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Skopje () is the capital of and largest city in the Republic of Macedonia, with more than a quarter of the population of the country, as well as its political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi. The city developed rapidly after World War II, but this trend was interrupted in 1963 when it was hit by a disastrous earthquake. Today Skopje is a modern city with a wide range of cultural monuments.
Skopje is located at , on the upper course of the Vardar River and is located on a major north-south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens.
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Skopje () is the capital of and largest city in the Republic of Macedonia, with more than a quarter of the population of the country, as well as its political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi. The city developed rapidly after World War II, but this trend was interrupted in 1963 when it was hit by a disastrous earthquake. Today Skopje is a modern city with a wide range of cultural monuments.
Skopje is located at , on the upper course of the Vardar River and is located on a major north-south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens. According to the 2002 census, it has approximately 500 000 inhabitants and is a center for metal-processing, chemical, timber, textile, leather, and printing industries. Industrial development of the city has been accompanied by development of the trade, logistics, and banking sectors, as well as an emphasis on the fields of culture and sport. Since the 1990s the city's position as a transportation hub is increasing in Southeast Europe since it stands at an intersection of two main European transport corridors - Corridor VIII (East-West) and Corridor X (North-South). This significance of the city has been enhanced by the construction of new highways on the two transversals, the new Skopje ring road, and the ongoing extension and modernization of Skopje Alexander the Great Airport.
Name
- See also: other names of Skopje
In 1912, the name of the city was officially changed from the Turkish Üsküp ( to Serbian Skoplje . Since the 1950s, the name of the city in Macedonian has been Skopje, reflecting the Macedonian Cyrillic orthography for the local pronunciation. It originates from Latin Scupi. This, in turn, is explained as going back to the name of a local Thraco-Illyrian speaking tribe. During the Middle Ages, Skopje was often under the rule of the Bulgarian Empire; the Bulgarian rendition is Skopie. The city was known as Uskub or Uskup in most Western European languages during the period of Ottoman rule. In Albanian it is called Shkupi, in Aromanian, Scopia, and in Romani, Skopiye.
History
Classical era
The site of modern Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; remains of Neolithic settlements have been found within the old Kale fortress that overlooks the modern city centre. The settlement appears to have been founded around the by the Paionians, a people that inhabited the region. In the 3th century BC, Skopje and the surrounding area was invaded by the Dardani. Scupi, the ancient Skopje, came under Roman rule after the general Quintus Caecilius Metellus defeated Andriscus of Macedon in 148 BC, being at first part of the Roman province of Macedonia, established in 146 BC. The northward expansion of the empire in the course of the 1st century BC lead to the creation of the province of Moesia in Augustus's times, into which Scupi was incorporated. After the division of the province by Domitian in 86 AD, Scupi was elevated to colonia status, and became a seat of government within the new province of Moesia superior. The district called Dardania (in Moesia Superior), was formed into a special province by Diocletian, with the capital at Naissus. From 395 AD, it passed into the hands of the Eastern Roman (or Byzantine) Empire.
The first known bishop of the city is Perigorius, present at the Council of Sardica (343). Scupi was probably a metropolitan see about the middle of the 5th century .
Medieval era
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I was born near Skupi, at Tauresium, in 483. In 518, Skupi was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. Justinian came to the aid of its inhabitants by founding a new settlement called Justiniana Prima north from the site of Skupi. However, Justiniana and the remnants of Skupi were destroyed by invading Slavic peoples at the end of the 7th century. The Slavs renamed the site as Skopje but were eventually pushed out by the Byzantines.
During much of the early medieval period, the town was contested between the Byzantines and the Bulgarian Empire. From 972 to 992 it was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire. After that, it was a capital of Byzantine administrative region (katepanat) Bulgaria after the fall the First Bulgarian Empire in 1018. Skopje was a thriving trading settlement but fell into decline after being hit by another devastating earthquake at the end of the 11th century. It was a capital of the estate of the Bulgarian feudal lord, later Emperor Konstantin Asen in the middle of 13th century. The town was taken by the Serbs in 1282. In 1346 it was named the capital of the Serbian Empire of Stefan Dušan.
Ottoman era
In 1392, three years after the Serbian defeat in the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, Skopje was captured by the Ottoman Empire. For the next five hundred years it was known by the Turkish name Üsküb or Üsküp. Ottoman Üsküb was the capital of the Vilayet of Kosovo (district of Kosovo), which occupied a much greater area than the modern region of Kosovo .
The city's character changed markedly during this period. The Ottomans imported Islam and built many mosques and other typically Ottoman buildings, such as hamams (baths) and travelers' inns, some of which still exist today. Many Sephardi Jews expelled from Spain also settled in the city, adding to its ethnic variety.
The medieval city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1555, but it soon recovered and prospered. By the 17th century, its population was put at between 30,000-60,000. The Turkish writer Dulgar Dede visited Üsküb during this period and wrote: "I travelled for many years across that country of Rumelia and I saw a many beautiful cities and I was amazed at Allah's blessings, but not one impressed and delighted as much as the heavenly city of Skopje across which passes the Vardar River."
In 1689, however, Skopje was burned by the Austrian General Enea Silvio Piccolomini ostensibly to eradicate an outbreak of cholera, but quite possibly to avenge the Ottomans' 1683 attack on Vienna.
The city's fortunes waned over the next 200 years. In 1850 the population of Skopje was upwards of 12,000 and it consisted of Albanians, Jews, Armenians, Vlachs, Greeks, Bulgarians and Serbians. It revived after 1873 with the building of the railway from Belgrade to Thessaloniki, which passed through Skopje.
By 1905, Skopje had a population of approximately 32,000, which was composed of a mixture of ethnic and religious groups. In 1910, the Albanian Roman Catholic nun , Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, later to become famous as Mother Teresa, was born in Skopje.
The city became a major centre of rebellion against the weakening Ottoman Empire, and in 1903 it was a key player in the unsuccessful Ilinden Uprising against Ottoman rule. The Ottomans were shortly expelled from the city in August 12, 1912 by the local Slavic population. Several months later the city was captured by the Serbs at the beginning of First Balkan War.
Balkan wars, I and II World War
In 1913, the allies in the First Balkan War fell out with each other and launched the Second Balkan War over the division of the spoils. Serbia retained control of Skopje, with the Vardar valley being incorporated into Serbia. This lasted until October 1915, when Bulgaria joined the Central Powers and seized much of Serbian-ruled Macedonia.
The city was occupied by Serbia at end of the World War I in 1918, when it became part of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1929). Between 1941–1944 the city was under Bulgarian occupation. One month after the communists took power in Sofia and the Bulgarian army was sent to fight the Germans to the west front, Skopje was seized by the People's Liberation Army of Macedonia, and then joined Yugoslavia in 1944, when it became the capital of the newly established People's Republic of Macedonia. Following the wars, Skopje and the rest of Vardar Macedonia was incorporated into Tito's Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Skopje grew rapidly during united Yugoslavia and became a major industrial centre for the south-central Balkans region.
1963 earthquake
On 26 July 1963, Skopje was struck by another major earthquake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, which killed over 1,000 people and made another 120,000 homeless. Eighty percent of the city was destroyed by the earthquake, and numerous cultural monuments were seriously damaged. The losses from the quake amounted to a massive 150% of Macedonia's GNP at the time and 15% of Yugoslavia's GNP. A major international relief effort saw the city rebuilt quickly, though much of its old neo-classical charm was lost in the process. The new master plan of the city was created by the then leading Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. However, his architectural and urban designs were only partially implemented. The ruins of the old Skopje train station which was destroyed in the earthquake remain today as a memorial to the victims along with an adjacent museum.
Capital of independent Macedonia
Skopje has been officially the capital of the Republic of Macedonia since 1945, in 1991 becoming the capital of a fully independent state. Skopje is the political, administrative, and commercial center of the country. Home of the public Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje founded in 1949 and five other private universities.
Geography
Skopje is located in the northern part of Macedonia, in the Skopje statistical region. The Vardar River flows through the city and the rest of the country, passing the border into Greece and flowing into the Aegean Sea. Skopje is located at an elevation of 255 meters above sea level. The city's land area is 1,854 km² (715.8 sq mi).
Climate
The city experiences a continental climate, with hot summers and cool winters.
Administrative divisions
Skopje is an administrative division within the Republic of Macedonia constituted of 10 municipalities. As a such administrative unit Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. It is part of Skopje statistical region (??????? ??????).
The organisation of Skopje, like a distinct unit of the local-selfgovernment is defined by the Law of Skopje.
1 . Centar
2 . Gazi Baba
3 . Aerodrom
4 . Cair
5 . Kisela Voda
6 . Butel
7 . Šuto Orizari
8 . Karpoš
9 . Gjorce Petrov
10 . Saraj
Transport
Airports:
Skopje has one international airport: Skopje Alexander the Great Airport located in the Petrovec municipality, about 22 kilometers east from the city center. MAT Macedonian Airlines flies to many international destinations across Europe as well as Ohrid. A variety of other airlines serve the airport.
The airport has been given under concession to the Turkish company TAV, which should start works on a new 3 million passengers terminal in late August 2009 and finish it within 20 months.
Highways:
The E75 highway connecting Vardø in Norway and Crete in Greece runs just east of Skopje, thus linking most of Europe with the Macedonian capital. The E75 highway in Macedonia connects Kumanovo, Veles, Negotino, and Gevgelija.
The E65 highway runs through the northern and western edges of the city and is part of the 26.5 km long Skopje Northern Bypass. The E65 in Macedonia also connects Tetovo, Gostivar, Kicevo, Ohrid and Bitola
Railways:
The Skopje Central Railway Station is approximately 2 kilometers east of the city center. It's part of the "Transportation Center" Complex built in the 1970s. It has 10 platforms and is suspended on a massive concrete bridge about 2 km long.
Taxis and Buses:
The Skopje main bus station is 2 kilometers east of the city center located in the Transportation Center housing also the central railway station. Buses run through the whole city connecting different areas; the average price for a ticket is 30 denars or about 0.5 euro. Taxis are all over the city, they go between the city center and the airport frequently. The price for a drive to or from the airport is about 17 euros or 900 Macedonian denars. The average price going through the city is 3 euros or 160 denars. Taxis can also drive to other Macedonian cities but it is usually costly for an average Macedonian.
Demographics
According to the 2002 census, the population of Skopje was 506,926 people. The main ethnic groups are Macedonians - 338,358, who make 66.75% of the population, followed by Albanians - 103,891 (20.49%), Roma - 23,475 (4.63%), Serbs - 14,298 (2.82%), Turks - 8,595 (1.70%), Bosniaks - 7,585 (1.50%) and Aromanians (Vlachs) - 2,557 (0.50%) and others - 8,167 (1.61%)
97.5% of the population over the age of 10 is literate.
Landmarks
Old Stone Bridge
The Old Stone Bridge in the city square is built under the patronage of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror between 1451 and 1469. This bridge represents the connection between Skopje’s past and present and today is featured as the emblem of the city of Skopje. The bridge was partially renovated in the 1990s.
Old Bazaar
The Old Bazaar is situated in an area between the Stone Bridge and the Bit Bazaar, and between the Kale fortress and the Vardar River. In the past all economic activities in the city were taking place in this bazaar. In the period between the XVI and the XVII century, the Old Bazaar reached its urban and economic zenith, developing into one of the largest and most significant oriental old bazaars in the Balkans. It is full of bustling shops that beckon visitors. This bazaar is an interesting mixture of Eastern and Western culture.
Macedonia square
This square is the largest and most important of Skopje’s squares. It is dramatically widened by the destruction of the massive neoclassical National Bank and Army House during the 1963 earthquake. The most remarkable building is the Risticheva Palata. However, the focus of the square is still the Stone Bridge, and it’s a pleasant place to hang out in good weather. During the warmer months concerts are performed in the square.
Kale Fortress
This fortress is situated in a hill above the city and there were settlements that existed before the Turks created the extensive castle walls that survived until today. The present fortress was originally built by the Byzantines in the 6th century. It is supposed that the stone blocks used in this construction were taken from the destroyed city of Skupi nearby. After the 1963 earthquake, Kale’s circular, rectangular and square towers were conserved and restored. Today this fortress is the one of the best sightseeing spots in Skopje.
Old Railway Station
The clock on this old train station stopped at 5:17 am since the morning of July 26 1963, when this piece of the grand modernist station of Skopje was one of the few parts of the city that remained standing after a massive earthquake crushed the city. It measured 6.1 on the Richter scale, killed nearly two thousand people, and left over a hundred thousand homeless after destroying about 80% of the city. It's a reminder of a tragic moment in Skopje's history.
Millennium Cross
The Millennium Cross, situated on the peak of the mountain Vodno, is a tourist attraction. At 66 meters high, it is the biggest cross in the world and can be seen from 30 km away. It was built to celebrate 2000 years of the existence of Christianity and of Macedonia as a biblical land.
Sveti Spas Church
This church, one of the most famous landmarks in Skopje, is located between the Old Bazaar and the Kale Fortress. The interior of this attraction is significant in art, as it features a giant iconostasis (altar) carved out of wood. Blending biblical figures and local scenery, the depictions themselves are of topical interest. Goce Delcev, a national hero for his involvement in the late 19th century struggle for Macedonian liberation, is buried in the church backyard.
Saint Panteleimon church
The church of Saint Panteleimon in Nerezi near Skopje is a superb example of the Comnenian art on the all-Byzantine level. Commissioned by several members of the royal Comnenus family, the church was not finished until 1164. Nerezi is famous for its frescoes, representing a pinnacle of the 12th-century trend of intimacy and spirituality. They are often compared with similarly delicate works by Giotto, who worked 140 years later. These murals underwent serious 19th-century overpainting but were restored lately.
St. Dimitrija Church
The church was built in the 18th century on the place of an old church from the 13th century. This church was Macedonian orthodox cathedral church before the construction of the present-day cathedral church of St. Clement of Ohrid.
St. Clement of Ohrid Church
The main Macedonian orthodox cathedral church was consecrated in 1990, on the 1150th anniversary of the birth of the church patron, St. Clement of Ohrid. The iconostasis icons were painted by Gjorgi Danevski and Spase Spirovski and the frescoes were painted by the academic painter Jovan Petrov and his collaborators.
Holy Mother of God Church
This cathedral church, dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, was built on the place of an old church also dedicated to the Holy Mother, built in 1204 and later completely destroyed in a fire. The old church was previously rebuilt and consecrated in 1935, but destroyed by the Bulgarian occupying forces on 7 April 1944. The present-day church's reconstruction began on 2 October 2002.
Kuršumli An
This former Turkish inn features architecturally interesting arches and domes. Because lead was used to top the structure, it became known as the Lead Inn (Kursumli An).Now it is sharing its location with a national museum for Macedonia. This type of structure, once common in Islamic cities, is known as a "caravanserai". Its appearance is identical to those of the caravan sarais that were built in the Islamic urban centers of these times. It is an impressive building with decorated walls and numerous small domes of a pyramidal shape. Its roof was covered by lead, and this is how its name originated (kuršum in Turkish language means lead).
Mustafa Pasha Mosque
Of the old mosques in the city, Mustapha Pasha Mosque is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings of Ottoman architecture in Skopje. Located on a hill facing Fort Kale, this mosque dominates the whole surroundings and was built in the last decade of the 15th century when the military spahi system of Osmanli Turkish feudalism had reached the peak of its development. It is an endowment of Mustapha Pasha, an eminent figure in the Turkish state during the rule of Sultan Bayezid II and Sultan Selim I. The year of Mustapha Pasha's death is engraved on the entrance of his mausoluem, which is located by the mosque. It shows him to have died in 1519. The mausoleum and the mosque were both badly damaged in Skopje's 1963 earthquake, and restoration and conservation work was started in 1968. The interior of the mosque, like that of the porch, is mostly decorated with stylized plants. On the walls of the praying space are calligraphic inscriptions (lehve) with the names of Allah, Mohammed and his followers (Ebubekira, Ali, Osman and Omer) and quotations from the Qu'ran. The painted decorations are more recent, mainly from 1933 when the mosque was renovated. This can be seen from the intense blue and black color of the ornaments, which are often a confusing mass of color. Most of the city's 1930s 'Balkan Art Nouveau' buildings were also destroyed in 1963 but some characteristic examples remain. Non-worshippers are not always granted access, but the building is at least lovely on the outside, with well-maintained gardens.
Mother Teresa sites
There are several landmarks of Mother Teresa in Skopje, the city where she was born of parents of ethnic Albanian origin, including a marker for her birthplace and a statue. The Mother Teresa Memorial House in Skopje was opened at the beginning of 2009.
Skopje Aqueduct
An ancient aqueduct survives to the north of the city. One of stone bridges connecting both side of Vardar River dates back to the reign of Stefan Dušan. This bridge is not to be confused with the more famous Stone Bridge in the city square.
Culture
Museum of Contemporary Arts Skopje, is one of the most important institution of Macedonia in discovering, treasuring and preserving the Contemporary Arts.
?he international community manifested an exceptionally wide solidarity in assisting the reconstruction of Skopje. An important part of that solidarity was also the action initiated by the International Association of the Plastic Arts which on its convention held in October 1963 in New York, called upon the artists of the world to assist in creating a collection of works of art by which they would support the vision of the city reconstruction.
The building project was donated by the Polish Government which made a national competition to this and where the joint work of the Polish architects: J. Mokrzynski, E. Wierzbicki and W. Klyzewski was accepted. Having a total area of 5000 sq. m., the Museum building is made up of three connected wings which include the halls for temporary exhibitions, the premises for the permanent exhibition, the hall for lecturers, film and video presentation, the library and the archives, the administration, the conservation workshop, the depots and other departments. The great park areas, that enable the installation of various sculptural projects, as well as the spacious parking further relate to the immediate environment of the Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art.
The Skopje Jazz Festival is one of the most important jazz events in Southeast Europe held annually ever since 1981. The artists` profiles include fusion, acid jazz, Latin jazz, smooth jazz, and avant-garde jazz, which brings a great variety and richness to this festival. Ray Charles, Tito Puente, Gotan Project, Al di Meola, Youssou N'Dour, just to name few, have taken part at this festival. The Skopje Jazz Festival is part of the European Jazz Network and The European Forum of World Wide Festivals. It is held in October.
The Skopje Cultural Summer Festival is renowned cultural event that takes place in Skopje each year during the summer. The festival is a member of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) and it comprises musical concerts, operas, ballets and plays, art and photo-exhibitions, movies, performances and multimedia projects, that gather each year about 2 000 participants from around the world (United Kingdom, Germany, France, USA, Russia, Canada, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Austria, the Scandinavian countries, Iran etc), including St Petersburg Theatre, the Chamber Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, Irina Arkhipova, Aleksandar Shilo, Viktor Tretiakov (Russia), The Theatre of Shadows from Tehran (Iran), Sophie Boulin, Michel Dalberto (France), David Burgess, Nan Hughes, William Feasley (United States), Vassilis Rakopoulos (Greece), Roger Woodford, the Sirinu Ensemble (United Kingdom) and Izumi Tateno (Finland).
Blues and Soul Festival is a relatively new event in the Macedonian cultural scene that occurs every summer between July 1 and 4, as a part of the Skopje Cultural Summer Festival. Many important blues and soul figures have been guests, including Larry Coryell, Mick Taylor & All Stars Blues Band, Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff, João Bosco, The Temptations, Tolo Marton Trio, Blues Wire, Phil Guy, Nick & The Backbone, Blues Company, Vasil Hadzimanov Band, Mama’s Pit, Nico Wayne Toussaint, Kimbiza, Rod Barthet Band, Mr. Lucky and Sen-Sa-Shun Band, Juke Joint Express, Muscle Theory, and David ‘’Honeyboy’’ Edwards.
May Opera Evenings is a festival that occurs in Skopje since 1972 and it is dedicated to opera and making opera more popular among the public. It has evolved into a stage on which artists from some 50 countries across the globe have performed with distinction to high international standards.
The Open Youth Theatre Festival is established In May 1976 by a group of young enthusiasts. More than 250 theatrical performances have been presented at this festival so far, most of them by alternative, experimental theatre groups engaging young writers and actors. Recently, the festival became a member of the Brussels Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM). Within the framework of the Open Youth Theatre, a Macedonian National Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) was established, and at the 25th ITI World Congress in Munich in 1993, it was received as a regular member of this theatre association. Now, the Open Youth Theatre festival is an international festival representing groups from the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, the United States, France, the Soviet Union, Russia, Spain, Japan, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom, India and other countries.
Sports
Famous people born in Skopje
Some notable people born in Skopje or its surroundings are:
Twin towns and Sister cities
Skopje is twinned with:
- Nürnberg, Germany
- Zaragoza, Spain
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Ankara, Turkey
- Dresden, Germany
- Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Lecce, Italy
- East York, Ontario, Canada
- Wroclaw, Poland
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Podgorica, Montenegro
| Istanbul, Turkey Waremme, Belgium Niš, Serbia Pittsburgh, USA Bradford, England, UK Craiova, Romania Dijon, France Sofia, Bulgaria Belgrade, Serbia Pernik, Bulgaria Roubaix, France |
Gallery
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