Tetovo and its main draw the Colourful Mosque, a House of Cards.

Of course, this is my opinion, but it is undoubtedly a good reason to go there. Tetovo is the main seat for Albanians in (North) Macedonia. This was my first stop after leaving Skopje on my trip around Macedonia. The bus connections in Macedonia are sufficient, so all my trips between towns were by ordinary buses. This gives you good opportunities to see the landscapes, the fantastic still snow-covered mountains, and the small villages you pass. You will also note that poverty is present in the countryside.

Tetovo

Tetovo is a city with about 65,000 inhabitants. It is not a rich city, but some historic sites are to be seen, and there are some nice cafes. Since 1994, Tetovo has also been a university city. The university was built, not supported by the government, and became the first university in Macedonia to teach in Albanian. In 2004, it became a stately-run university.

Xhamia e Larme (The colourful Mosque)

As I stated in the title, the main attractions of Tetovo are its Colourful Mosque. The mosque was built in 1438 and rebuilt in 1833. It is one of the most important cultural and historical structures and represents the style of early Ottoman architecture. The painted mosque remains a significant monument to the residents and is the main tourist attraction for many foreign visitors.

The mosque’s distinguishing feature is its painted decorations, which were painted with oil paints. In addition to the geometric and floral ornamentation, landscapes are also encountered. One of the foremost thoughts I got when I looked at it from the outside is that it looks like a house of standing play cards. See the detailed picture below.

As my followers know, I like to visit religious buildings, and I have visited a few mosques on my travels. But this, I must say, is the most extraordinary mosque I have visited. It is not very large, but every inch is maintained and in fantastic colours. Up just below the ceiling are small pictures of religious sites from around the world, which are so intricate.

From hammam to art gallery

I enjoyed visiting this mosque and spent a long time inside it. On my first day in Tetovo, the weather was dull and grey; however, the day after, I walked back to take more pictures in the sun. As with many mosques, a hammam was built nearby across the river. It was not very large and has now become an Art gallery.

Arabati Baba Tekke

I visited Arabati Baba Tekke, which is recommended in the guides. However, I have had problems finding out precisely what I mean. What I have found out is that it was a gathering place for Sunni Muslims. I am unsure whether it worked as a “monastery” or an Inn for sleepovers. There is a small Mosque within the enclosure and this colourful old tower, the house of Fatima.

Inside the enclosure are houses of different purposes and conditions, but they all have charm. There was an open door, and I entered a courtyard with pictures of famous people visiting the place, but everything was written in the local language. A religious man approached me to show me pictures of how Macedonia kept several religious groups cooperating. When I had written in their guest book, he picked a flower and gave me and wished me a nice stay in Tetovo.

Since Tetovo is the most crucial city for Albanians in Macedonia, most street and shop names are written in Latin letters, unlike the rest of the country, where they use Cyrillic letters. It was a nice stay before I took the bus the next morning to Ohrid.