Macedonian Architecture From 19th Century in The Village of Leshok, Republic of Macedonia

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The old rural architecture in Macedonia is insufficiently studied and in many villages is in the process of extinction, especially in Western Macedonia where there are many villages whose inhabitants have emigrated.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this research is the folk architecture of the house in the village of Leshok, near Tetovo, and getting acquainted with the other types of objects that are part of the rural-economic yard and are inextricably linked to the daily work, life and customs of the peasant from this region.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: For analysis of the traditional architecture of the houses in the village of Leshok from the late 19_th and early 20^th centuries, 10 typical houses with different structure and location are chosen, which are identified and displayed by the Google Earth search engine.

RESULTS: The basic characteristics of the architecture of the village house in Leshok are explained, where the economic yard together with the economic objects are included. The functional solutions of the foundations of houses from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century are shown, the constructions used in the house of Leshok are described, as well as the materials that were used for their construction. In the end we get acquainted with the interior and the design of the premises in the old Macedonian house.

CONCLUSION: Leshok belongs to the group of mountain villages of compact type. The configuration of the terrain, the dead riverbed, dictated the way of construction, where the houses are placed one above the other and each has a clear view of the valley. In that way, the basic architectural features of the Leshok house are formed. It is a typical mountain house built of stone and wood, on two floors and with an open veranda.