The Kurshumli han

The Kurshumli han (lodging) is considered as one of the most beautiful and famous cultural monuments in Skopje, representing a monumental building of the Islamic profane architecture. Located in the bazaar, it was built in the mid-16th century by Muslihuddin Abdul Ghani, known as Muzein-hodja Al-Ma'dini. The Kurshumli han belonged to the great wakf of Muezin-hodja who had his building in several places in Rumelia, such as Skopje, Novi Pazar, Trepcha, and Mitrovica. Along with the rest of this legator's property located in Skopje, Kurshumli han was consecrated to the famous Dukandjik Mosque, which Muezin- himself built in Skopje. 
At first, the Kurshumli han was known as Muezin-hodja’s lodging, named after its founder and builder. It is believed that the name "kurshumli" (kurşunlu) was probably given somewhere in the 19th century, meaning "lodging with a lead roof" because unlike the other lodgings in Skopje, its roof was constructed out of expensive lead. The massive two-story construction had a central yard, typical for this types of buildings. The lodging covered an area of 2,800 m2. It consisted of two parts, one was used to house merchants and their goods, and the other was a barn with additional rooms and rooms for the servants working in the lodging. The main part of the lodging has an almost square base and consists of a ground floor and a first floor. It is built around a square yard, surrounded by a wide porch of arcades, both on the ground floor and on the first floor. There are 28 rooms on the ground floor and 32 rooms on the first floor. A fountain with an authentic stone cup is positioned in the yard of the Kurshumli han. The water for this fountain, as well as for the fountain in front of the Dukandjik Mosque, was brought through two water pipes built by Muezin-hodja. The Kurshumli han played an important role in the development of the trading life in Skopje, which was a strong transit point in the wider trade network.
After ceasing to function, the Kurshumli han building served different purposes. In the second half of the 19th century, it was turned into a Vilayet prison. It served as a weapon depot after the World War I, and then housed the lapidarium of the Museum of Southern Serbia. Since 1955, the Lapidarium of the Archaeological Museum of Macedonia has been placed in Kursumli lodging. In the summer the Kurshumli han is used for various concerts and cultural events, since it offers an extraordinary acoustic.