SKOPJE
Population: 690,000
Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia and its main economic, cultural, educational and sport center. Located in the middle of the Balkan peninsula and spread on the shores of the river Vardar along its flow through the Skopje Valley, the city is one of the oldest continuous civilized focuses in the Balkan. The strategic location enabled it in the several millenium long history to represent a natural crossroad of the Eastern and Western culture, a place where many roads and civilizations met, clashed and mixed. Chroniclers note a tumultuous history of the city. The first traces of settlement in the area of the Skopje valley are located in the early neolithic period.
At the beginning of the new era, in the times of the Roman rule, Skupi (old name of the city) represents the largest and most significant settlement on the road from Thessaloniki to Danube, with a status of a colony.
Christianity becomes in Skupi the dominant religion at the very beginning of its legalization, not loosing the primacy even after the strong breakthrough of the Islam in the XIV century. In 535 the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, born in these areas, built the archbishop metropolis Justiniana Prima. There are numerous indications by which archeologists locate Justiniana Prima near the city of Skupi, destroyed by an earthquake.
The city got its present name - Skopje- when the Slavs came, in the VII century. The city represented a challenge for many conquerors, thus was frequently conquered, built, destroyed, burned, while one of its fiercest enemies was the natural disaster that demolished it several times to the ground. Overcoming the historic and natural disturbances, the city always grew even stronger and more prosperous. The world still remembers the catastrophic earthquake in 1963, when Skopje lost many of its urban symbols, but its renewal became a synonym of international solidarity. Skopje is a city that has nicely amalgamated the past with the present. The stone mosaics, the amphitheater and the aqueduct from the Roman times, the early Christian basilicas, the Middle Age churches with their master pieces of icon painting and wood carving, the Skopje fortress, the animated arabesques of the buildings from the time of the Ottoman Empire, the Stone Bridge and the Old Skopje Bazar, together with the modern architectural buildings, give Skopje the image of an European city where there is respect for the different cultural sensibilities, carved into time and space. Skopje is the birthplace of Mother Theresa, the greatest humanist of the XX century.
Today Skopje is a widely spread, highly urbanized city, with around 700.000 inhabitants. The city lives with the rhythm of the new time. The millenia-long history is complemented by the modern processes of democratization and the the technological achievements of the world. Hospitality is both its tradition and present.
The surroundings of Skopje have in abundance picnic areas which are rich with natural beauties, a lot of medieval churches and monasteries built in the surrounding mountains and the river ravines.

Getting to Skopje:
By car:
The motorway E75 provides a direct road with all other city in country. If you came from Srbia and Montenegro you will use motorway to Gevgelija-Thesaloniki-Athens.
The city is situated in north of country, 20 km. from border with Srbia and Montenegro, 75 km. from Bulgaria, 100 km. from Albania and 200 km,. from Greece.
From the large sities in MKD, Skopje is 30 min. driving from Kumanovo, 15 min. from Tetovo, 3o min. from Veles. Second biggest Macedonian city Bitola is about 200 km from Skopje.
All information regarding the motorway sitation, travell and emergancy calls you can find on phone ++ 389 2 3116 011 (auto moto federation of Macedonia), or Macedonia travell information ++ 389 2 3111 720

By train:
International line Atina (Greece)- Skopje - Belgrade (Yugoslavia)- Budapest (Hungary) staging every day. From Skopje with train you can go to Tetovo, Gostivar, Veles, Prilep, Bitola, Gevgelija. Railway station in Skopje is three km. from the centre of the town. Tel: ++ 389 2 3234 255

By air:
Airport Petrovec is situated 20 km. from the town,and provides connections to an increasing number of locations in Europe. Taxi from airport to the centre of Skopje will cost you around 15 euros, but you can also use the bus from the airport. Detail you can get from information desk on the airport phone No. ++ 389 2 3148-333.
You can use the air travell company: MAT (Macedonian air transport) tel: ++ 389 2 3239 175.
You can use also the Ohrid airport (200 km. south from Skopje), but only for charter fly, and domestic fly. (Ohrid airport tel: ++ 389 46 33b 656)

TOURIST INFORMATION

We recommend to the tourist to visit the following places of interest:

* The Stone Bridge, on the river Vardar, symbol of Skopje. It was built in the 15th centuty and, being located in the central part of the city, it is a connection betweem its new and old parts.
* Skopje fortress Kale. The firs walls were buil built od the very same place, in the beginning of the 6th century. It is dominating the left bank of the river Vardar. There is a marvelous view on the centre of Skopje.
* The Church of the Holy Salvation, in Skopje Old Town, built in the 19th century. The visitors are delighted at the beauty of the wood-carved iconostasis, made by the Mijaci craftmen petre and Marko Filipovski and Makarie Frckovski. In the courtyrd of the curch, there is a grave of the biggest revolutionary of the 20th century Goce delcev whose principal notion was: I understand the world as a field for cultural contest of the peoples.
* Museum of Macedonia, located in Skopje market place. One can visit archeological, historical and ethnological exhibition.
* Old bazaar "Carsija", is a market with numerous old shops, carva saries, bezistens, Civte-amam and other objects.
* Mustapha - Pasha Mosque, built in 1492. This is one of most beautiful objects of Ottoman architecture in Skopje.
* Daut Pasha Bath, built in the 15th century as a public bath. It is located at the entrance to the Skopje Market and from 1948 it was turned into an Art Gallery.
* Catedral of St. Clement of Ohrid. It is located in the central part of the city on the right bank of the river Vardar, on the beginning of partizanski Odredi boulevard. The catedral was consecreted in 1990.
* Old Railway Station, finished in 1940/41/. At that time it was the most beautiful railway station on the Balkan. The clock on the frontside stopped at 5.17.a.m. at the moment when Skopje, on July 26 th 1963, early in the morning was destroyed on disastrous eartquake. Today, City Museum of skopje is located in this building.
* Museum of Contemporary Art, is located on the kale fortress. Rich collection of work of art is at your disposal.

BEST HOTELS

10-20 euros
Youth hostels
Ferijalen Dom
tel: ++ 389 2 3114 849

Under 30 euros
Hotel Tourist (B * * * )
Location: in the center of the city
Hotel Panorama (B * * * )
Location: 3,5km from the city center, on Vodno hill.
Hotel Olympic Village (B * * * )
Location: 3km from the city center, on Vodno hill.
Phone: (+389 2) 3114 600
Hotel Bellevue (B * * * )
Location: 5km from the city center by the small lake.
Phone: (+389 2) 2751 100
Hotel Bristol (B * * * )
Location: in the center of the city
Phone: (+389 2) 3114 883
Hotel Jadran (B * * * )
Location: in the center of the city
Phone: (+389 2) 3118 427

Between 60-100 euros

Kontinental ( 4 stars * * * * )
5 km. from the centar, near Skopje fair
tel: ++ 389 2 3116 599
www.contimak.com
The Hotel Continental is the largest luxury Hotel in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. Located in the city, 20 minutes drive from the Petrovec Airport, in a 10000 m2 landscaped garden, adjacent to the Fair Ground, 5 minutes from downtown Skopje. The Hotel Continental has its own private parking and garage where cars are safe. A Free Schuttle is available for the transport of the guests from and to the Airport. Also several times a day from the Hotel to Down Town. Since January 1994, the Hotel Continental became a part of a joint - venture "International Hotels", founded by a foreign partner from France, which manages this Hotel. From that time, renovation of this Hotel is the main priority of this management, making of the Hotel Continental a luxurious and attractive Western European one. All the public areas have been renovated as well as a large part of the rooms and apartments. The Management intends to make from the Hotel Continental a member of one of the biggest International Hotels Chains

Grand hotel (4 stars * * * * )
located in the center, near river Vardar and main shoping center
str. Mosha Pijade No. 2
tel: ++ 389 2 2114 466

The GRAND HOTEL SKOPJE is situated in the central part of Skopje. Renovated and air-conditioned, it offers a complet comfort of highest luxury, category (A) in Skopje. It has four restaurants an aperitiv bar, a casino, a night club, a meeting hall, 24 hours room and other services. An airport terminal is situated in front of the hotel. Enjoy the elegance of the Banquet Hall in which the magnificent atmosphere creates an ideal setting for both meetings and banquets. Come to the national restaurant Ognishte and enjoy the wonderful Macedonian cusine.

Over 100 euros

Aleksandar Palas (5 stars) * * * * *
bud. Oktomvriska revolucija
tel: ++ 389 2 3392 392
tel: ++ 389 2 3392 200
www.aleksandarpalace.com.mk
Finally you can enjoy Macedonia's contrasted beauties feeling the comfort and the satisfaction while being accomodated. We really feel that we can live up to all of your expectations and that we can satisfy all of your needs as much as a five star hotel can offer. Location: on the shore of river Vardar, next to the main city park. Quite place out of urban traffic, 5 minutes from the city center.

City hall KALE

HOW TO GET THERE:

The hall is the center of the town. There is little parking, but only for permanent guest with seasson tickets. You can use the parkings arround the hall. From the main Skopje square, better is to choose walking, because hall KALE is ten minutes far away. You will cross the bridge Goce Delcev. Also, the hall is only five minutes walkinf from the main bus station in Skopje.

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