Kratovo is a city located in the north-east of Macedonia, which lies in the Osogovo mountain range, in the crater of a long-extinct volcano.

During the period of Roman rule, the city of Kratovo was known as Kratiskara; metals were mined and smelted here. During the Byzantine Empire it was called Korytos and was a place of mining and processing of gold, silver and copper.

Among the many historical monuments In the city, the most famous are the city's numerous bridges and towers.

Initially, the city had 12 towers, but only 6 have survived to this day. Their architectural style and decorations date back to the period of Turkish rule. The most famous are the Semintsev, Emmin Bay and Khazi-Kostov towers.

Numerous bridges connect the two parts of the city of Kratovo.

Skopje Fortress

The Skopje Fortress or Kale Fortress is a landmark of Macedonia. The first settlements on the site of the fortress date back to the 4th century BC. The fortress was built during the reign of the Byzantines in the 6th century. In the 14th century, after the capture of Skopje by the Turks, the fortress was used as a barracks. Throughout its history rich history The fortress was repeatedly destroyed by conquerors, it was restored and rebuilt.

In 1917-1918, at the end of the First World War, the fortress was the headquarters of the Austrian army. After the formation of Yugoslavia, from 1921 to 1930, military buildings were built in the fortress: a general headquarters, warehouses and barracks. In 1951, the troops were withdrawn from the fortress, and the buildings were transferred to the Archaeological and Historical Museum. The fortress was badly damaged after the 1963 earthquake, the buildings were destroyed. Since then, the battlements and towers have been restored, offering magnificent views of the city of Skopje.

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Skopje Airport

Skopje Airport is the central passenger terminal of Macedonia. There is one runway more than 2.5 km long. In addition, the airport is the busiest in Macedonia, especially in the summer.

Skopje Airport has an extensive leisure area: here you can find a variety of cafes, restaurants, bars, a spacious parking lot for 1,200 cars and, of course, irreplaceable shops for local souvenirs and durable goods.

The advantage of the airport is its proximity to the capital of Macedonia, Skopje. The airfield is located just 17 km from the main city of Macedonia. You can get to the city center from the airport by bus or by taking a local taxi. Come to Skopje and you won't regret it!

Doiransko is a lake of tectonic origin with an area of ​​43.1 km² on the border of the Republic of Macedonia and Greece. On the northern shore of the lake is mountain range Belasitsa. The lake has a round shape, maximum depth 10 m, length from south to north - 8.9 km and 7.1 km in width. It is the third largest lake in Macedonia after Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. The lake was formed in the Quaternary period and is of tectonic-volcanic origin.

The Surlovskaya River and the Khandzha River, flowing from the Belasitsa Mountains, flow into the lake, and the Gelaya River flows into the Vardar River.

The lake is home to 16 species of fish. The water forest "Muria" is included in the list of " natural monuments", and also, together with a small part (200 ha) of Lake Dojran, has been nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the EU Natura 2000 network.

Recently, there has been a decrease in the volume of water in the lake due to excessive consumption of water for agricultural purposes. Thus, from 262 million m³ in 1988, its volume decreased to 80 million m³ in 2000, which resulted in the disappearance of about 140 species of flora and fauna.

Stone town of Kuklica

The stone city of Kuklica, located in northern Macedonia, is named after local residents after the stone figures that look like dolls.

Bizarre figures were formed here from stone during the process of erosion 10 million years ago.

Exists interesting legend about the origin of the Stone Town of Kuklica. It says that a certain young man could not choose between two girls and arranged a wedding with both on the same day. One of the brides saw her lover with another bride and cursed them. The entire wedding procession turned to stone.

All major figures in Kuklica have their own names: bride and groom, matchmakers.

You can view all the figures from the hill, which is reached by a staircase.

Church of the Holy Savior

The Church of St. Savior is an Orthodox church with beautiful examples of carvings. It has survived to this day in its original form. In the courtyard of the temple there is the grave of Gotse Delchev, a Macedonian revolutionary of the twentieth century, and inside the church there is an engraved iconostasis, which is its main decoration.

The church appears to be very small, but it is worth noting that most of the structure was covered with earth. Since the Muslim population predominated in the city in the 17th century, all sorts of measures were taken in relation to the church that would make it unremarkable. The church was built in the 17th century on the site of an old church from the 16th century. Some of the frescoes were found during excavations of the previous church.

The old market originates near the church, which is also definitely worth visiting and admiring its historical places.

Markov Monastery

The Orthodox Markov Monastery is located in Macedonia, near the village of Markova Susica, 20 kilometers from Skopje. The monastery complex consists of the Church of St. Demetrius, refectories and cells. The Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica was built in 1345, as can be seen from the inscription above the southern church door. Later, from 1366 to 1372, it was reconstructed first by King Volkasin, then by his son, King Marko.

In 1376 the church was painted with frescoes. They are illustrations to the akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos and have survived to this day. The original church iconostasis has also been preserved. On the west side of the church there is a carved open veranda, added in the 19th century. On the south side of the temple there was a chapel with frescoes depicting King Volkashin and Prince Marko, of which only ruins remain today, and only fragments of the frescoes remain.

The monastery also has a chapel of St. Mark the Apostle, built in our days. Also on the territory of the monastery there is a museum, an ancient mill and an ancient wooden gate made of solid wood.

Marko Monastery was also an important educational, cultural and literary center. In the 19th century, the writer Kirill Pejcinovic lived here as rector. Currently, the monastic life of the monastery has been revived; several nuns live in it.

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Suto Orizari

Suto Orizari is a place where you generally shouldn’t go. Just for the thrill. Suto Ornzari is a gypsy district, about 35 thousand gypsies live here, of which there are many in Skopje. If you decide to make such an unsafe trip, do it on the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, gypsies walk, celebrate street weddings - a grandiose spectacle!

The most popular attractions in Skopje with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places for visiting famous places Skopje on our website.

More attractions in Skopje

The capital of Macedonia, a city with a dramatic and fascinating history. For have an interesting holiday there is literally everything here: temples of wondrous beauty and cozy streets, ancient palaces and luxurious parks, shops and markets, and, of course, many restaurants and entertainment centers.

It is believed that Skopje was founded in 518 by order of Emperor Justinian I. But settlements on the site of the city existed before that, only a significant part of them was destroyed by a strong earthquake. After the city was rebuilt by order of the Byzantine ruler, its official history began. The disaster that claimed thousands of lives in 518 was far from the last tragedy to hit the city. Skopje went through many wars, power in the city was seized by the Turks and Austrians, in 1555 the elements dealt another blow, and a few years later the plague epidemic began.

War destruction, earthquakes and terrible epidemics are a thing of the past; today Skopje is of great interest to tourists; many iconic places. The cozy and hospitable atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing holiday; this is the best place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax. Among the surviving historical monuments, it is worth highlighting the Stone Bridge, which has become a unique symbol of the city. An Art Gallery was opened in the ancient towers of Daut Pasha, which displays the works of famous sculptors and painters. The oldest architectural monument is the Kale Fortress, which was built immediately after the earthquake of 518. The most popular market in the city is called the Skopje Old Market, which can be found in the old part of Skopje. Here you can see the works of artisans, a wide selection of souvenirs and workshops that make crafts to order. Copyright www.site

A very interesting attraction is the Kurshumli Khan Caravanserai Hotel, it is known far beyond the city. It is notable for the fact that it was built back in the 15th century; initially it positioned itself as an inn for traders. The unique historical hotel building has managed to survive to this day, despite the fact that over the years of its existence it has repeatedly changed its status. At the end of the 19th century, it housed a prison where Bulgarian revolutionaries were kept, and during the First World War the building was abandoned. Today it is reopened wonderful hotel, in the courtyard of which you can admire ancient fountains and sculptures.

On Macedonia Square there is a unique architectural monument - the Ristik Palace. It was built in 1926 and bears the name of its first owner, the famous pharmacist Vladislav Ristic. In that luxurious palace The pharmacist lived with his family, and his office was on the ground floor. Today, the historic building houses several interesting shops.

In the vicinity of Skopje there are many interesting natural attractions, including the beautiful Dojran Lake. It is one of the largest in Macedonia; the beautiful lake is rich in fish, including representatives of quite rare species. The shores of the lake are covered with dense green vegetation. Here, during walks, you can see many rare plants and trees, and also watch the birds for which these scenic spots became a home.

A unique object is the Saat Kula Clock Tower - the oldest tower of its kind in Macedonia. It was built back in the 16th century; the architectural style of the building is unique and reminiscent of the traditions of Russian medieval architecture. At the beginning of the 20th century, a new clock was made for this tower in Switzerland, which, after installation, continues to work perfectly to this day. The ancient tower is one of the tallest buildings in the city; for many years it has served as a natural landmark for tourists while walking around historical district Skopje. Nearby is the beautiful Church of St. Clement, which will also surprise you with its unusual architectural style. Today, unique ancient books and religious artifacts are kept within the walls of this church.

- one of the new states formed in the second half of the 20th century. And the city of Skopje is the capital of the former Yugoslav republic.

A little about the city of Skopje

Skopje is the capital of the modern Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia with a population of about 900 thousand people. The city itself was founded many centuries ago. During the times of Ancient Rome, the city bore the consonant name Scupi and was the capital of a small province. Skopje repeatedly changed its citizenship: Serbia, Byzantium, Turkey, until after the Second World War it became an important part of the Republic of Yugoslavia. And today we can say that it has turned into a modern center of culture and industrial development of the country.

In Skopje, the capital, factories of various industries have been built and operate. The city is a large transport hub in the country, thanks to which you can easily get to any locality Macedonia, as well as quickly get to the neighboring state.

Where is the city of Skopje?

Skopje is located in the northern part of Macedonia, in a cozy mountain valley, the most large river state - Vardar. Outside the city, amazing things await photographers mountain landscapes. But the mountain slopes are not only peaceful beauty, but also a seismically active zone. In 1963, a powerful earthquake occurred in the vicinity of Skopje, which destroyed almost the entire city and killed more than 1,000 people.

Weather in Skopje

Like many cities located in the intermountain region, Skopje's climate is determined by the terrain. Summer in the capital is hot, sunny and dry, average daily temperatures reach +30 degrees, at night the air cools down to about +15 degrees. Winter here is cold and even foggy by local standards. Although average daily temperatures remain stably in the range of -3+8 degrees. The most tourist time to visit the capital of Macedonia is considered to be from May to September.

Attractions Skopje

The long history of the city has awarded Skopje with many ancient monuments and interesting buildings, but most of them were destroyed by a strong earthquake. Interestingly, it was a miracle that the railway station survived, and its large clock stopped just with the first tremors. Today the station building is considered a monument to earthquake victims.

But even now there is something to see in Skopje. From what has survived to this day cultural heritage It can be noted that for more than 500 years it has been connecting the banks of Vardar and leading to. Now it is only pedestrian and is a symbol of the city. It is also worth visiting the Venetian one, which was built on the river bank in the 11th century. The fortress has preserved a wonderful park, and the observation deck offers an excellent panorama of the city and its surroundings.

The era of Turkish rule endowed Skopje with elements of oriental architecture: the Kurşumli Khan inn, where State Museum archeology, and some others. The most interesting building Muslim culture is considered to be the oldest in Macedonia and Turkey itself.

Of the Orthodox heritage, alas, only the Church of the Holy Savior and its main relic, the wooden iconostasis, are well preserved, as well as the largest monastery in Macedonia, the Monastery of St. Panteleimon on the territory. On the outskirts of the city of Skopje you can visit the monastery of St. Andrew and Marko.

An interesting and beautiful landmark is the highest cross in the world. It can be reached by cable car, and in the dark it lights up at night - a beautiful sight.

Entertainment and relaxation in Skopje

Visiting museums, ancient ruins, temples and simply beautiful old buildings certainly takes a lot of time for all tourists who come to Skopje. The Art Gallery and Museum of Contemporary Art provide some competition for theatre-goers' patrimony: the Macedonian National Theatre, the Drama Theatre, the Opera and Ballet Theater and the Skopje Summer Theatre. Even in the summer, they give the most interesting performances, both from their own lineup and from visiting guest performers.

From active rest You can offer many walks and excursions in the surrounding mountains, riding on the Vardar River and fishing, parachute jumping or a visit to the famous “Popova Shapka”. In addition, the city has a sufficient number of night bars and discos.

For recreation and entertainment, it is also worth mentioning, which is located about 15 km from Skopje. The lake is mountainous and beautiful. Many tourists seek to relax here, take part in local excursion, ride on catamarans and also go fishing.


Hotels in Skopje

The best are always located in its capital. In you can find accommodation according to requests from five-star luxury hotels to a modest room or even a sleeping place.

The best and beautiful hotels built on the banks of the Vardar River or near historical center Skopje. We offer spacious, comfortable rooms with air conditioning, satellite TV, large bathrooms and many other amenities. These hotels have tennis courts, fitness rooms, spas, saunas, swimming pools, and conference rooms. But prices can often be unreasonably high.

If you are looking for a slightly cheaper holiday, pay attention to family hotels and private boarding houses. Here the cost of living will be 2-3 times lower. Naturally, the closer to the outskirts of the city, the lower the price per room. You can also try to save money and stay in a hostel, private accommodation or camping outside the city if you are driving.


Cafes and restaurants in Skopje

Where else can you meet and taste all the delights if not in the capital of Macedonia - Skopje. In fact, it is a mixture of taste traditions of all neighbors, where, at times, Turkish motifs clearly stand out. Residents of Macedonia especially love fish, meat and vegetables, cheese and greens.

Many large restaurants, some in the usual daily format, some as a highlight of the evening, invite visitors to take part in the preparation of the dish. The entire culinary performance takes place around the oven, which is installed in the center of the hall. The dishes that are on the menu of each establishment are “Pastrmka”, “TavcheGravce”, “Ajvar” and others; as a rule, you will be offered “Rakia” or other wines from the list.

Large selection of meat dishes, incl. You can try kebab and excellent barbecue at the Destan restaurant, which is located in the very center of the city. All oriental masterpieces and a palette of fine spices can be tasted at the Pelister restaurant. If you are a rabid fan Italian cuisine, you have a direct route to the Gusto restaurant.

Capital transport

As already mentioned, Skopje is a major transport hub of the country. City roads and road transport are quite well developed. Travel both within the city and communication with the outskirts occurs using buses.

On the streets of Skopje you can often find rare and old transport from the times of the USSR. But there are about 80 different routes around the city. Tickets and passes for any trip are purchased in advance, as a rule, at kiosks, and if you are in a hurry, you can pay for the trip from the driver, but a little more expensive. Not everyone can afford a taxi or rent a car; Macedonians have not yet reached the peak of their development and often skimp on comfort.

Near the capital Skopje there is one of the international ones, named after Alexander the Great. Everyone is accepted here international flights from any European country and not only.


How to get to Skopje?

The simplest and quick option is, of course, air travel. But there are no direct flights from Russia, as well as from most countries of the former USSR. The most convenient options The flight requires a transfer in Belgorod or Vienna.

It will be more affordable to get to the city of Thessaloniki, and then go by train to the capital of Macedonia. There is a good bus connection from neighboring and nearby countries (Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Albania) to Skopje. But many road travelers travel along Eastern Europe in your own car, in this case you need to remember that each country has its own specific road rules.

Note to tourists

Every tourist coming to Macedonia and, especially, to its capital Skopje, must remember that talking about the country’s politics and the reasons for the collapse of the Republic of Yugoslavia is not approved here. Especially when visiting travelers talk about these topics.

Local residents are very sociable and will help you take photos or videos without any problems and will not even refuse to pose for you, but to get into the frame or on the screen state organizations or objects, you must have special permission.

Skopje is located on the banks of the picturesque Vardar River, in the northern region of Macedonia. It is not only the capital, but also the most important cultural and economic center of the state. The city was founded in the 3rd century BC. During the era of all-powerful Rome, it was an integral part of the colony of Flavia Aelia Scupi, which later turned into Big City. In the 6th century AD, many years after the fall of the empire, this land was captured by the Slavic tribe of the Brus. They named the city “Skopje”. Over its centuries-old history, the country's capital has experienced many significant events. The most tragic of these occurred in 1689, when the authorities ordered the city to be burned due to a terrible cholera epidemic. In two days, the flames completely destroyed Skopje. In 1912, after the overthrow of the Ottoman yoke, the city again appeared in its former splendor.

At the end of World War I, Skopje became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. And after the subsequent world war it became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1963, the city was partially destroyed by a terrible earthquake. After this natural disaster, the capital of the republic was rebuilt according to the design of the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange for several years.

How to get to Skopje

There are currently no direct flights from Moscow to Skopje, so you will have to fly through Belgrade, Vienna, Istanbul, Rome or. Depending on the season, the number of transit cities may increase. The airport in Skopje is quite large and modern (a new terminal was opened in 2011), named after Alexander the Great - “Airdrome Aleksandar Veliki” ( airport official website) and is located 17 km from the capital of Macedonia.

Airfare Moscow - Skopje - Moscow

Another way to get to Skopje is to fly to Belgrade, and from there by train or bus. The Belgrade - Skopje train runs 2 times a day - night and day, the schedule can be viewed on the website railways Serbia, to do this, enter in the form - OD: Beograd, DO: Skopje or Skoplje, select the required date and click “Trazi”.

The bus schedule from Belgrade to Skopje can be found on the website "Belgrade bus station", most flights in this direction are operated by the carrier Nis Express.

What to see in Skopje

Let's start our story about the sights of Skopje with the largest Macedonia Square(poppy. Plostad Macedonia). As a result of the earthquake of 1963, several buildings were destroyed, due to which it was possible to actually obtain a large city area. It serves for cultural, political and other events. It was here that Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia was declared in 1991 by then-president Kiro Gligorov.

In the center of the square stands the majestic monument-fountain “Warrior on Horseback” - a monument to Alexander the Great. The 40-foot-tall bronze sculpture sits on a 10-foot-tall concrete plinth. The monument was opened on September 8, 2011 in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the declaration of independence by Macedonia. Here on the square there are monuments to many heroes of the past, for example, Tsar Samuel.

Macedonia Square

The square connects with the old town a stone bridge(poppy. Kameni Bridge) across the Varder River. Constructed from large stone blocks in the 15th century, the bridge was not destroyed in the 1963 earthquake, unlike the rest of Skopje. During the reign of the Ottoman Turks, public executions were carried out on the bridge, among other things.

Stone bridge over the Varder River

Among the historical and architectural attractions of Skopje, the fortress stands out - Skopsko Kale, which is located in the very center of the city, on a small hill. The first fortress on this site was erected in the 6th century. Recently, archaeologists here discovered sacrificial pits where priests made sacrifices to the ancient gods, and a coin from the time of Alexander the Great. In the 14th century, the fortress was first under the rule of the Serbs, and then passed to the Turks. And today this defensive structure makes a very strong impression and is rightfully considered a symbol of Skopje.

Hamam Daut Pasha(poppy. Daut-pashin amam) an ancient Turkish bath, built during the period of Ottoman rule at the end of the 15th century. Since 2001, the National Art Gallery of Macedonia has been located on the premises of Daut Pasha. The historical building displays works of Macedonian art from the 14th to 20th centuries, as well as objects of Islamic culture and architecture. On the territory of the former Ottoman baths, exhibitions of national artists, as well as international masters, are held.

Hamam Daut Pasha. National Art Gallery of Macedonia

Church of the Holy Savior(poppy. Church of Saint Spas) was built in the 18th century, and in the 19th century it acquired its final form. The first thing that catches your eye is that the church is very low, but if you go inside, you realize that half of it is in the ground. This rather unusual decision for the construction of an Orthodox church was caused by a law that limited the height of churches. This was done in order to remove churches from the city panorama. The temple is famous for its famous carved walnut iconostasis from 1817-24. with images of plants, birds, mythical non-canonical characters, scenes from the Old and New Testaments, the life of the Virgin Mary and Jesus.

Church of the Holy Savior

Church of St. Clement of Ohrid(poppy. Church of St. Kliment Ohridski) is the main and largest Orthodox cathedral in Macedonia. Built from 1972 to 1991, it was illuminated on the 1150th anniversary of the birth of St. Clement of Ohrid - August 12, 1990. The church has the shape of a rotunda with dimensions of 36 x 36 meters and consists only of domes and arches. Appearance The building looks more like a mosque rather than an Orthodox church. The church premises can simultaneously accommodate up to 6,000 believers.

Church of St. Clement of Ohrid

Another interesting landmark of Skopje is located on the outskirts of the city; it is the longest surviving one in Europe aqueduct(poppy. Skopski Aquaduct). The exact date of its construction is not known. It is believed that it was built by the Turks in the 16th century to supply water to the hammam, but they used the remains of a 1st century structure left over from the Romans.

How to get to the Adveduk in Skopje? Take bus 19 to the intersection of Shuto Orizari and Slovenia Boulevard. Continue along Slovenia Boulevard to the road bridge over the river and turn left through a field and a small forest.

Near the city rises Mount Vodno, on the slope of which in the village of Gorno Nerezi is located Monastery of St. Panteleimon(mac. Manastir Sveti Panteleimon). Its main church was built in 1164 at the expense of Prince Alexei of Byzantium. The frescoes of the church also date back to this time. The monastery is one of the oldest monuments of Byzantine culture in the Balkans.

And on the top of the mountain in 2002, in honor of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity, it was installed (poc. Mileniumski krst). Its height is 66 meters, which makes this cross the highest in the World. Inside the cross there is an elevator that will take you up observation deck, offering magnificent views of the city and surrounding area.

How to get to the Millennium Cross in Skopje? You can get to the top of Mount Vodno to the Cross by using a special bus running from the Bus Station to Sredno Vodno, where the lower station is located cable car. The bus schedule, ticket price and operating hours of the funicular to the Millennium Cross can be found at official website.

I started reporting on the capital of Macedonia at least 4 times. All this time, the words did not fall on paper and did not line up into sentences. To write the report, I lacked the thoughts that I intended to express. What can I even tell you about the city in which I spent half a day? My opinion about Skopje was formed under the impression of noise: from chaotic traffic, from dusty bazaars, broken sidewalks, construction sites and the only McDonald's in the city. The dream of the Japanese architect, who created Skopje practically from scratch in the 1970s, died out somewhere at the beginning of the journey, and the modern generation of Macedonians decided to finish off Japanese minimalism with a new vision of their own history, creating a disgusting mixture of kitsch and propaganda of ancient Greek history on the urban scale of the capital.



Macedonia Square is the main square of Skopje. In the center of the square there is a huge monument to Alexander the Great.



I didn't like the capital of Macedonia. I remember the city as dusty, dirty, poor and unfriendly. On main square Skopje men played thimbles, and super-sized statues of Macedonian kings looked at me from all sides. Coincidentally, these same kings were the kings of Bulgaria, so, as a result, relations with their northern neighbor are tense, especially at the everyday level. With its southern neighbor, things are even gloomier: Greece forbade Macedonia to be called that way, since its northern part with its capital in Thessaloniki is also called. Macedonia had to be called F.Y.R.O.M., "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" Humiliating, isn't it?




The domes of the Dayut Pasha hammam are very reminiscent of the outlines of a woman’s breast. This is probably how it was originally intended. To the left of the hammam is one of the oldest churches Skopje, Church of St. Demetrius.

Macedonia is an atypical Slavic country. Being closer to Istanbul than other ex-Yugoslav republics, Macedonia was more imbued with the Turkish flavor than others, being part of the Ottoman Empire. The main attractions of the capital of Macedonia also testify to the Muslim past of the city:Mustafa Pasha Mosque, Hammam Dayut Pasha(pictured above) and the Turkish quarterCharshie(in other sources the nameCharshiesometimes translated literally asOld Bazaar). On the streets of the old city I met many women in headscarves leading children by the hand, and numerous minarets tower over the city, especially over the old part. It seemed to me that Skopje is a truly eastern capital. It's noisy and very dusty everywhere. The dust obscured all my memories so much that now it seems to me that I saw nothing more in Skopje except dust.




The streets of Skopje are very noisy. By the way, until 1918 Skopje was called Uskup ( Üsküp), in the Turkish manner.

We will start our walk around Skopje from the main square. Macedonia Square gave me my first mixed feelings. Firstly, Macedonia Square is striking in its size. Kharkiv residents can sleep peacefully: their area is still the largest in Europe. But in second place after Kharkov’s Freedom Square, I would place Macedonia Square. The statue of Alexander the Great, sitting on horseback, seems insignificant against the background of this square, although, believe me, the statue is far from small. The creation of a larger square was made possible by an earthquake, which in 1963 destroyed several ancient buildings that stood on the site of the current square.




Giant Alexander.

For Macedonia, Alexander the Great is a national hero. Can Alexander be used as a tourist symbol of modern Macedonia – controversial issue. First, Alexander the Great was not a Slav, and he did not speak modern Macedonian. Console "Macedonian" went to the commander because he was from the northern part Ancient Greece, Macedonia. The northern region of Greece, with its capital in Thessaloniki, is still called Macedonia. By the way, the Greeks also use Alexander the Great as a tourist magnet and there is a statue of the commander on the Thessaloniki embankment in the park of the same name.




The pedestal of the column is made in an equally massive style.

Macedonia Square is replete with statues of ancient kings, generals and saints, which should become a symbol of the state that first appeared on maps in 1991. Until 1944, the toponym Macedonia was not even applied to the territory of the current country: the region of the future Macedonia was called Southern Serbia or the province of Vardar after the name of the river flowing through Skopje. Many heroes from the past, such as Tsar Samuil, whose marble statue of three human sizes adorns Macedonia Square, are also heroes for Bulgarian history, hence the friction between the two neighboring countries.




Tsar Samuil is also the Bulgarian Tsar.




Mother Teresa is one of the symbols of the “new” Macedonia. The Museum of Catholic Albanian Origin is located at main street Skopje.

From the 15th to the 20th centuries, the territory of what is now Macedonia was part of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks left a deep mark on Skopje: the oldest surviving district of the city is calledCharshie, which means bazaar in Turkish. A network of twisting streets (why did the Turks so despise right angles?) wrapped around the hill on the left bank of the Vardar River.




Charshie area (Old Bazaar).

From Macedonia Square to the opposite bank of the river leadsKameni Bridge. Sultan Mehmed II "Conqueror"built this bridge in the middle of the 15th century. Constructed from large stone blocks, the bridge has withstood five hundred years of history and, unlike the rest of Skopje, was not even destroyed by the 1963 earthquake. During the reign of the Ottoman Turks, public executions were carried out on the bridge, among other things.




Kameni Bridge is one of the oldest buildings in Skopje.




On Kameni Most I met thimble players who threatened me with force if I did not stop filming. I had to take it off my stomach.

One of the most famous attractions of Skopje is the fortress with the simple name “Calais» (« kale"in Turkish means fortress). "Calais" turned out to be closed. After walking a few hundred meters uphill in the heat, I literally kissed the closed castle. The sign on the gate read clearly: “The fortress is closed" I never found out whether the Macedonian researchers are telling the truth when they estimate the age of the fortress at 1500 years. The fortress was partially damaged by the 1963 earthquake and was soon restored to its original appearance. Since the early 2000s, archaeological excavations have been carried out on the territory of the fortress. Recently, the largest burial of Byzantine coins in Macedonia was discovered here.




Several large multi-lane highways cross Skopje in all directions. There is a pedestrian shopping bridge over the road. The bridge leads to the Skopje fortress.




In the garden in front of the Mustafa Pasha Mosque.




Decoration of the entrance portal of the mosque.

Near the fortress there is the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, significant for all European Muslims. It was built in 1492 - the same year Columbus "opened"America!




Interior of the Mustafa Pasha Mosque.




Dome of the mosque.

Between the rows of retail shops, which sell everything from gold to fur coats and, especially, jeans, here and there you can turn into a cozy courtyard of a city estate. The minarets of ancient mosques rise above your head everywhere, and only the language on the signs reminds you that you are in a Slavic country.




Muslims (Turks and Albanians who practice Islam) make up 22% of Skopje's population. Albanians enjoy privileged rights in Macedonia, especially after the 2004 uprising. Above is one of the area's many shopping streets. Charshie.



On the streets of old Skopje they sell absolutely everything!

A little away from tourist routes The Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art is located. A rectangular building with panoramic windows in a functional style crowns the mountain, which offers views of the entire city and the valley of the Vardar River. A wide two-flight staircase leads to the platform in front of the building. The museum building was built according to the style of European architecture of the 1960s. Initially, it was planned to invite the famous European functionalist architect Le Corbusier to build the museum, but cooperation with him did not work out. The competition, to which 89 works were submitted, was won by a group of three Polish architects. The museum was built in a year and a half and opened its doors on November 13, 1970.




Arena of Philip II. View from the area in front of the Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art.

From the platform in front of the Museum of Modern Art you can see the whole of Skopje. From here you can see the city football stadium, now named after Philip II. For reference: Philip II was the father of Alexander the Great. Against the background of the Macedonian passion for extremely ancient names, the extremeness of some Ukrainian scientists who claim that all Europeans descended from Trypillians should not be surprising. The former City Stadium was renamed in honor of the father of the great commander in 2009, after the completion of the last reconstruction of the stadium.



The Turkish Quarter is the main attraction of the capital of Macedonia.

On a mountain in the distance outside the city rises the Millennium Cross - the largest cross on our planet. The construction of the cross was timed to coincide with the 2000th anniversary of Christianity, although its construction began only in 2002 and lasted 6 years. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to climb Mount Krstovar, on which the Millennium Cross rises, and eat at the newly opened restaurant next to the cross.




The entire right bank part of Skopje was built after the 1963 earthquake, when 80% of the city's houses were destroyed in 20 seconds. On the horizon you can see Mount Krstovar and the world's largest cross.

I think you have already noticed that in Macedonia there is an extraordinary passion for pretentious names and gigantic size. How could it be otherwise in a country that is fighting for its national identity, where every national hero is already a hero of another people?



Tourist map of Skopje (left) and a sign with the old name of the street from Yugoslav times.

On the question of size: in Macedonia everything is the largest, starting with national flags. I have never seen a flag as big as the Macedonian one. On bus stops in the mountains in the interior of the country, in the main squares or on the ruins of Byzantine fortresses - I was greeted everywhere by flags of unprecedented sizes. It’s probably good that the Macedonians love their flag so much, it’s really beautiful.




Skopje is one of the least densely populated capitals in the world. Most of the city's territory is made up of parks.




Near the Church of the Holy Savior in the area Old Bazaar.

In one of the hidden courtyards in the Charshie area there is an amazing church. Built in the 17th century, the Church of the Holy Savior is buried in the ground with half of its volume. Only a narrow row of windows extends above the ground, and a small dome crowns the entire building. This rather unusual decision for the construction of an Orthodox church was caused by a law that limited the height of churches. This was done in order to remove churches from the city panorama. This is probably why there are still no churches visible in the old district of Skopje - they were all buried in the ground at one time!




Church of the Holy Savior. Photography was prohibited inside.

The old district of Skopje is located on the left bank of the Vardar River. On the opposite bank of the river, practically not a single house older than 50 years has survived. On July 26, 1963, at five o'clock in the morning, Skopje was destroyed by an earthquake. The force of the tremors was 6.9 on the Richter scale. 80% of Skopje was destroyed, 200,000 people lost their homes. The city urgently needed to be restored from scratch.






Important transport artery Skopje. There is a bazaar nearby.




A dilapidated building in the Charshie district.

The prominent Japanese architect and urban planner Kenzo Tange was involved in the restoration of the city. The UN instructed him to draw up a plan for the restoration of 60% of the damaged city; the reconstruction of the remaining 40% of the ruins fell to the share of Yugoslav architects.




Since there is no metro in Skopje, the role of underground passages where they would sell “ lard from asphalt» and top-up cards, play car interchanges. The photo above shows a small “ push" The dust in the image is due to a six-lane highway passing nearby.

As often happens in states with a centralized control system, very little of Kenzo Tange's plans was implemented. In particular, Skopje received a new railway station, built on pillars one level above the ground. Skopje's central bus station was built several years ago under the train station.




Modern construction activity in the capital of Macedonia does not stand up to any criticism. A mongrel mixture of historicism and propaganda creates new scars on the face of the city, already distorted by socialism and increased seismic activity.



I have been convinced many times that it is impossible to draw conclusions about a country based on its capital. The luxury (or, as quite often happens, the filth) of the capital often gives a false impression of the entire country. This is the case in Albania, where the dirtiness of the capital Tirana is rivaled only by the port city of Durres. The rest of the country looks much more tidy and calm. The same can be said about Macedonia, the capital of which made, to put it mildly, an unpleasant impression on me. Macedonia suffers from gigantomania caused by a small nation complex.