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Tetovo is a city in the north-west Macedonia, built on the foothills of the Shar mountain and divided by the Pena (Shkumbin) river. Tetovo is the second largest city in the country and home to the largest Albanian community in Macedonia. Tetovo covers an area of 1,080 km² at 468 meters above sea level and with a population of approx. 180,654. Tetovo is home to two universities, the national Albanian-speaking Universiteti i Tetovës (University of Tetova) and the international South East European University. Tetovo literally means "Teto's place" and myth has it that the town was named after the legendary hero Teto who cleared the town of snakes.
History
Although there may have been inhabitants in Tetovo's area as early as the bronze age, Htetovo was officially founded in the 14th century as a small medieval Orthodox Slavic settlement around the Sveta Bogorodica church. Htetovo grew with the building and construction of houses around the Orthodox Church. At the end of the 14th century, Tetovo, along with all of Macedonia, fell under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. As the Muslim population in Macedonia began to expand in the early Ottoman period mosques, baths, and markets began to appear as early as the 15th century. Tetovo under Ottoman tutelage became an important trade center for the local farmers and craftsmen, as well as an important military fortification. Turkish influence deeply impacted Tetovo and it was renamed Kalkandelen to reinforce the new Islamic presence. Haci Halife in the 17th century noted in his writings that Kalkandelen was expanding at an amazing rate in its lowland areas. By the 19th century, when the population of Tetovo began to increase with settlement from the surrounding villages, the French traveler Ami Bue noted that the population had reached about 4,500 people. In 1912, due to the Balkan wars, Tetovo became a Serbian city. In World War II Tetovo was jointly ruled by Italy and its puppet regime in Albania. The Communist Party of Macedonia, was formed on March 19th 1943 in Tetovo.
Mosques, Monasteries, and Churches in Tetovo
The best known mosque in Tetovo is the "Painted", or Aladzha Mosque which is found on the right bank of the Pena River or Shkumbim River. It was built in 1459 and known among residents of Tetovo as the Pasha Mosque. In the yard of the mosque there is an octagon-shaped turbe of Hurshida and Mensure, the two women that provided the money for the construction of the mosque. In the vicinity of Tetovo is the dervish tekke of Harabati Baba, which was established by the Bektashi Sufi order. The tekke was closed down by the communists following the end of the Second World War and in the 1980's the Macedonian government turned the tekke into an entertainment complex with a hotel, retaurant and disco. Following the desecration of several holy tombs by party-goers, the Bektashi community of Macedonia, under the leadership of Baba Tahir Emini, staged a sit in 1995 and have since reoccupied a considerable portion of the tekke grounds. A legal battle still rages over the true ownership of the Bektashi holy site.
The Monastery of Lešok with the churches of St. Athanasius and of the Church of the Holy Virgin are only 8 kilometers away from Tetovo, by the road leading to the village of Brezno. The Church of the Holy Virgin, built in 1326, is an excellent example of Byzantine style and architectural tradition. The church has three layers of frescoes. The 1st and bottom layer is from the first time of construction, the second and middle one was added sometime in the 17th century, and the third and top layer was added in 1879. Several marble columns from the original church can still be seen in the Tetovo museum. The church of St. Athanasius was built in 1924 next to the church of the Holy Mother of God. In the yard of the Monastery of Lešok is the tomb of the Macedonian educator Kiril Pejchinovik, who was born in 1770. In his honor, this monastery hosts an International Meeting of Literary Translators. Tetovo is also a host to the Festival of Macedonian Choirs.
The Albanian Population
The Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia form a majority of the population in the western part of the republic, which borders with Kosovo in north and Albania in west. About 45% of the population in Tetovo is believed to be Albanian considering the census of year 2003, although it is certainly much higher. In the spring of 2001, the city witnessed a series of armed conflicts when the Albanian-dominated National Liberation Army demanded to have the republic's constitution reformed so that equal rights be given to the Albanian minority of Macedonia. Today this has been achieved thanks to Ohrid Agreement signed from major political parties and International factors under protectorship of late president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Boris Trajkovski.
Shara mountain
Šar Mountain (also known as Šar Planina), is situated in the north-western part of the Republic of Macedonia, above the productive Polog valley. It expands in beyond one's sight and the snow cap on it during the early autumn, winter and early spring switches with the sheep folds in the rest of the year. The well known Macedonian shepherd dog, Šarplaninec, finds Šar Planina to be it's home. The Russian consul Jastrebov describes the area in the 19th century, as a wonderful place to stay, under which is the city of Tetovo. He said exactly as he was told previously by the Turkish Pashas and Beys, who already had built their Harem's on the mountain. What attracted the Turks to built their Harem's in the small city of Tetovo. The answer to that is - Tetovo is in the foothills of the Šar Planina, which provides the fresh air in the city. Šar Mountain look like a huge sea of grass and is the largest compact area covered with pastures in Europe -"Lukovo Pole". Macedonia is a country of lakes and mountains, and Šar Planina is the most dominant with it's massifs. It is wild and tame. It is covered with snow, from November to April. Šar Planina's width is 12 km, and length of 80 km. The highest of all peaks is Titov Vrv (2,747 meters above the sea level), while other higher peaks are Ljuboten (2,499m.), Bistrica (2,640m.)... Ljuboten is even a part from the coat of arm of Skopje (can be seen even from Skopje). There are 39 glacial lakes on the Šar Mountain, of which 27 belongs to Macedonia. Of those 27, 8 are temporary and 19 are always filled with water. As largest and most important are: Bogovinsko, Crno, Belo, Golem Gjol, Mal Gjol, Krivošinsko lake, Golemo Dedelbeško, Malo Dedelbeško, Gorno Dobroško and Dolno Dobroško. The Bogovinsko lake is the biggest one and covers an area of 67,000 sq meters. It's depth is 2,2 meters and length 452 meters and width 225 meters. It is located of 1,960 meters above the sea level. The Šar Massive, has always been populated densely, due to it's natural beauties. The cattle-breeding is the most important way for living. Almost all the villages on the Šar Planina, have a tradition of it, like Brvenica, Lešok, Vratnica, Tearce, Varvara, Odri, Dobrošte, Staro Selo, Rogačevo, Slatina, Glogji, Pršovce, Belovište and others. One of the most beatuiful ski-resorts in Macedonia, is situated on Šar Planina. That is Popova Šapka on 1,900 meters above the sea level. Šar Planina is filled with natural monuments and as well as cultural-historical monuments.
Villages of the Tetovo area
Jegunovce, Zilce, Zelino, Siricino, Semsovo, Staro Selo, Vratnica, Raotince, Beloviste, Janciste, Preljubiste, Tudence, Podbredje, Odri, Varvara, Lesok, Jazince, Tearce, Celopek, Milentino, Falise, Neprosteno, Rogacevo, Sipkovica, Lisec, Dzepciste,
Media
Radio Kanal Plus Forte, Radio KISS, Radio Tetovo.