irregular rectangular shape where the southern side is 64,60m long, whereas the eastern one is 43,81m long. Thick walls impeccably fulfilled their function of a well protected city-deposit. However, there is one inexorable truth about the beautiful buildings. They were created by man, his fantasy and invention. But, also somebody, other man or people, due to various political, economic, religious, ideological needs, ignorance, even primitivism, disfigured, altered or destroyed them. The Bezistan was many times upgraded, rearranged, enclosed, adapted, especially in the last two centuries. Whether all that contributed to its beauty will be a matter of judgement of those who know what that intervention means for these, figuratively speaking, live organisms a such as the cultural monuments. The Old Bazaar of Bitola is the best warning.

The Bezistan itself, could not have been what it was, and what it is, if the complete architectural ensemble around it is not taken into consideration: upwards and downwards the river Dragor there were hundreds of nice shops, each of them being a sole world of trade fantasy, making this part of Bitola a unique urban and architectonic entity, an entity that breathed with a rapid Mediterranean breath, in this sunny region of many civilization.

CHURH “ST. DIMITRIJA”. Also it is known that in the middle ages, just before the invasion over Bitola by the Turks, (the end of 19^th century) there were plenty of churches in the city. In the following five centuries there is obscure data regarding the existence of such churches in the city. One of them was the church “St. Dimitrija”, and the other is the monastery “St. Arhangel Gavril” in Dovlegik area.

Actually the small church of the holy martyr Dimitrija, was a structure with modest dimensions, built in the Church District “Klise”. Certain visible remnants in the church “St. Dimitrija” prove this fact, such as: the original iconostasis located on the storied gallery: “St. Preobrazhenie” and “St. Grigorij Bogoslov”, a work of the monk Konstantin, made in 1735. It should also be pointed out that this wood-carver made the iconostasis in the monastery “St. Naum” in 1711, which is located on the springs of the river Drim by the Ohrid Lake. The wall painter David from Selenica made the icons in the period between 1730-1739. There are other works that date from this period, namely: royal throne, scepter and a place reserved for kissing icons. They are abundantly decorated with geometrical ornaments. It is considered that some of these antiquities (the furniture) date from the end the 17^th and the beginning of the 18^th century. However the most valuable, and at the same time the oldest, religions object preserved till our times, out of the rich fund of this church are: a bilingual antimins and nabedrenik from 1727. In the case of the antimins evident traces of Italian renaissance can be seen, and traditional Byzantine painting is evident in the making process of the nadbedrenik.

What is especially interesting about the history of our modern language is the church-Slavic inscription on the side edges of antimis, given in constitutional letter. These two highly esteemed church objects form Bitola were first mentioned as museum exhibits in the National Museum Guide from Sofia in 1924.

It should be pointed out that most of the painting and icon painting in the old church “St. Dimitrija” was done by icon painter Georgij and his son Emanuil from Selenica during the period between, 1839 and 1846. Strong influence of Byzantine as well as Venetian painting can be recognized and certain elements of the representatives of the most glorious epoch up Italian renaissance: Titian Veceli, Jacopo Robusti, Tintorreto etc. The wall painters Geogij and Emanuel, except the wall painting, painted a lot of festive icons: “Jesus Christ”. “Holy Mother”, “Holy Archangels Gathering”, “The Holy Ceremony of Apostles” etc., and their most nature work is a composition (6.6 x 3.9 meters)- a presentation in oil technique on the west portal-"The Horrible Judgement”. Except these two, another wall painters and icon painters worked here.

The new church “St. Dimitrija” was built in the center of the city, in 1830, almost under dramatic circumstances. That can be most evidently seen in its size, as well as in the relatively poor exterior and architecture as opposed to the rich interior. This religious temple has unusual dimensions: length – 36m; width – 34m, and height-only 10m, without any cupolas and its ground floor is one meter under the ground. For the refined construction tradition of Bitola and the well-known taste for esthetic of its citizens, it was obvious that one big idea of the best masters did not come true, at least not in the way they used to construct monumental buildings in Balkan metropolis. That is why, numerous craftsmen from Bitola, not only Christians but from other confessions, helped the church to be built only in four months. The reason for the negative attitude towards its construction were the local authorities, who did not want the big Christian temple to be built on this location, to be higher and more monumental than the surrounding non-Christian sacral buildings, despite the order of the Porch to fulfill the request of local craftsmen. Consequently, a compromise was reached, to make it impressive inside on the expense of the exterior, high arches, numerous candelabras, amazing plileis and a monumental splendid alter which was built later by the famous Macedonian wood-carvers. Such determination, quietly and not imposingly, endowed this important temple with unusual secret peacefulness and lofty atmosphere, which make it a preferred gathering place of numerous believers.

With the strength of folk invention and wisdom, behind the extorted modest exterior the whole creative genius of our man found its expression, building a wonderful temple for himself and for the generations to come. The temple was named according the small pariklisis from Bitola which became too small for the believers of this city. The church is built in a shape of a three-nave basilica, with side galleries over the porch, which spreads along the three sides. The one from the north side is used for baptizing. Each nave is an individual paraklis. There are five of them.The construction is covered by a flat ceiling. Symmetrically positioned two rows of wooden posts, support the ceiling. They are covered with mortar and look as if made of marble. The capitols have a shape of cut pyramid, turned with the top downwards.

There is another reason for the interior of the temple to be a real art retreat, that is the domination of famous Macedonian wood-carving, especially from the 18^th and 19^th century. One can feel the admiration the art of wood-carving groups from wider Balkan areas, among them those from the west of Macedonia. Unfortunately, authors’ names of the newer wood-carving in this church can only be a matter of guess. The pedantic book-keeper of the church even during the building of the church, precisely noted down the amount of money he paid the wood-carvers (5.093) but he forgot to say who they were. An especially impressive element is the iconostasis with its monumental dimensions (21.5x8.0m), together with the Crucifixion and the highest part of the archery. The more detailed analysis reveals traces of older schools, but basically it possesses its own line, with evident symbols of European baroque and rococo-style. Thematically, it is composed of floral and faunal elements, as well as human figures, although motifs from the Old and New Testament, made in carving prevail. The visitor can see concrete Biblical pictures: the heaven, the hell, the Birth of Christ, The Secret Dinner etc. Following the example of baroque technique, the iconostasis is made in a shape of a concave front, a bit leaning forward in order to create an impression of heavenly semi-sphere.

The two archbishop seats, a work of wood-carving group, are very interesting. They astonish with their rich ornaments, numerous details, animals (lions with open mouth), birds, wine, dragons, and all that preoccupies human thought and fantasy. The general impression is that they were real masters of wood-carving art. The fact that the carving in “St. Dimitrija” temple belongs to different time and different masters, does not diminish its value, but enriches the notion of the value of that kind of creation, nurtured with immense success among our people. The later try to put plaster or gold on part of the carving, did not contribute to increasing its esthetic and art value, because its original beauty was already indisputable.

A constituent part of this remarkable construction of Bitola architecture-cultural heritage is the new church-tower, built in 1936.

Observing the beauty of the “St. Dimitrija” church, a basic impression is always evident – the human, after all, cannot live in the world without religion.

CHURCH “ST. BOGORODICA”. It is another eminent church in Bitola, built in 1870, and inducted in 1876. As it is known, the democratic changes that started occurring in Turkish Empire, in the middle of 19^th century, enabled the progressive citizens to use the opportunity and built a church in Jeni Maale. It was an especially suitable place because it was almost in the Old Bazaar, near the rich market. The initiative was raised by a number of prominent people from Bitola, and the location, at Pepper Inn, was rented by the renown doctor of that time, born in village Patele, Dr. Konstantin Misajkov-a prominent activist in the first clerical-educational area in the city. The church is a three-nave basilica, in a more modest shape, with octagonal cupola and arced oculus on the side walls over the rectangular baroque windows. Over the central nave there is an octagonal tambur with a polygonal cupola, similar to “lukovica”. There are also two aisles in that ensemble. Among the others there is a choir gallery, which is located over the western entrance and covers all the three naves in length. On the east side of the side galleries there are paraklisis, the southern of which is used for baptizing. The porch can be accessed by three sides, where from, stairs lead to the central part because the floor is lowered into the ground and covered with marble plates.

In architectonic sense, the church “St. Bogorodica” does not have any particular specificity, because several styles can be traced on it. That is a characteristic feature of that time eclecticism, a tendency evident in such building from the previous century: traces of neoclassicism, baroque, romanticism etc. The rectangular building has dimensions: 29.5m long, 22m wide, 17m high together with the cupola.

This temple is famous for its iconostasis and the carvings, which can be seen on the altar. It is considered to be made by the Mijak masters. Actually, those are parts of two iconostasis. Their fitting into this place has a special history. Namely, during the World War I Bitola villages Trnovo and Magarevo, that is their churches “St. Bogorodica” – built in 1854, and “St. Velikomacenik Dimitrij” – built in 1834 suffered great damages by the war activities between the French and Bulgarian armies (1916-1918). Both churches had valuable iconostasis. The one from Magarevo bears features of baroque style of Apiary school, and the one from Trnovo of the group of Petre Filipovi-Garkata. So, the iconostasis from both churches were taken out, and after many repercussions and interests of that time military authorities who were aware of their high value, finally they were transferred to this church, remaining a precious part of the cultural heritage of Bitola. The arch of the iconostasis is of great importance. It is located above the heavenly gardens, with modeled figures of Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles, made in the 19^th century. There is also an amvon and a bishop seat with shallow carving.

As far as the fresco painting is concerned, it is present to a lesser extent than the iconostasis. A number of beautiful icons dating form the 19^th and 20^th century can be seen in the church, given by various donors. Most frequent donors were Bitola craftsmen. Among the authors of these works is Dimitar Andonov Zograf. He lived in Magarevo, making numerous icons in other churches and monasteries in Bitola and Macedonia. There are other artifacts in the church (puiri, cloth “Erusamlii”).

It should be noted that in the church, on the west side of the north nave is the tomb of metropolitan Grigorij (the Mitropolite was built in his time, in 1901, in a French baroque style), and near it, on the north side, the first Mitropolite for Prespa-Bitola Kliment (Babace) was buried. He died in 1979.

CHURCH “ST. NEDELA”. This church is located on the graveyards, on the left side of the north entry in Bitola. It was built in 1863. It is a three-nave basilica, with one octagonal cupola in the middle of the central nave.

Two blind cupolas are positioned at the end of the east and west aisle of this nave with pavilion roof so they can hardly be seen from outside. The choir gallery is on the west side.

There is an iconostasis made of wood. The icons date from earlier time, from 20^th century. As it was the case with other churches, Bitola craftsmen greatly contributed to furnishing of their interior. Thus, in 1864, the socially of Bitola craftsman arranged the painting of the cupola of this church. There is another layer of wall painting, made later, by the end of 20^th century, but it is significantly damaged.

There are other churches in Bitola, mainly built in present times, which, apart from their basic usage for religious purposes, enrich the cultural heritage of the city with their construction solutions, fresco-wall painting, icon painting and wood-carving art.

ISAC MOSQUE. There are sacral cultural monuments in Bitola which belong to Islamic culture and art. Ottoman Turks conquer these areas of the Balkan by the end of 14^th century. The five century long rule of Turkish Empire , influenced cultural life of the city. Of course, these monuments, in their own way, enrich the city. Among them is the Isac Mosque, the most monumental and the most beautiful in the city. It was built in 1508, for the judge Ishak Chelebi, before his arrival to Bitola from Thessaloniki, where he previously performed this duty. The building was constructed in the time when the Old Bazaar stretched from Drven-pazar (Wood-market) to At-pazar (Horse-market). This means that this building was located in its most beautiful center, near the Bezistan, on the left side of river Dragor.

According to its architectonic perceptibility, the inner and outer appearance, harmony of lines, the size and height of end parts, it represents an improved Bursan type of a mosque. Such objects were built by the famous builder Harejdin, predecessor of the most prominent Turkish architect of the classical style Koga, the builder Sinan. This construction is considered to belong to the classical Ottoman style of Turkish construction heritage.

The basis of the masque is square. The interior is rich in ornaments in different colour. Its basic characteristics are: each side is decorated with an aisle-mihrab. On the wider surfaces of the walls medallions are painted with inscribed texts with religious connotation taken from the Koran. Around the building there is a spacious yard and a grave, with interesting plastic forms of sarcophaguses. It is known that Ishak Chelebi himself was buried next to the mosque.

JENI MOSQUE It is located in the central part of the city, on the right side of the river Dragor, opposite the City Clock Tower. About half a century ago that part of the Bazaar was full of shops. Next to this building was the famous Pekmez pazar(Sweets-market). Today, all this wide space is called Big Square. Jeni Mosque(New Mosque) was built in 1558/59 by Kadi Mahmud – Efendi. The basis is square, with sides of 12.76m, and a 19m high cupola. The minaret is 39m high. There is an aula in a shape of a double porch, covered by six cupolas. The first porch next to the porch is enclosed by walls same those from the aula. The bearing posts of the cupolas are made of marble and granite, shaped with enthasis. The capitols of the posts are shaped with special taste.

The beautiful decoration of the interior, as well as the usage of faience around the main portal, represents an attempt to reach the highest architectonic art achievement privilege reserved only for the rich and famous cultural centers of the Orient. The faience originates from Iznik- a renown center of the so called “blue-white” ceramics of the 16^th and 17^th century. This points out that Bitola, in that time, was regarded as a very developed cultural environment, where all that was expensive and modern had to be present in this urban center of the Balkan.

Today, the Jani Mosque, which is not active for religious purposes, houses the Art Gallery of Bitola.

The long Ottoman rule in these areas left other sacral and profane buildings of oriental constriction activity in Bitola. Part of them witness a specific culture where mutual addition of East and West can be traced.

There are a few more mosques in the city: Gazi Hoydar Kadi-Mosque, Hagi Mahmeud-Mosque, Hatunie (Female)-Mosque and other as well as some other buildings, which with their oriental characteristics of architecture had certain significance in the city: Deboj, Kerim bey imam, Jeni-imam etc.

PRISON-TOWER This monument of long history of the city attracts historians’ attention and od other admirers of Bitola antiques. Even today the Prison-Tower defies the time as a reminder of turbulent events that took place in these areas in the past. Actually, it is a kind of a tower, built in the 17^th century. It has a very interesting construction, especially its interior. It served for private purposes, for protection of assaults and blood revenge. There are written records which show that its owner was the “muftis” of Bitola from the 1628/29, Hagi Mahmud-mufti. He built this building in the yard of his estate. It could only be entered by the means of movable stairs, through double oak doors, made at height of 2.30m. The ground floor was used for the female members of the family. There was also a cellar used for storing goods, as well as a well for water. Between the ground and the first floor there was a 90m wide space used for living, with two windows, which are protected by double iron bars. Under the roof there are narrow windows-loop-holes used for defense from attacks. Under the roof construction there was a room for the old members of the family. The tower was built by stone, with rectangular base:5.33x5.60 and it is 11m high. According to some sources, rebels were imprisoned here, so people call this building today “Prison-Tower”

SHIROK SOKAK. This is the main street in Bitola the starting point of all urbanists, builders and other planners who had to take its code lines into consideration when something bigger in the city had to be built. The appealing architectonic ensembles, on the left and right side of the street, witness that. Unfortunately, some of them were damaged by the times passed. Many travelogue writers and travelers that passed here, impressed by the beauty of the city and its main street had noted: “ if you had been in Bitola, and never walked along Shirok Sokak, as if you had not seen anything”. It seems that the admiration by this street found its best expression in the words of artists, especially poets and composers, as well as known and anonymous singers.. It bears specific and original architecture of certain ambient features, known as “European”, “Thessaloniki”, “city” etc, which not only represent an inseparable part of the cultural history of the city, but also give an original mark to its individuality. Despite the scars left by some of the modern construction materials (concrete, aluminum, plastic etc.) upon the old building tissue, Shirok Sokak remains to be the most representative part of Bitola.

The need, the biggest part of the public life to happen in the center of the city, which has always had an intensive cultural life, required this street space to be a location ground of many representative buildings, Tourists that come to Bitola, most frequently from its south part (the bus and the railway station), from the City Promenade towards north, will immediately notice marvelous buildings such as: the Army Building, The Barracks (now a Museum), the Epinal Hotel, the Theatre and the House of Culture, The Catholic Church, the Clock Tower, Jeni-Mosque(Art Gallery), the church “St. Dimitrija” etc.

Builders from Bitola, and wider from Macedonia, with a lot of love and invention, managed to create a link between the different European styles and the domestic construction tradition. In that way they created perfectly harmonious conditions, compatibility of lines, noble simplicity, functionality, a sharp sense for elegance and taste. Actually, it is a recognizable festive and ordinary street area, where one can trace a lot of generosities and habits of Bitola people, who used to love and hate here, welcomed and saw off plenty of prominent people: kings and tsars, sultans and viziers, archbishops and missioners, circus performers and careless passers, always feeling proud that this crossroad between the East and the West belonged to them. These features and historical events that accompanied this unique construction deed, made Shirok Sokak a meeting place of the world and the man, entitling him with an epithet of one of most remarkable cultural monuments in the city.

THE OLD BAZAAR. On the course of its rich history Bitola was also known as an important commercial center this part of the Balkan. Bitola merchants were wide known, in the East and on the West as well. The Old Bazaar as one of most vital parts of the city, with all that was associated to the economic life of the people here, played a very important role in the its prosperity through the centuries. Aside being a constituent part of everyday life of the people, it was a place which provided existence to a wider region, and a greater structure of people: merchants,, craftsmen, agricultures, inn keepers, people who made transfer of goods etc. Although trade was present earlier, it started developing separately during the Turkish rule. It was a specific oriental way of trading. Starting from its establishment in 15^th century and as late as 19^th century, this live organism grew, developed, suffered many accidents, such as fires, robberies, floods, epidemics etc.

The Old Bazaar is one of the most outstanding landmarks of Bitola as a cultural-historical monument. It followed city’s destiny. It was not only a place where trade was done, but also a place where the breath of time, politics and culture cold be felt. It had its own life, its own philosophy, its own respectable attitude towards all the people, especially towards social tendencies. Money, gold and the surplus of the good merchandize exchange, established a very strong human, national, religious, racial and all other kinds of tolerance between Macedonian, Turkish, Jewish, and other ethnic groups, which were present from almost all meridians. The communication was realized in many languages, because the interest and the wealth rose beyond language obstacles. This Bazaar, which consisted of over 900 shops in the 17^th so that the figure to rise to a few thousands by the middle of 19^th century, was everything of course on “ word of honor and trust” Or, as people used to say throughout the Balkan inns and caravan-sarai, Bitola Bazaar offered everything one can ask for. The numerous and versatile craft and craftsmen were known afar. There were plenty of them: goldsmiths, shop keepers, butchers, shoe-makers, leather craftsman, inn-keepers, soap makers, gun makers, blacksmiths etc, all of them being known as outstanding masters whose products were highly appreciated. “Art” crafts were especially esteemed-goldsmiths, wall painters, icon painters, embroidery makers, musicians, tailors, builders, wood-carvers, photographers etc. As far as the production were considered, trade was especially done with: grain, leather, wool, oil, tar, salt, cattle, cotton, wax, fat, lead, gunpowder, but also silk, sterling silver, precious metals, jewelry made of gold, silver, watches etc.

When talking about Bazaar life and Bazaar “clientele”, they were all people with individual habits and requirements, minor human weaknesses and desires, to experience, buy or take something from the most urban city in this part of the Empire. Except the trade, especially interesting were the military and later the diplomatic world. The Bazaar felt them in a specific way and in full splendor the “adorned” bright uniforms, coats, tunics, the sound of soldiers’ spurs, but also the presence of elegant European noble world with their wonderful hats, unusual walking sticks, precious women bags and modern shoes. And all that mixed with turbans, decorations, coats, tassels, but also women from these areas of Pelagonia Plain, known for the colorful embroideries: “polneti”, “grabeni”, “pisani”, “ikonceto”, “kopitoto” etc. In such a mixed and colorful ambient, in many ways incomprehensible for the foreigners, passed the fervent life of the Bazaar, mostly admired by merchants and Bitola craftsmen, masters, trainees. People did not come here only to buy and sell. Night in Bazaar were yet another story. It was the part of the day when fiacre drivers and people who lit the lanterns had a lot of work.

Of course, that was the brighter side of the Bazaar life. However, things did not go this well in this Bitola environment. The outer splendors had its bad sides. Military and economic crisis, fires and other accidents had their influence. The Bazaar experienced the most difficult years in the end of the previous and the start of this century. After that it never recovered completely.

As far as the Bazaar as an urban and architectonic complex is concerned, with its authentic and original solutions, bearing all the inevitable outer influences and specifities of oriental urbanism and construction activity, it remains an unrepeatable example of Bitola cultural heritage of the past times and the times to come. In its five century long development, during its boom years (especially throughout the 19^th century) , it spread from Drven pazar to At pazar, and reach the number of 2000 shops, many mills, inns, covered market etc. It consisted of over 30 functionally divided sections, depending on the merchandize that was sold, that is market: Pekmez-pazar ( Sweets-market), Zhitni-pazar (Grain-market), At-pazar(Horse-market), Bit-pazar, Drven pazar(Wood-market), Lenski-pazar, Kaj Gajdogiite (At the pipers), Kaj Kozhuvarite( At the leather makers), Bezisten, Kaj Solta( At the solt market) etc. After arrival of Vlaks, a Vlak Bazzar was formed. Some of the markets were named after the products they sold or the place they were appointed to be sold: Fish Market, Budej Bunar etc.

The connection of the Bazaar with other parts of the city is very interesting. Despite the fact that it was located in the central city area, the most frequent streets passed through it with no obstacles. The Bair came from the north were from a lot of smaller streets (lanes and dead end streets) sprang in direction of the Bazaar; the direction east-west was one of the most frequent passing by the river Dragor, and from the south side, at the City Clock Tower and Jeni Mosque, it was originally connected with the biggest street in Bitola-Shirok Sokak. Nicely designed crossroads on the smaller streets and the numerous shops, made mostly of wood, reed and mud, created a picturesque world, full of life and energy, ready for a long life. But the Bazaar suffered a few huge fires. Thus, in 1835, the fire destroyed about 2000 shops; and in 1862 it burnt 1800 shops again; whereas the fire in 1897 destroyed Zhitni pazar and 200 other buildings. Consequently, from the middle of the previous century shops started to be made of solid material: brick, stone, iron with massive iron shutters. Many of them still resist the time.

Except the ones that served economic purposes, around the Bazaar there were other massive buildings: mosques, imams, inns, fountains, among which the Bezisten had the central place.

But, as everything else in life, the culmination of Old Bazaar’s fame and splendor started fading away in the last years of the last and the first decades of this century. The Turkish Empire began to weaken. The modern and quality European goods produced in an industrial way, were not only cheaper but of a higher quality, and therefore increasingly destroying the crafts. Part of the wealthy and economically powerful citizens leave Bitola. It starts being populated by mainly Macedonian ethnicum, coming from the villages. Those people were engaged mostly with agriculture, cattle breeding etc., which was completely different from what the Bazaar lived. Many people, regardless to national or religious confession, start immigrating. Consuls leave the city. Instead of respecting the once presupposed order, which was strictly obeyed, it was replaced by chaos. Mutinies, uprising and wars started or were on the verge to happen. The Huriet comes(1908), Young Turks overtake the power, marking the end of the great empire,. Balkan Wars start, and whit the Bucharest Treaty (1913) Macedonia is split, putting Bitola only 14km away from the Greek border. From a famous crossroad on the Balkan, the city is completely closed for trade and communication with the previous partners from the East and West. And only a year later(1914) the world enters the bloodiest drama seen till then World War I. Some of the greatest battles happened in these Bitola areas. The city was bombed many times and a lot of its parts were ruined. That was the most difficult stroke to the Bitola Bazaar, which never again managed to retrieve its glory and economic power.

Today the Bazaar lives on, but in different times, notions and social conditions. Changed and pressed by the burden of years, events and people, “dressed up” in a modern adorn, it still keeps the memories of passed golden times. Bitola people are proud of it, as one of the most beautiful moments in their rich cultural heritage.

OTHER MONUMENTS. The number of cultural monuments we have discussed so far, does not exhaust the list of the monument in Bitola and its wider and closer surroundings. Some of them are so old and so valuable that require a much wider historical, scientific and art elaboration. We will just mention some of them: the church :St. Nicola” in the village Manastir Mariovo(1905), the monastery “ St, Jovan Pretecta” in village Slepce-Demir Hisar(1543), the church “St. Nikola Toplicki” in village Sloeshtica-Demir Hisar (end of 14^th century), monasteries and churches in the villages: Bukovo, Maloviste, Capari, Trnovo, Dragos, Paralevo, Smilevo etc.

Bitola cultural heritage complements the historical past, which was also important, for example: memorial-plates, inscribed monuments, memorial-fountains, busts of revolutionaries, cultural activists etc. All these monuments together, and each of them individually, speak of the Bitola cultural climate as a remarkable creation area in closer and more distant past.