Textu | The old way to do it
It seems that when I was a teenager, I had heard the name "Alexander". At that time, I just knew that this person was "famous" and "powerful", and as for the rest, I knew nothing.
Later, with the growth of age and the enrichment of knowledge, I further understood and got to know Alexander, and it turned out that he was not an ordinary "famous and powerful", but "very famous and powerful": he was a brave and warlike emperor of the ancient Greek Macedonian Empire more than two thousand years ago, a famous military scientist and politician in the ancient history of the world, and a great figure who was famous in the world and famous in history--- although he only lived for 33 years.
Turning over the history of Europe, we can see: Alexander went out with his father King Philip II at the age of 18, succeeded to the throne at the age of 20, and then led the Greek coalition army to conquer the west with his own great talent, and spent just 13 years to unify Greece, sweep through the Middle East, occupy Egypt, and wipe out Persia, and the army drove to the Indus Valley, and the world's four ancient civilizations conquered three of them, occupying a territory area of about 5 million square kilometers, making the Macedonian Empire the largest country in the world at that time. It has created a brilliant performance unprecedented in the ancients.
His expeditions enabled the ancient Greek civilization to be widely disseminated and had a profound impact on the development of human society and culture.
It seems that "those who aspire are really not in high age."
For such a hero before 323 AD, and the head of the four greatest military commanders in European history (Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Napoleon), in addition to looking up, I dreamed of one day "walking and looking" in his homeland macedonia.
This wish finally "came true" during this trip to the Balkans: my feet truly stepped into the land of the Macedonian Empire, which had shocked the world, and came to its capital Skopje.
Although Skopje is far from the capital Pella where Alexander was born and when he became emperor, his spirit and soul of fearlessness and courage still seem to affect the city of 700,000 people.
Looking at this group of statues in the center of Skopje, you can feel that the legacy of Alexander the Great is still there.
This is the largest square in the Republic of Macedonia--- Alexander the Great Square (Macedonia Square), called Tito Square before independence from the Federal Republic of Macedonia in 1993. In the center of the square stands a bronze statue of Alexander the Great's Prancing Horse Conquest, and the circular base is guarded by 8 warriors and 4 fierce lions, which vividly shows the momentum and charm of the young emperor who turned to the battlefield, attacked the city strategically, was invincible, and invincible, which made people look at the spirit.
In the long river of history throughout the ages, the emperors who are famous and have made great contributions to the world are invincible, but ancient emperors like Alexander the Great, who have both worldly merits and admiration, are rare and rare like the morning star.
I think that in addition to his own talent and wisdom, this is due to the guidance and teaching of two people: one is his father, King Philip II, and the other is his teacher, the great Greek philosopher Aristotle. His father's ability to fight good battles gave him "bravery", and the teacher's earnest teachings gave him "wisdom", so it also created his wisdom and courage to be complete, invincible, and thus achieved a great cause.
However, it is lamentable that Alexander died of a heart attack at the age of 33. After his death, there was infighting in Macedonia, and a powerful Empire State Building spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa collapsed in an instant, rapidly decaying and disappearing in glory, so that it was later ruled by the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Bulgarian Dynasty, Serbia, and Greece for more than two thousand years, and the might and majesty of Alexander the Great's former might and majesty were exhausted.
It seems that the old saying goes: "Fortresses are easiest to break from within". The Macedonian Empire did not fall under the enemy's sword, but was defeated in infighting.
Today, Macedonia, with an area of only 25,000 square kilometers and a population of more than 2 million, is more than 18,000 miles away from Macedonia when Alexander the Great reigned!
It's really "this time, another time".
After all, Macedonia is a nation with Alexander's genetic genes, strong and promising, once the country gains independence and stability, the development and changes are also changing with each passing day. In the capital Skopje, we heard that there is a "Skopje 2014 Project". The plan includes the construction of several new sculptures and fountains, bridges and museums with a budget of up to €700 million. Today's Skopje is like a big construction site, with hangers and roaring machines, which makes people feel like a new development zone in the country. The picture above shows some of the bridges and sculptures that have been built. Of course, there is much more to it than that, and, please continue to look:
The Arc de Triomphe, which is still unfinished. Although much smaller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, it is also spectacular.
The towering lifting hangers tell us clearly that this Orthodox church is still under construction.
The National Archaeological Museum, which has been completed, is beautiful!
Located on the north bank of the Vardar River, the Macedonian National Museum of Modern Art is also part of the "Skopje 2014 Project".
The National Opera House, which has just been newly built and delivered for use, is a spherical shape that seems familiar.
Newly completed statue of the Brothers Kirill and Metocius. In the 9th century AD, they founded the Slavic language in the course of their Macedonian missionary work, and thus were revered as "saints" in Macedonia, equivalent to Confucius and Mencius in China. Monumental statues of the Kirill brothers can be seen in many parts of Macedonia, reflecting the country's respect and worship of the philosophers.
This is a group of statues of mothers. It shows the whole process of a mother from "conceiving in October" to raising her children. The technique is vivid and the image is expressive.
It is said that Alexander the Great respected women and encouraged inter-ethnic marriage and advocated equal status among all ethnic groups. This group of sculptures reflecting women allows us to see the shadow of Alexander the Great.
The famous stone bridge built in the 15th century,
It is the symbol of Skopje, and the largest river in the territory, the Valdar River, crosses the bridge. North of the bridge is the old city, an area where Muslims live mainly. South of the bridge is the new city, where government offices are located.
Pirates on the Valdar River visit boat
There is also a huge sculpture in front of the Macedonian Parliament. Skopje can feast the eyes of those who like sculpture.
In my opinion, the most noteworthy thing to see in Skopje is the Kare Castle, which was built in the 6th century AD and is located on the left bank of the Vardar River. Due to years of war and earthquake damage, the Castle of Calée currently has only the restored walls, but the momentum of the castle is still faintly visible.
The remains of ancient architecture inside the castle, authentic.
From Kare Castle, you can see Skopje and clearly see the Valdar River running through the city.
A city with a river in the city must be full of spirit, but also must be charming and moving.
Built in 1492, the Isaac Bey Mosque, located in the Old City north of the banks of the Vardar River, is an outstanding representative of the Ottoman architectural style. It is also a religious legacy left here by Turkey for more than 500 years of rule in Macedonia.
The cross, which stands on Mount Woudno in Skopje, at a height of 66 meters, is by far the largest cross in the world. It is currently a Skopje landmark for the time being, and a new landmark building adjacent to it is under construction and is expected to replace it soon.
From the city's new series of "tall" buildings, do you feel a little bit of Alexander's momentum when he swept through Europe, Asia and Africa?
Statue of Mother Teresa (1910-1997 also known as Mother Teresa). Born in Skopje, Mother Teresa, a world-renowned Catholic philanthropist who spent her life serving the poor in Calcutta, India, was beloved by all Indians, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and being included in the Catholic proclamation list by Pope John Paul II in October 2003.
Her hometown of Skopje is proud of her and has built monumental statues and memorials for her.
The house where Mother Teresa was born was destroyed in a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in 1963, leaving only this foundation. Even so, the local government has also given meticulous protection, and this commemorative plaque has been built on the site of the house, which is touching to see.
It is also reminiscent of the Catholic Church being built next to the Mother Teresa Memorial and the huge cross on Mount Woudno in Skopje, which may be another form of the city's memorial to The Dylan who devoted her life to eradicating poverty.
One is the Emperor Yingwu who "swept through a thousand armies like a sweep" more than 2,000 years ago, and the other is a philanthropist who has done his best to serve the poor in modern society, one yang and one yin, one rigid and one soft, which has been most perfectly embodied in the Macedonian capital Skopje. This is the "soul" of Skopje.
Take a picture of this ancient bridge that connects Skopje's old and new town. At the same time, it also allows everyone to see the thriving construction scene of the city from the background.
(Finished in September 2017, revised in July 2022)
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