History

Skopje dates from ancient times, its area estimated to be inhabited since 3500 BC. Presumably built by either the Peons or the Dardans around the III century BC, it was named Skupi. In the II century BC it came under the rule of the Roman Empire. The city’s position, making it an important strategic and commercial crossroad, was used by the Romans, stationing their legions in Skupi. The city was soon settled with Roman soldiers and veterans. After five centuries of Roman rule, and numerous barbarian tribes’ attacks and plunders, Skupi fell under the rule of the Byzantines. Christianity, although appearing fairly early in the city, made it a religious center in the time of Constantine the Great. Skupi, with its markets, a theatre, sewage and water systems, temples and public baths, had to suffer two catastrophes in 518: barbarian invasion and a terrible earthquake. Leveled to its foundations, Skupi was built where Skopje stands today. The legend has it that the city was rebuilt and quickly regained its old fame with the help of Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who was a native to one of the villages not far from Skupi. After Justinian’s death, the Slavs took most of the Balkan Peninsula, finally conquering Skupi in 695, giving it the name of Skopje. The city has seen the rise of the Macedonian Empire and after its fall became the center of several rebellions against the Byzantine rule in the XI century. In the mid-XIV century, Dusan Stefan made Skopje the capital of his Serbian state, where he was crowned king of the Serbs. Toward the end of the XIV century, after the battle of Kosovo, the new Turkish Sultan, Bayezid, temporarily settled his capital in Skopje. In the next two centuries however, Skopje was twice destroyed by the Sultans and sustained one great earthquake and a terrible fire. Mid-XVII century, a famous Turkish poet and traveler, Evliya Chelebiya, described Skopje as a beautiful city behind whose city gates one could find clean and straight streets paved with white flagstones, full of shops and markets with pots of flowers in front of each, wells, hostels, taverns where the travelers could rest for free, public baths and a clock tower from the XV century; the fortress of Skopje was a fine massive pentagon with 70 towers and 150 ells high walls. Few decades later, the Austrian general Piccolomini, chasing the Turkish army after their defeat under the gates of Vienna, reached Skopje. As a sign of revenge, he burnt it down. In a letter to his Emperor, he has described it as a city not like any other he has seen in those wars: mosques of finest marble, with thousands of candlelit and gilded altars such as would drew attention even in Rome, lovely old buildings and places of entertainment. The return of the Turks in Skopje was marked with the butchering that took place on the Stone Bridge of the Macedonian rebel leader Karposh, fighting for the Austrian side. Skopje was not able again to reach the development level it has once been on. In the XIX century, with the opening of the Vienna-Thessalonica railway, the city’s economy began to revive. The national revival caused the opening of the first library and school in Macedonian language, making Skopje one of the most important national centers. The first half of the XX century, brought turbulent times, many of which were witnessed by Mother Theresa, born in Skopje in 1910. The city saw two Balkan Wars and two World Wars as Serbian, Bulgarian, Austro-Hungarian, German and French armies passed through the city. At the end of WWII, Skopje was declared the capital of the Macedonian Federal Republic, as a part of the Yugoslav Federation. The city developed into a major administrative, commercial, industrial, cultural and communication center in the area of South Balkan. In 1962, Skopje witnessed a major flood, followed in 1963 by a catastrophic earthquake that destroyed 80 percent of the city and killed more than 1000 of its citizens. The international relief effort that followed helped the quick rebuilding of Skopje that changed its appearance considerably, and made it a symbol of international solidarity. Since 1991, Skopje is the capital of Republic of Macedonia, which declared its independence from the Yugoslav Federation.

Sightseeing

For gaining a genuine picture of the city of Skopje and its surroundings area, as well as to feel the true spirit of the nation and its traditions, we sincerely recommend few sightseeing places for every traveler in Skopje to visit. The heart of the city and its Square Macedonia leads directly to the River of Vardar and the Old Stone Bridge which connects the Square with the Old Turkish Bazaar. Dating from the 15th century the Stone Bridge surely is regarded to be one of the main tourist attractions of Skopje, from where you enter the Old Turkish Bazaar, also regarded as Skopje old Town. The bazaar, located on the eastern bank of the Vardar River represents a true witness of the Macedonian past. The Skopje Fortress Kale, originally built in the 6th century from the Byzantines, shows the earliest traces of life of this settlement even as very far in the past, in the Neolithic Period and Early Bronze Age. The Antique Roman City Skupi is another archeological site, located 3km from Skopje which attracts the attention of many tourists, travelers, as well as locals Skopje proudly offers extraordinary nature in its splendid surrounding area such as Matka with the Canyon Treska and its dozen od caves, the National Park Vodno where a 12th century church of St.Pantelejmon is located etc. ()

Museums

Museum of Macedonia
Str. Charshiska bb,
Phone +389 2 3116 044,
Working hours: from 0800-1600,
Saturdays 0900-1500,
Sundays 0900-1300,
closed on Mondays

Museum of the city of Skopje
Str. Mito Hadzivasilev-Jasmin bb,
Phone: + 389 2 3114-742
Permanent exhibition: Skopje during the War of National Liberation
Working hours: from 9.00 a.m. - 4 p.m. - every day except Sunday

Museum of Nature and Science of Macedonia
Blvd. Ilinden 86, Phone: + 389 2 3117-669
Permanent exhibition: flora and fauna , Mineralogy, Petrography, Palaeontology, Botany, Invertebrates, Entomology, Macedonian Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles, Birds of Macedonia, Mammals of Macedonia
Working hours: 0900-1600 every day except Monday

Museum of Contemporary Art
Str. Samoilova bb,
Phone: + 389 2 3117 735,
Working hours: 09:00-16:00 every day except Monday

Museum of Skopje Old Bazaar
Suli - an, Old bazaar. The object from XV century, currently The Faculty of Fine Arts.
Working hours: every day from 9.30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday from 9.30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Historical Museum
Str. Charshiska bb,
Phone: + 389 2 3116 044.
Permanent exhibition: Macedonia from 7-Th millenium b.c. up to the end of the World War I
Working hours: from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Monday closed
Reptiles - pets - in cooperation with MOERKENS HERPETOCULTURE - Holland

Theatres

Drama Theater
Address: Str. Sekspirova 151
Phone: 389 2 3063 453

Macedonian National Theater
Address: Kay Dimitar Vlahov bb
Phone: + 389 2 3114 060dff

Macedonian Opera and Ballet
Address: Kay Dimitar Vlahov bb
Phone: + 389 2 3114 060

Children and Youth Theater
Address: Str. Dimitrije Chupovski 4
Phone: + 389 2 3222 619

Theater Of Nationalities
Address: Str. Nikola Martinovski 41
Phone: + 389 2 3221 570
Fax: + 389 2 3124 207

Cinemas

5 star cinema
Address: Ramstore mall

Cinematheque of Macedonia
Address: str. Nikola Rusinski 1
Phone: ++ 389 2 3071-814; ++ 389 2 3071-815
Fax: ++ 389 2 3071-813

Millennium cinema
Address: City trade center

Frosina art cinema
Address: Youth cultural center

Galleries

NATIONAL GALLERY - CHIFTE AMAM
Str.Bitpazarska b.b.,
Phone/Fax: + 389 2 3227 986

NATIONAL GALLERY - DAUT PACHA AMAM
Str. Krusevska 1A,
Phone: + 389 2 3133 102, 3124 219
NATIONAL GALERY OF MACEDONIA
MALA STANICA
Str. Zeleznicka 18

ANAGOR
Str. Naroden front 21,
Phone:+389 2 3224 227
ARS
GTC kat 2,
Phone:+389 2 3211 451

ART GALLERY AND ANTIQUARY "BEZISTEN"
Str. Nikola Vapcarov 15,
Phone: + 389 2 3117 150, 3120 121,
e-mail:pieta@unet.com.mk

BEZISTEN
Str. Nikola Vapcarov 15

DLUM
Str. Stole Popov 9,
Phone: + 389 2 3211 533

Restaurants

Dal Met Fu
Plostad Makedonija bb
Phone:(02) 3112486

Lira
Str. Nikola Tesla 11
Phone: (02) 3061726

Gostilnica An
Str. Gradiste 14
Phone: (02) 3212111

Restaurant Anja
Kej na Vardar
Phone: (02) 3161377
Kibo
T.C Paloma Bjanka
Phone: (02) 3133535

DM
Str.Orce Nikolov 136
Phone: (02) 110261

Chamo
Mihail Cekov 6a
Phone: (02) 161139

Mexican Restorant
Ul. Makedonija

Indian rest. Bombai
Str. Elisije Popovski

Dal Fufo
Str. Vodnjanska bb
Phone: (02) 3111381

Nightlife

Café Laika
Str. Orce Nikolov 103

Art Café Mala Stanica
(National Galery of Macedonia)
Str.Zeleznicka 18

Café Bastion
Str. Pirinska 43

Café Trend
Plostad Makedonija

Night Club Ballet
T.C. Porta Bunjakovec

Night Club Jukebox
Str. Orce Nikolov