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Dapper Food Chain
"As is the case with everywhere I’ve been so far (except for Heraklion), the street art here is wonderful."
Compare and Contrast
"Case in point, I went out for the first evening to explore the city and find some food. I was confused by the contrast between architectural styles and the hundreds of statues everywhere."


Primary Public Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Macedonia
Rogue Caravels
"He pointed out the Danish-style caravel replicas in the shallow river. Another sign of corruption, rented to friends of the government for a fraction of the price you’d expect."


Another Angle
"There is no historical association with those types of ships, and they clash even with the classical style constructs they commissioned."
The Beauty of Nature


Bridge of Art, with Prosecutor's Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"You can certainly feel it; this is not the same as the other capitals I’ve been to so far. The atmosphere is different on a fundamental level."
"Warrior on a Horse"
"I couldn’t tell where the city centre was, but assumed it was around the massive statue of Alexander the Great in the main square."


Definitely not Alexander
"Greece was vetoing Macedonia’s (then referred to as the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”) candidacy for the EU in part because the name of the statue, “Alexander the Great”, suggested that he was a Macedonian figure instead of Greek."
Royal Guard
"Around the base are several statues of hoplites ringed by fountains."


Frieze Close-Up
Grand Façade, No Façade


Remains of the Train Station
"Then again, after the 1963 earthquake, almost all the city was destroyed."
When Time Stood Still
"The old train station is mostly missing and now converted into a museum, but the clock stopped at exactly the time of the disaster."


No Signs of Life
Load of Bull
" A specific statue pointed out by the guide was a bronze bull - symbol of the stock exchange - about a mile away from the stock market. “Don’t invest in the Macedonian stock market, you will lose all your money,” was the guide's advice."


No Title, No Description
"Less fun to discover was the story behind the statues and monuments."
No Dedications, No Context
"The previous government wanted to rejuvenate national pride, and part of that effort involved commissioning hundreds of marble and bronze statues."


Orthodox Church of Konstantin and Elena
Stone Bridge


The Diving Lady
" "You can't swim in the river anymore," the guide informed us."
Everywhere
"So many were produced that they outpaced the space available to display them; they are everywhere they can possible be."


Eye Bridge
"So many were produced that there was a national shortage of tin and copper after the project was completed."
One Hero to Another


Olympia, Alexander, and Philip
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