The late XIV century marked the expansion of the Ottomans in Europe, which started with the defeat in Battle of Plocnik, and then the Turkish victory at the Battle of Kosovo, in the late XIV century, effectively marked the end of Serbian power in the region. With the extension and the establishment of the Turkish dominion, the Balkans witnessed a completely new styles and types of architecture that remained to the present days and became part of the regional cultural identity. The Ottomans achieved high level architecture by mastering the technique of building vast inner spaces confined by seemingly weightless yet massive domes, and achieving perfect harmony between inner and outer spaces, as well as articulated light and shadow.   In the newly conquered regions the Ottomans besides the sacral and profane buildings, were building water supplies as primary buildings besides the mentioned ones. Besides the everyday needs, the water played dominant role during the practicing of the religious rules.  After 1392, Skopje became primary military and strategic center of the Empire in the region. This role of the town was kept till the middle of the XVI century. In this period the biggest and the most monumental Ottoman buildings with profane and religious character were built which completely changed the physical appearance of the town. In Macedonia towards the end of XIV century, the Ottoman influences (Arabic, Persian and Seldjuk) built over the already founded Byzantine influences as well as over the autochthonous culture. In that way the recognizable trend of the Ottoman architecture called Balkan type was created.  The town Skopje, by the Ottoman administration was categorized as an open urban settlement the highest level, in fact şehir and center of the governing unit - space and was called Üsküb. The town was urban, drafted according to the profane and public structure. The profane structure was done with residential buildings, organized in neighbourhoods, constructed with bondruk buildings and narrow streets.

 

Mosques and Turbehs

Câmi is word with Arabic origin and means a building for assembling the believers for mutual prayers. The mosques were surrounded by fenced yard where the central position was for the şadirvan - a fountain for ritual washing. The entrance of the mosque was marked by erected porch and portal mostly built with stalactite decoration and with a special technique made front gates. The architectural composition of the mosques is consisted in central inside space, where on the South wall (in direction of Mecca) a semicircular niche - mirhab was made, for the imam who leads the believers through the prayers. On right the preaching place-minber is situated mainly made of marble or wood with rich shallow relief decoration; on left kürüsu - erected desk also for preaching. Over the inside entrance of the mosque there is mahvil - gallery on pillars where during the prayers the muezzin stays, but also a separated place for the women. An essential element of every building was the minaret, emphasized by the horizontally developed facades from where the believers are called for prayer.    In Skopje and in the region the mosques were built with alternatively usage of finished stone and bricks. The domes over the prayer space and those from the porch were covered with lead. In Skopje, in the past according to the travel notices around 120 prayer buildings were built, and today only 21 are preserved. TURBEHS The turbehs - grave monuments, mausolea have special place and meaning in the sacral Ottoman architecture besides the mosques. Important religious and ordinary people were buried there, mostly the founders of the mosque or his close relative. They were often built on dominant locations in the towns, usually on hills, which fulfilling the composition of those urban solutions. These buildings were small in size but harmonious proportions from the open or closed type. The base is square, rectangular or polygonal. They are mostly with dome. The sarcophagus of the dead was usually placed in the central part of the turbeh wit appropriate marks and accompanying ritual things. The turbehs were usually built from stone, bricks or marble. In the past in Skopje a lot of turbehs were built but today only a small part of them is preserved.