Skopje

Skopje Скопjе
—  City  —
City of Skopje Град Скопjе
Top: Kale Fortress. 2nd row: Makedonija Street, Millenium Cross. 3rd row: Macedonia Square, St. Clement of Ohrid Church. Bottom: Stone Bridge
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Heart of the Balkans
Skopje Location of the city of Skopje in Macedonia
Coordinates:
Country	Macedonia
Municipality	Greater Skopje
Founded	Around 4000 B.C.
Government
- Mayor	Koce Trajanovski (VMRO-DPMNE)
Area
- Total	1,854 km2 (715.8 sq mi)
Elevation	240 m (787 ft)
Population (2006)[1]
- Total	668,518
- Density	360.6/km2 (933.9/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal codes	1000
Area code(s)	+389 02
Car plates	SK
Patron saint	Virgin Mary
Website	skopje.gov.mk

Skopje (Macedonian: Скопје, [ˈskɔpjɛ]  ( listen)) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi.

The territory of modern Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC;^[2] 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 then by the Paionians, a people that inhabited the region. In 148 BC the city became part of the Roman province of Macedonia, established in 146 BC. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Skupi came under Byzantine rule from Constantinople. During much of the early medieval period, the town was contested between the Byzantines and the Bulgarian Empire. In 1189 the town was part of the Serbian realm.^[3] In 1392 the city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and they named the town Uskub. The town stayed under Ottoman conquest over 500 years. At that time the city was famous for its oriental architecture. In 1912, the Balkan Wars happened and after the First World War the city became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kingdom of Yugoslavia). In the Second World War the city was conquered by the Bulgarian Army, which was collaborating with the Nazi Germans. In 1944 it became the capital city of Democratic Macedonia (later Socialist Republic of Macedonia),^[4] which was a federal state, part of Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (later Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). The city developed rapidly after World War II, but this trend was interrupted in 1963 when it was hit by a disastrous earthquake. In 1991 it became the capital centre of independent Macedonia.

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 2006 official estimate, it has 668,518 inhabitants^[1] 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.

Etymology

A welcoming sign in Skopje.

The name of Skopje derives from an ancient name that is attested in antiquity as Latin Scupi, the name of a classical era Greco-Roman frontier fortress town.^[5] It may go back further to a pre-Greek, Illyrian name.^[6] In modern times, the city was known by its Ottoman Turkish pronunciation, Üsküp (Ottoman Turkish: اسكوب) during the time of Ottoman rule and the Serbian form Skoplje (Скопље) during the time of the Royal Yugoslavia between 1912 and the 1940s. Since 1945, the official name of the city in Macedonian has been Skopje (Скопје), reflecting the Macedonian Cyrillic orthography for the local pronunciation. The city is called Shkup or Shkupi in Albanian, Skopie (Скопие) in Bulgarian and Skopia (Σκόπια) in Greek.

Geography

Satellite image of the city.

Skopje is located in the northern part of Macedonia, in the Skopje statistical region, in the centre of the Balkans, approximately halfway between Belgrade and Athens. The Vardar River, which originates near Gostivar, flows through the city then south passing the border into Greece and flowing into the Aegean Sea. The Vardar valley is surrounded by numerous hills and mountains. The city covers an average of 23 km from east to west and 9 km from north to south. Skopje is located at an elevation of 225 m (738 ft) above sea level. The city's land area is 1,854 km² (716 sq mi).

Climate

The city experiences a humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa) near the boundary of the humid continental climate. The summers are hot and humid, and the winters are cold and wet and often snowy. In summer the temperatures are usually above 31 °C (88 °F), and sometimes, above 40 °C (104 °F). In spring and autumn, the temperatures range from 15 to 24 °C (59 to 75 °F). In the winter, the day temperatures are about 6 °C (43 °F), but in the nights they often fall below 0 °C (32 °F), even below −10 °C (14 °F) on some cold nights. The precipitations are evenly distributed throughout the year, being heaviest, from October to December and from April to June.

Hydrography

River Vardar in Skopje.

In Skopje, the Vardar River is only sixty miles from its source near Gostivar. The flow in the city is almost equivalent to that which it has at its delta, near Thessaloniki. The river is a flood plane, thus its surroundings are not very developed. It makes a few large meanders in Skopje and is crossed by several bridges, five in number in the centre.

Several rivers flow into the Vardar in Skopje. The longest is the river Treska, which is 130 km long. Others include the Lepenec, Pčinja, Kadina Reka, Markova Rek and Pateška, which are all less than 70 km long.^[2]

Skopje has two artificial lakes, Matka and Treska, supplied by the eponymous river and located just few kilometers outside the center. The channel Jakupica is a glacial lake.^[2]

Geology

View of Skopje from the Vodno mountain.

The seismic movements have formed an environment of medium mountains around the city. The city of Skopje on the west is bordered by Šar Mountains, on south by the Jakupica chain, which culminates at a point high 2533 m, and east by hills that form the early Osogovo Mountains, which mark the border between Macedonia and Bulgaria.^[2]

The mountains are crowned and the highest point in the center of Skopje, is at on altitude of 1066 meters. It is far exceeded by the mountains Osoj, Skopska Crna Gora and Žeden which are have highness of 1506, 1260 and 1561 meters respectively.^[2]

Some rivers, like the Matka, have dug a few ravines around the center. The canyon of Treska River is surrounded by some caves.^[2]

Town planning

A triumphal arch planned in the city center, part of the so-called "Skopje 2014" project

Several historicist new buildings planned along the river Vardar. The plans of the "Skopje 2014" project have been widely criticised for their conservative esthetics.

Skopje has a rather loose and messy town planning, which is the result of the earthquake that destroyed 80% of the city in 1963.

The center is thus formed of two entirely separate sections. The older parts on the north bank of the Vardar, which were mostly untouched by the disaster, contrast with the neighborhoods to the south which were mostly fully rebuilt. They are characterized by wide boulevards and include most administrative buildings. The nerve center of the city was the Macedonia Square and the reconstruction was made on the south bank of Vardar, which is connected with the north by a bridge.

Rebuilding after the earthquake was largely orchestrated by Kenzo Tange,^[8] a Japanese architect and urban planner, who had drawn many plans for cities and towns, including the one for Hiroshima in 1949. The most significant accomplishment was the train station, which was built on an elevated platform over bridges and allows to separate traffic and pedestrians. The planning of the southern shore of the Vardar has been designed to accommodate 1,800 homes lost in the earthquake.^[8]

The combination of the earthquake, Yugoslav social planning and UN funded plans created an environment in Skopje for some unusual building projects from the mid-1960s onwards. A notable example is the central post office; the central circular building of which was by architect Janko Konstantinov.

Today, the city is still spreading in all directions and has a number of new developments.^[9] The government has made plans to erect several statues, fountains, bridges and museums at a cost of about €200 million. The project has generated controversy. Critics have described the new landmark buildings as signs of a reactionary historicist esthetics.^[10] The project has also been criticised for its cost and for the lack of representation of national minorities in the coverage of its set of statues and memorials.^[11]

History

Early phase

Scupi was quickly gained by the Romans and remains faithful to the decline of the Empire.      Roman Republic      Roman Empire      Western Roman Empire      Eastern Roman Empire

The site of modern Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC;^[2] 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 then by the Paionians, a people that inhabited the region. In the 3rd 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 Macedonicus 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 (Latin: Archidioecesis Scopiensis).^[12]

Medieval era

A relief of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.

When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Skupi came under Byzantine rule from Constantinople (today's Istanbul) and became an important trading and garrison town for the region. The Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527–65 AD) was born in Tauresium (about 20 km southeast of present-day Skopje) in 483 AD, and after Skupi was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 518 AD. Justinian built a new town at the fertile entry point of the River Lepenec into the Vardar. Some historians believe this might be the city of Justiniana Prima. 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.^[13] 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. In 1189 the town was part of the Serbian realm.^[3]

It was a capital of the estate of the Bulgarian feudal lord, later Emperor Konstantin Asen in the middle of 13th century. The Byzantine Empire took advantage of the decline in Skopje to regain influence in the area, but lost control of it once again in 1282 to King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia. Milutin's grandson, Stefan Dušan, made Skopje his capital, from which he proclaimed himself Tsar in 1346, subsequently making it the capital of the Serbian Empire.

Ottoman era

Ishak Bey Mosque.

Rolling back Byzantine rule across much of the Balkans, the Ottoman Turks finally conquered Skopje in 1392 beginning 520 years of Ottoman rule. The Ottomans pronounced the town Uskub and named it as such. At first the Ottomans divided the greater Macedonian region into three vilayets, or districts — Uskub (Kossovo), Manastir and Selanik – and as the northernmost of these, Uskub was strategically important for further forays into central Europe.

Under Ottoman rule the town moved further towards the entry point of the River Serava into the Vardar. Also the architecture of the town was changed accordingly. During the 15th century, many travelers' inns were established in the town, such as Kapan An and Suli An, which still exist today. The city's famous Stone Bridge (Kameni Most) – was also reconstructed during this period and the famous Daud Pasha baths (now a modern art gallery) was built at the end of the 15th century. At this time numerous Spanish Sephardic Jews driven out of Spain settled in Uskub, adding to the cultural mix of the town and enhancing the town's trading reputation.

At the beginning of Ottoman rule, several mosques sprang up in the city, and church lands were often seized and given to ex-soldiers, while many churches themselves were converted over time into mosques. The most impressive mosques erected during this early period include the Sultan Murat or Hjunkar Mosque, Aladza Mosque and the Mustafa Pasha Mosque. In 1555, another earthquake hit the town, destroying much of the centre. The outskirts survived and the town continued, nonetheless, to prosper with traders and travelers. Travel reports from the era number Uskub's population anywhere between 30,000 and 60,000 inhabitants. Uskub was briefly occupied in 1689 by the Austrian General Piccolomini. He and his troops did not stay for long, however, as the town was quickly engulfed by the plague. On retreating from the town Piceolomini's troops set fire to Uskub, perhaps in order to stamp out the plague, although some say this was done in order to avenge the 1683 Ottoman siege of Vienna.

For the next two centuries Uskub's prestige waned and by the 19th century its population had dwindled to a mere 10,000. In 1873, however, the completion of the Uskub—Selanik (now Skopje—Thessaloniki) railway brought many more travellers and traders to the town, so that by the turn of the century Uskub had regained its former numbers of around 30,000. Towards the end of the Ottoman Empire, Uskub, along with other towns in Macedonia – Krusevo and Manastir (now Bitola) – became main hubs of rebellious movements against Ottoman rule. Uskub was a key player in the Ilinden Uprising of August 1903 when the native population of the region declared the emergence of the Krusevo Republic. While the Krusevo Republic lasted only ten days before being quelled by the Ottomans, it was a sign of the beginning of the end for Ottoman rule. After 500 years of rule in the area the Ottomans were finally ousted in 1912 by the Serbian army during the first Balkan War.

Balkan and World Wars

Skopje after being captured by Albanian revolutionaries in August, 1912 who defeated the Ottoman forces holding the city.

Change of city name from Uskub to Skoplje in 1912.

As the administrative centre of the region, Uskub also administered the vilayet of Kossovo under Ottoman rule. This did not go down well with the increasingly Albanian population of Kosovo, who preferred to be ruled by Albanians rather than the Turks. The Ottomans were shortly expelled from the city in August 12, 1912 by the local Albanian population when 15,000 Albanians marched on Uskub.^[14][15] The Turks, already weak from other battles against the united front of Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria during the First Balkan War, started to flee.

When Serb reinforcements arrived some weeks later, the 23 October Battle of Kumanovo (50 km northeast of Skopje) proved decisive in firmly driving out the Ottomans from all of Macedonia. Skopje remained under Serbian rule during the Second Balkan War of 1913 when the formerly united front started to fight amongst themselves, until in 1914 the town was finally taken over by the Bulgarians. By 1918 it belonged to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, and remained so until 1939, apart from a brief period of six months in 1920 when Skopje was controlled by the Yugoslav Communist Party.

Vardar River in 1913.

The inter-war period of Royalist Yugoslavia saw significant immigration of ethnic Serbs into the region. An ethnic Serb ruling elite dominated over the rest, continuing the repression wrought by previous Turkish rulers.^[16]

In March 1941 when Yugoslavia entered the war, there were huge anti-war demonstrations in the streets of the town.^[17] Skopje came under German occupation on 7 April 1941^[18] and was later taken over by Bulgarian forces.^[19] During the occupation, Bulgaria endowed Skopje with a national theatre, a library, a museum and for higher education the King Boris University.^[20] However, on 11 March 1943, Skopje's entire Jewish population of 3,286 was deported to the gas chambers of Treblinka concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.^[21] One month after the communists took power in Sofia and the Bulgarian army was sent to the west front to fight the Germans, 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.

Socialist Republic of Macedonia

Members of the US Army 8th Evacuation Hospital in Skopje, Yugoslavia, following the earthquake in 1963. The unit was flown to the disaster site to provide medical care to the victims.

From 1944 until 1991 Skopje was the capital of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. The city expanded and the population grew during this period from just over 150,000 in 1945 to almost 600,000 in the early 1990s. Continuing to be prone to natural disasters the city was flooded by the Vardar River in 1962 and then suffered considerable damage from a major earthquake,^[22][23] measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, which killed over 1,000 people^[22][24] and made another 120,000 homeless.^[24][25] Eighty percent of the city was destroyed by the earthquake,^[25][26] 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. 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.

Nearly all of the city's beautiful neo-classical 18th and 19th century buildings were destroyed in the earthquake, including the National Theater and many government buildings, as well as most of the Kale Fortress. International financial aid poured into Skopje in order to help rebuild the city. Sadly, the result was the many "modern" concrete monstrosities of 1960s communism that can still be seen today, such as the Post Office building, as well as hundreds of now abandoned caravans and prefabricated mobile homes. Fortunately, though, as with previous earthquakes, much of the old Turkish side of town survived.

Independence

Highrises in modern Skopje.

Skopje made the transition easily from the capital of the Socialist Federal Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the capital of today's Republic of Macedonia. The city livened up considerably when Skopje housed the headquarters of the NATO intervention into Kosovo in 1998 and 1999. The city saw some rioting during 2001 when internal conflict between the Albanian community and the Macedonian majority erupted over lack of Albanian representation in government and other social institutions. Today, Skopje is seeing a makeover in buildings, streets and shops. The new VMRO-DPMNE government elected in July 2006 has pledged to restore the Kale fortress and to rebuild the beautiful 19th century Army House, the Old National Theatre, and the Old National Bank of Macedonia – all destroyed in the 1963 earthquake. Other projects under construction are the "Macedonian Struggle" Museum, the Archeological Museum of Macedonia, National Archive of Macedonia, Constitutional Court, and a new Philharmonic Theater. The city's national stadium Philip II Arena^[27][28] and the city's Alexander the Great Airport are also being reconstructed and expanded.^[29][30]

Emblems

Coat of arms of Skopje on a metal door.

The Flag of Skopje^[31] is a red vertical banner in proportions 1:2 with the coat of arms of the city in golden/yellow placed in its left upper quarter.^[32]

The coat of arms of the city was adopted in the 1950s, and again in 1997 formalized. The Coat of arms of the City of Skopje has the form of a shield, whose upper side is semi arch turned inwards, the left and the right upper corner of the shield is made by two italic lines, whereas the bottom sides represent outwards round arches that end with a peak in the middle of the bottom span. The space around the shield contains: The Stone Bridge with the Vardar River, the fortress Kale and the snowy peaks of the Skopska Crna Gora mountain.^[33]

Administrative divisions

Skopje is an administrative division within the Republic of Macedonia constituted of 10 municipalities. As such an administrative unit Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. It is part of Skopje statistical region (Скопски регион).

The organisation of Skopje, as a distinct unit in local self-government is defined by the Law of Skopje.

Nr.	Municipality (Општина)	Area (km²)	Population (2002)
3	Aerodrom (Аеродром)	21.85	72,009
6	Butel (Бутел)	54.79	36,154
4	Čair (Чаир)	3.52	64,773
1	Centar (Центар)	7.52	45,412
2	Gazi Baba (Гази Баба)	110.86	72,617
9	Gjorče Petrov (Ѓорче Петров)	66.93	41,634
8	Karpoš (Карпош)	35.21	59,666
5	Kisela Voda (Кисела Вода)	34.24	57,236
10	Saraj (Сарај)	229.06	35,408
7	Šuto Orizari (Шуто Оризари)	7.48	22,017
Total	Skopje	571.46	506,926

History of administration

• From 1976 until 1996 Macedonian Skopje was organised as a distinct social-political community comprising five municipalities: Gazi Baba, Karpoš, Kisela Voda, Centar and Čair.
• From 1996 to 2004 Skopje was defined as a distinct unit of the local self-government and had 7 municipalities: Gazi Baba, Karpoš, Kisela Voda, Centar and Čair, Šuto Orizari and Gjorče Petrov.

Government

The mayor of Skopje is elected directly. The current mayor is Koce Trajanovski. He was elected in April 2009.

Economy

Although Skopje had hosted economic plans since the nineteenth century, the Yugoslav communist regime, allowed the transformation of the city, which trasformed it into a major industrial center. It has been the largest economic and industrial center of Macedonia, but the closure of the Greek border and the change of the economic regime after the independence of the country has severely affected the secondary and tertiary.

Indeed, in the port of Thessaloniki, Greece, formerly exported a significant share of Macedonian products and abandoning the Communist system has precipitated the closings and bankruptcies of formerly national companies. The conflict between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians still fragile the economy and its capital, in 2001, clashes were such that they have totally blocked the national economy for several days. The Macedonian industrial is waiting with great anticipation the country's admission into the European Union. (See: Accession of Macedonia to the European Union)

The city still suffers mostly from lack of foreign investment, the brain drain to wealthier countries, outdated infrastructure and poor coordination of public services and enterprises.^[9]

The unemployment rate in the city was 14.07% in 2002. It obtained a better result than the entire country, whose unemployment rate was approximately 19%. The same year, the city had about 64,000 companies.^[9]

To solve its problems, the city relies on its integration in economic areas preferred, in particular through the European Union on the cleanup of factories and the city, education and development of tourism programs.^[9]

In addition to services, which are, as in all capitals, very important, particularly in the financial sector, Skopje has many factories. The most important activities are the processing of metals, chemicals including pharmaceuticals, textiles and leather, printing and etc.^[34]

Population

Skopje is the most populous Macedonian city. According to the 2002 census,^[35] the population of Skopje was 506,926 people. However, according to the 2006 official estimate, it has 668,518 inhabitants.^[1]

Density

The City of Skopje has a total density of 3,603 inhabitants per square kilometer. This figure is very close to those of the other European capitals. For example, Belgrade has 3,561 inhabitants per square kilometer and London 4,700. However, Paris has a density of 20,433 inhabitants per square kilometer, that is much more than the upper said.

Ethnic groups

The folklore ensemble Tanec, from Skopje.

The Macedonians are the largest group with 338,358 people or 66.75% of the population. They are followed by Albanians, who are represented with 103,891 inhabitants, or 20.49% of the total population. Then come the Romani people with 23,475 inhabitants, or 4.63% of the total population of the city.^[35]

The city also has a Serb minority population of 14,298 inhabitants – 2.82%; the Turks are represented with 8595 inhabitants or 1.70%, Bosniaks are represented with 7,585 people or 1.50%, and the Aromanians who are 2557 inhabitants or 0.50% of the total population. The remaining 1.61% corresponding to 8,167 people who declared themselves not covered by any of the preceding groups.^[35]

The largest minority, the Albanians have some rights in the city. For example, they can use their language in local government and primary schools. However, their integration is often difficult and sometimes causes some clashes; in addition, many Albanians who arrived as refugees from Kosovo did not returne to their country, they do not hold Macedonian citizenship because it is granted after 15 years of residence in the national territory.^[36]

Roma, who represent about 4.5% of the population, experience a different integration. Most belong to the group Arlije who are sedentary, and the community Topanlije, which are present only in Skopje. They came mostly when the city was under the Ottoman Empire and settled heavily in the district Topan, where they made gunpowder for the Turks.^[37]

Demographics

Until the mid-twentieth century, Skopje still was a small town with a big role in the region, but it was generally small. Its status as a capital of a Federate Republic of Yugoslavia and the communist system, allowed the city to enjoy rapid industrialisation and therefore large population growth. In 1948 only 9.6% of the country's total population lived in Skopje, but by 1994 the figure increased to roughly 25%.^[39]

The earthquake from 1963, which destroyed 80% of the city and killed around 1,000 people annihilated Skopje, but it was quickly rebuilt with an international plan, and the population started to grow quickly. In 1948, the city had a population of 102,600 people, but in 1981 the population of city growth for four times more – 408,100

The disturbances that occurred in Yugoslavia during the 1980s, put a brake growth, and some other problems followed when the independence of Macedonia happened in 1991. As a result of that, between 1981 and 1994 Skopje won only 40,100 inhabitants.

Since the late 1990s, the city has dealt with many of its problems, including the economic ones and allowed a new population growth.

Health

The city has several public or private hospitals. The largest public hospital, founded in 1944, can accommodate 11,000 patients.^[40] It is followed by the Institute for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, which was opened in 1960.^[41] The hospital Philip II specialized in cardiology was inaugurated in 2000^[42] and The Clinical Centre, was founded in 2004.^[43]

In 2003, the birthrate of the city was 10.6 ‰ and the mortality rate of 7.7 ‰.^[44] The first figure is quite different from the national average, indicating a birth rate of 13.14 ‰, but the mortality rate is very close to the country's one, since 2003 obtained 7.83 ‰.^[45] Infant mortality is also very similar to the municipal and national, as the country obtained a rate of 11.74 ‰ in 2003 and Skopje had rate of 11.18 ‰.^[44] That same year in Skopje, 99.5% of births took place in hospitals, a rate slightly above the national average of 98.6%.^[44]

Education

The state university of Ss. Cyril and Methodius.

The 2002 census found that the majority of citizens of the citi, or 193,425 people, had stopped their education after finishing high school. The second group, 107,408 people had stopped after finishing their elementary school. 14,194 people had gone to university, 49,554 had received the equivalent of the baccalaureate, the equivalent of 1777 Masters and 1682 the equivalent of the PhD. Finally, 11,259 people had no education and 28 292 incomplete education. The city, in 2002 had 508 students. 97.5% of the population of the city over ten years is literate,^[46] and this figure is slightly higher than the national average, that has a value of 96.1%.^[47] In general, the people from Skopje, have easier access to education than other Macedonians.^[48]

The city has several universities. The largest and the oldest is the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University. This public university was founded in 1949 and then had just three faculties. Since then it has expanded and today includes 23 faculties, 10 institutes and over 36,000 students.^[49] Since the independence of Macedonia, new universities, mostly private which often follow American standards, have been opened.

The building of FON University.

The European University was established in 2001 and comprises the faculties of economics, computer science, law, political science and art and design.^[50] FON University, founded in 2003, includes faculties of law, political science and international relations, foreign languages, investigation and security, environmental management, economics, technology and communication information, sports, design and multimedia and philosophy.^[51] The American University College was opened in 2005 and manages with the faculties of business administration, political science, foreign languages, architecture and design, computer science and law.^[52] Opened in 1996, the Yahya Kemal College, named after the Turkish poet Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, who born in Skopje, besides in the city manages with a colleges in Gostivar and Struga.^[53]

From 2008, Skopje had 21 colleges, whose specialties are quite varied (languages, engineering, architecture ...).^[54]

Transport

Skopje "Alexander the Great" Airport.

The E65 section of the northern bypass.

A bus in Skopje..

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.

Airports:

Skopje has one international airport: Skopje Alexander the Great Airport located in the Petrovec Municipality, about 22 kilometers east from the city center. The airport has been given under concession to the Turkish company TAV, which should start works on a new 6 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, Kičevo, 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 euro or 900 Macedonian denars. The average price going through the city is 3 euro or 160 denars. Taxis can also drive to other Macedonian cities but it is usually costly for an average Macedonian.

Landmarks

Churches

Church	Description	Picture
Church of St. Spas	This church, one of the most famous landmarks in Skopje, was built in the 16th century and 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 Delčev, a national hero in two countries for his involvement in the late 19th century struggle for Macedonian liberation, is buried in the church backyard.
Church of St. Panteleimon	The church of Saint Panteleimon in Gorno 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.
Church of St. Demetrius	The church was built in the 18th century on the place of an old church from the 13th century. This church was an orthodox cathedral church before the construction of the present-day cathedral church of St. Clement of Ohrid.
Church of the Holy Mother of God	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 1835, but destroyed during the 1963 Skopje earthquake. The present-day church's reconstruction began on 2 October 2002.
Church of St. Clement	Built in 1972, the Orthodox church in one of few in the world to be designed in modern contemporary architecture. 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.

The Stone bridge at night.

Stone Bridge

The 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 Stone Bridge is built of solid stone blocks and is supported by firm columns that are connected with 12 semicircular arcs. The bridge is 214 m (702 ft) long and 6 m (20 ft) wide. The bridge was partially renovated in the 1990s. In 2009, lights, which bright at night were set around the bridge.^[55][56]

Old Town

The entrance to the Old Town.

The Old Town 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 part of it. In the period between the 16th and 17th centuries, the Old Town reached its urban and economic zenith, developing into one of the largest and most significant oriental old bazaars in the Balkans.^[57] It is full of bustling shops that beckon visitors. This bazaar is an interesting mixture of Eastern and Western culture. Although Islamic architecture is predominant in the bazaar, there are several churches as well. Today, the Old Bazaar falls within the borders of Čair Municipality.^[58]

Macedonia square

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 Ristić Palace. However, the focus of the square is still the Stone Bridge, and it’s a pleasant place to spend time in good weather. During the warmer months concerts are performed in the square. In 2007, the Macedonian government announced plans to reconstruct the Army House, the Old Theatre, and Kale Fortress, all symbols of Skopje and Macedonia Square that were severely damaged or destroyed in the 1963 Skopje earthquake. On 2 May 2010, two five meters tall monuments of Goce Delcev and Dame Gruev were erected near the Stone Bridge.^[59] The Centar Municipality prepares to build a 22 metres high monument of Alexander the Great riding his horse Bucephalus in the center of the square.^[60] Also, the reconstruction of a 29 metres high historical Orthodox church and of a luxury hotel is foreseen.^[61][62]

Kale Fortress

Skopje 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. In late 2006 and early 2007, research and excavation of the Skopje Fortress funded by the Macedonian government had finally commenced. Researchers discovered woodwind instruments and clay ornaments dating as far back as 3000 BC. Excavation of the main fortress also revealed houses below the fortress' visible level. Archaeological excavations continued in 2009.^[63] In May 2010, archeologists unearthed the largest stash of Byzantine coins ever found in Macedonia at the fortress.^[64]

The Old railway station in Skopje.

Old Railway Station

The clock on this old train station stopped at 5:17 am since the morning of 26 July 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.

The Millennium Cross on top of Vodno mountain.

Millennium Cross

The Millennium Cross, situated on the peak of the mountain Vodno, is a tourist attraction. At 66 m (217 ft) high, it is the biggest cross in the world and can be seen from 30 km (19 mi) away. It was built to celebrate 2000 years of the existence of Christianity and of Macedonia as a biblical land. The construction of the cross began in 2002 and was funded by the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Macedonian government and donations from Macedonians from all over the world. The cross was built on the highest point of the Vodno mountain on a place known since the time of the Ottoman Empire as "Krstovar", meaning "Place of the cross", as there was a smaller cross situated there. On 8 September 2008, the independence day of the Republic of Macedonia, an elevator was installed inside the cross. In 2009, a restaurant and a souvenir shop were opened next to the cross.^[65]

Kuršumli An

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, in Turkish "Kurşunlu Han"). was built by Musein Odza, the son of a scientist at Sultan Selim II’s court, in the 16th century.^[66] 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 caravanserais 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 (kurşum is a changed form of kurşun which means lead in Turkish language).^[67]

Mustafa Pasha Mosque

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. It was built in 1492 by Mustafa Paşa on an older Christian site,^[68] stands above the Old Bazaar, near Kale Fortress. 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.^[69]

Mother Teresa sites

Memorial House of Mother Teresa.

There are several landmarks of Mother Teresa in Skopje, the city where she was born, including a marker of her birthplace, a statue, and a memorial house. The Memorial House of Mother Teresa in Skopje was opened in early 2009.^[70]

Skopje Aqueduct

Skopje Aqueduct.

An ancient Roman aqueduct survives to the north of the city, near the village of Vizbegovo. One of stone bridges connecting both side of Vardar River dates back to the reign of Stefan Dušan. It is unclear when it was made. One theory suggests it was built by the Romans. But it may only have been constructed as recently as the 16th century, by the Turkish.^[71] Under the Ottoman Empire it provided water for public baths. Today, 55 stone arches of the Skopje Aqueduct remain standing.

Culture

Christmas in Skopje

The Museum of Contemporary Arts Skopje, is one of the most important institution of Macedonia in discovering, treasuring and preserving the Contemporary Arts. Тhe 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.

There are also the Museum of Macedonia (archeological, ethnological and historical), the Natural history Museum, and the Archives of Macedonia.

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.

The Boris Trajkovski Sports Center.

Sports

As the capital and most important city in Macedonia, Skopje is home to several sports teams and venues. FK Vardar and FK Rabotnički are the two strongest and most popular football teams, whilst RK Kometal Gjorče Petrov is the most popular handball team. Skopje has four major sports indoor halls, of which the Boris Trajkovski Sports Center is the biggest. The main stadium is the Philip II Arena and it hosts the Macedonia national football team.

People from Skopje

Notable people from Skopje include:

Justinian I, Byzantine Emperor

Mother Teresa, Roman Catholic humanitarian

Milčo Mančevski, film director

Darko Pančev, footballer and Europe's top Goalscorer in 1991

Katarina Ivanovska, model

International relations

Soravia City Center – A modern mall in the center of Skopje.

European University in Skopje.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Skopje is twinned with:^[72]

City	Country	Year
Waremme[72]	Belgium	Since 1974
Sarajevo[73]	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Since 2007
Sofia	Bulgaria	Since 2006
Nanchang	People's Republic of China
Suez[72]	Egypt	Since 1985
Dijon[72]	France	Since 1961
Roubaix[72]	France	Since 1973
Dresden[74][72]	Germany	Since 1967
Nuremberg[72]	Germany	Since 1982
Lecce	Italy
Podgorica	Montenegro	Since 2008[72]
Wrocław	Poland
Craiova	Romania	Since 2007
Belgrade[75]	Serbia	Since June, 2006
Niš	Serbia
Zaragoza[72]	Spain	Since 2008
Ljubljana	Slovenia	Since 2007
Ankara	Turkey	Since 1995
Manisa[72]	Turkey	Since 1985
Istanbul[72][76][77]	Turkey	Since 2003
Bradford[72]	United Kingdom	Since 1961
Tempe[72]	USA	Since 1971
Pittsburgh[72]	USA	Since 2002

References

Notes

External links

• Discover Skopje
• Skopje In Your Pocket city guide
• Skopje Online: Culture, Dining, Sports, and Entertainment Guide
• Skopje Clubbing – Nightlife Guide
• Skopje Alexander the Great Airport
• Saints Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje
• City of Skopje Official Portal
• Skopje travel guide

		Čučer-Sandevo,	Lipkovo
	Želino, Jegunovce		Aračinovo, Ilinden
		Greater Skopje
		Studeničani, Sopište	Petrovec

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