If the ancient Kurshumli An in the Old Bazaar in Skopje could by some chance reassume its original function, that of being a hotel, it would no doubt be on par with the most lavish of those existing today. Then, one should only try to imagine it in the 16th century, because this is when it was built by Musein Odza, to give shelter to merchants coming to do business in Skopje’s Bazaar. The Old Bazaar’s roles have changed over the centuries.  In the 19th century it served as a prison, on account of its safe, impenetrable walls. Between the two world wars it was a warehouse. It is now a protected monument of culture, and probably the most magical concert venue in the city.

In the summer of 2010, after a decade and a half of oblivion, Skopje’s Old Bazaar lived its latest renaissance once more. Its deserted alleys, previously of interest only to occasional tourists, are again crawling with young people. New bars have mushroomed all over. It is again the cultural and entertainment heart of the city.

A joint effort to revive the Old Bazaar, by the local and national government, realised a summer-long cultural programme of over 150 events. Legislation has been enacted recently granting the place a status of special cultural heritage. A strategy has also been passed to revive the place, with particular focus on support to artisanship. “We will preserve the cultural heterogeneity of this place and return its glitter to it”, said Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kanceva Milevska at the launch of the programme.
 
By the early 90s some of the coolest bars were still in the Old Bazaar. They gradually disappeared before the advent of shopping malls all over town. Now they have come back. The effort by a few pioneers has caused a landslide: the closed, empty stores are again some of the most attractive entertainment outlets in Skopje.

The ancient multicultural spirit of the Old Bazaar is felt also today: some time in the early going-out hours, the soft jazz in one of the new bars gently fades. A minute later, the speakers of the nearby mosque carry the voice of the hodža (Muslim cleric) chanting the evening prayer. As the prayer ends, the jazz slowly resumes.

The Old Bazaar is the ancient heart of Skopje. For centuries it was the hub of economic life in the region. It stretches from the Stone Bridge to Bit Pazar, the major open market in town, on the left bank of Vardar River.

It was given its present form by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century, but it had existed for centuries earlier. There was much trade going on already in Roman and later, Byzantine times. Merchants from Dubrovnik and Venice are credited to have founded the Old Bazaar. Old Byzantine documents confirm negotiations with the Venetian authorities granting certain privileges to Venetian merchants in the area.

The Ottomans took control of Skopje in 1392, and from there continued into today's Serbia and Bosnia. Skopje remained part of the Ottoman world until the beginning of the 20th century.

It was in the 15th century that many of the Old Bazaar's landmarks were built: the Bezisten - a trade facility. Something akin to a 15th century shopping mall.  It was the gathering place of art students in the 90s, due to its proximity to the academy of fine arts, hosted with the nearby Suli An - a caravan saray, or a place to stay. Together with Kurshumli An and Kapan An, it is one of the several Ottoman hotels in the Old Bazaar.   Kapan An, which is the most famous of them all due to its central location today hosts shops, bars restaurants, and even NGOs.

The major mosques in Skopje, including the grand Mustafa Pasha Mosque are located around the Old Bazaar. A major Christian shrine, the Church of Sveti Spas is also there. The old fortress Kale is just across the street. The hamams (Turkish public baths) are scattered all over the place. Perhaps the most glamorous of them, Cifte amam, was several years ago turned into a beautiful national gallery.

In many ways the character of the Old Bazaar remained the same over the centuries. It still hosts the (few remaining) traditional workshops of artisans and craftsmen. A street called the "jewellers’ street" hosts most of the traditional jewelleries in Skopje. Back in the 16th century, the Old Bazaar had 1053 shops and yielded significant taxes for the Sultan. It was divided into specialized craft districts and even had night watchmen. In that time, which was the highlight of the Old Bazaar, the population of Skopje was predominantly Muslim. But the Bazaar and economic opportunity attracted people from all over the grand Ottoman Empire, as well as beyond. Old documents report the presence of Arabs, Armenians, and Jews in the Bazaar. Around that period of time Jews from Spain and Portugal formed a small colony in the city and around 40 Jewish families are reported in Turkish records from the 16th century.

Then, in 1689 a disastrous earthquake hit Skopje. The Old Bazaar was destroyed. Some of the major edifices remained, but it lost its economic drive. Another catastrophic earthquake, in 1963, had also changed its destiny. The new, urban, post-earthquake Skopje longed for modernity, for tall concrete buildings and industrially produced goods.  Artisans and craftsmen become less and less needed over the years.

Over the last 15 years, the Old Bazaar was forgotten. Even though it is located in the centre of the city, it was bypassed. Many of its stores lay deserted and empty. Other, modern parts of town seemed more exciting.  In a romantic turn of fate, the Old Bazaar has now again resurged.

**The European Commission does not accept or recognise in whatever form or content a denomination other than “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. All references, direct or indirect, to this country used in this article are those of its author.