Understand

SKOPJE

History & facts

The city had been inhabited since 3.500 B.C. The biggest city in Macedonia had a turbulent history and it belonged to the Roman Empire, the Tzar Samuil Kingdom, the Byzantine Empire, the Serbian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During World War II the city was occupied in April 1941 and liberated in 1944, it became the capital of the People’s (later Socialist) Republic of Macedonia (1945), part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In 1991 Skopje became the capital of the newly independent Republic of Macedonia, which changed the name to the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019. The old city is located on the terraced riverbank dominated by an ancient fortress, north of which is a Roman aqueduct. Medieval monasteries in the vicinity include that of St. Panteleymon - Nerezi (1164), with fine 12th-century frescoes. Other notable buildings are medieval Turkish baths, the Daut Pasha Hamam, and several mosques.

City of international solidarity

The former strongly Turkish aspect of the city has been altered, by reconstruction since 1963, when a severe earthquake left some 80 % of Skopje in ruins. Relief in money and kind, including medical, engineering, and building teams with supplies, came from 78 countries, from this, Skopje was called the City of International Solidarity.

A completely new earthquake-resistant town plan was formulated, with several satellite residential nuclei and four industrial regions.

On the left bank are the houses of the representative bodies of Macedonia, educational institutions, a library, concert halls, and radio and television stations.

On the right bank is the economic and commercial centre.

Skopje was rebuilt largely according to a master plan by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, which was supported by the United Nations and partly executed by local architects.

Although it was only partially realised, some iconic modernist buildings appeared in the city, including by the Alvar Aalto - trained Macedonian architect Janko Konstantinov.​

2014

Skopje had another reconstruction called Skopje 2014 a project financed by the Macedonian government of the then-ruling nationalist party, with the official purpose of giving the capital Skopje a more classical appeal, giving the city its kitschy flavour.