20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

800 Tănase Bujduveanunaturally delimited by these waters. The river beds had the capacity to takeover the extra volume of water from the town and the mountains. To ensuresafe and easy crossing of the rivers the stone craftsmen from Moscopolebuilt durable bridges. On the river Strug there were four bridges, two ofthem being very important. One of them was close to the Academy andit was located on the route to Berat. The year 1742 was inscribed on thestones of the bridge. Other four bridges crossed the river Zobru, two ofthem being located on the route to Corcea. The mountains nearby providedthe construction materials for these bridges and other bridges in Moscopole.X. The Corporations in MoscopoleMoscopole developed due to its capacity to influence the surroundingareas in the Balkans. The economic and cultural development of the townmade it an attraction for the young people from other towns who came toMoscopole to learn or to become the apprentices of the local craftsmen.The newcomers became citizens of Moscopole after they were admittedinto one of the corporations and after completing stages of apprenticeshipwith one of the local merchants or craftsmen to learn the skills required.As it can be noticed Moscopole had a perfect organisation as far as theintegration of the newcomers is concerned. The economic organisation ofthe town was actually one of the ways of its development.The Stoneworkers’ GuildThe stoneworkers were known in Moscopole and the surroundingareas. Each stone was the work of several stoneworkers until it reached thegeometrical shape which allowed its perfect match with the other stones.Durable constructions such as churches, monasteries, roads, houses, palacesand many others were made of stone. Connectors were used to match thepieces of stone and to finish the building.The Blacksmiths’ GuildIron processing reached its highest activity in the 17 th and 18 th centuries.The guild was one of the oldest in town, as proved by the location of theworkshop near St. Mary’ Church on the main street.The Coppersmiths’ GuildThey processed copper in order to make household pots of artisticvalue. They also made religious pots, candlesticks, crosses, decorations forchurches or for private houses.The Silversmiths’ GuildTheir products were in demand both in Moscopole and in other centresof Europe and Turkey. The fame of Moscopole came from the filigree