Skopje

Skopje(/ˈskɒpjeɪ/SKOP-yay,USalso/ˈskoʊpjeɪ/SKOHP-yay;Macedonian:Скопје[ˈskɔpjɛ];Albanian:Shkup,Albaniandefinite form:Shkupi) is the capital andlargest cityofNorth Macedonia.It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. Skopje lies in theSkopje Basin.

Skopje Скопје(Macedonian) Shkup / Shkupi(Albanian)
Capital city
Град Скопје Qyteti i Shkupit City of Skopje
View over central Skopje with theVardar river Archaeological Museum of North Macedonia Macedonia Square Skopje Fortress(Kale) Porta Macedonia Church of St. Clement of Ohrid Stone Bridge
Flag Coat of arms
Skopje Location of Skopje in North Macedonia Skopje Skopje (Balkans) Skopje Skopje (Europe)
Coordinates:41°59′46″N21°25′54″E
Country	North Macedonia
Region	Skopje Statistical
Municipality	Greater Skopje
Government
• Type	Special unit of local self-government
• Body	Skopje City Council
•Mayor	Danela Arsovska(Independent)
Area
• Greater Skopje	571.46 km2(220.64 sq mi)
• Urban	337.80 km2(130.43 sq mi)
• Metro	1,854.00 km2(715.83 sq mi)
Elevation	240 m (790 ft)
Population (2021)
• Greater Skopje	526,502
Demonym(s)	Skopjan Macedonian:Skopjanec/Skopjanka Скопјанец/Скопјанка Albanian:Shkupjan (m), Shkupjane (f)
Official Language(s)
• primary	Macedonian,Albanian
Time zone	UTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2(CEST)
Postal codes	МК-10 00
Area code	+389 2
ISO 3166 code	MK-85
Car plates	SK
HDI(2021)	0.802 very high·1st of 8
Climate	BSk
Website	www.skopje.gov.mk

Scupiis attested for the first time in the second century AD as a city in RomanDardania.When theRoman Empirewas divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Scupi came underByzantinerule fromConstantinople.During much of theearly medievalperiod, the town was contested between the Byzantines and theBulgarian Empire,whose capital it was between 972 and 992. In 1004, when it was seized by the Byzantine Empire, the city became a centre of a newprovincecalledBulgaria.From 1282, the town was part of theSerbian Empire,of which it was the capital from 1346 to 1371.

In 1392, Skopje was conquered by theOttoman Turks,who called itÜsküb(اسکوب).The town stayed under Ottoman control for over 500 years, serving as the capital of thepashasanjakofÜsküpand later theVilayet of Kosovo.Its central position in theOttoman Balkansmade it a significant centre of commerce and administration during the Ottoman era. In 1912, it was annexed by theKingdom of Serbiaduring theBalkan Wars.

DuringWorld War Ithe city was seized by theKingdom of Bulgaria,and, after the war, it became part of the newly formedKingdom of Yugoslaviaas the capital ofVardarska Banovina.InWorld War II,the city was again captured by Bulgaria and in 1945 became the capital ofSR Macedonia,afederated statewithinYugoslavia.The city developed rapidly, but this was interrupted in 1963 when it was hit bya disastrous earthquake.

Skopje is on the upper course of theVardarRiver and is on a major north–southBalkanroute betweenBelgradeandAthens.It is a centre for the chemical, timber, textile, leather, printing, and metal-processing 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 transportation, culture and sport. According to the last official census from 2021, Skopje had a population of 526,502 inhabitants.

Name

See also:Other names of Skopje

Serbian troops overseeing the city's renaming from "Üsküb" to "Skoplje" following Serbia's annexation ofVardar Macedoniain 1912

The city is attested for the first name inGeographybyPtolemyc. 150 ADas one of the cities of RomanDardania.Ptolemy describes the city in Latin asScupiand ancient Greek asΣκοῦποι.The toponym likely belongs to a group of similarIllyriantoponyms which have been transmitted to Slavic languages in the same way as the modernMacedoniantoponymSkopje:SkopljeandUskopljein Bosnia,Uskopljein Dalmatia (Croatia).

Shkup,the name of the city inAlbanian,developed directly from Roman-eraScupiin agreement with the Albanian phonological development, the basis of evidence of an earlier Albanian settlement in the area.Shkupiis the definite form ofShkupin Albanian.Skopje,the name of the city during the Middle Ages, is the local Slavic (Macedonian) rendition ofScupi.TheOttoman Turkishrendition of the city's name is "Üsküb" (Ottoman Turkish:اسكوب) and it was adapted in Western languages in "Uskub" or "Uskup", and these two appellations were used in the Western world until 1912. Some Western sources also cite "Scopia" and "Skopia".Scopiais the name of the city inAromanian.

WhenVardar Macedoniawas annexed by theKingdom of Serbiain 1912, the city officially became "Skoplje" (Serbian Cyrillic:Скопље) and many languages adopted this name. To reflect local pronunciation, the city's name was eventually spelled as "Skopje" (Macedonian:Скопје) after theSecond World War,when standardMacedonianbecame the official language of the newSocialist Republic of Macedonia.

Geography

Topography

Skopje is in the north of the country, in the centre of theBalkan peninsula,and halfway betweenBelgradeandAthens.The city was built in the Skopje valley, oriented on a west-east axis, along the course of theVardarriver, which flows into theAegean Seain Greece. The valley is approximately 20 km (12 mi) wideand it is limited by several mountain ranges to the north and south. These ranges limit the urban expansion of Skopje, which spreads along the Vardar and theSerava,a small river which comes from the north. In its administrative boundaries, the City of Skopje stretches for more than 33 km (21 mi),but it is only 10 km (6.2 mi) wide.

Skopje is approximately 245 m above sea level and covers 571.46 km².The urbanized area only covers 337 km²,with a density of 65 inhabitants per hectare.Skopje, in its administrative limits, encompasses many villages and other settlements, includingDračevo,Gorno Nereziand Bardovci. According to the 2021 census, the City of Skopje had 526,502 inhabitants.

The City of Skopje reaches theKosovoborder to the north-east. Clockwise, it is also bordered by the municipalities ofČučer-Sandevo,Lipkovo,Aračinovo,Ilinden,Studeničani,Sopište,ŽelinoandJegunovce.

• 
  The city of Skopje; its administrative limits are in red.
• 
  Location of Skopje in North Macedonia
• 
  Landscape of the Skopje valley, near Bardovci

Hydrography

TheVardarriver, which flows through Skopje, is at approximately 60 km (37 mi) from its source nearGostivar.In Skopje, its average discharge is 51 m³/s, with a wide amplitude depending on seasons, between 99.6 m³/s in May and 18.7 m³/s in July. The water temperature is between 4.6 °C in January and 18.1 °C in July.

Several rivers meet the Vardar within the city boundaries. The largest is theTreska,which is 130 km (81 mi) long. It crosses theMatka Canyonbefore reaching the Vardar on the western extremity of the City of Skopje. TheLepenac,coming fromKosovo,flows into the Vardar on the northwestern end of the urban area. The Serava, also coming from the North, had flowed through theOld Bazaaruntil the 1960s when it was diverted towards the West because its waters were very polluted. Originally, it met the Vardar close to the seat of theMacedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts.Nowadays, it flows into the Vardar near the ruins ofScupi.Markova Reka,which originates in MountVodno,meets the Vardar at the eastern extremity of the city. These three rivers are less than 70 km (43 mi) long.

The City of Skopje incorporates two artificial lakes, on the Treska. The lake Matka is the result of the construction of a dam in the Matka Canyon in the 1930s, and the Treska lake was dug for leisure purposes in 1978.Three small natural lakes can be found nearSmilkovci,on the northeastern edge of the urban area.

The riverVardarhistorically caused many floods, such as in 1962, when its outflow reached 1110 m³/s⁻¹.Several works have been carried out since Byzantine times to limit the risks, and since the construction of theKozjak damon the Treska in 1994, the flood risk is close to zero.

The subsoil contains a largewater tablewhich is alimented by the Vardar river and functions as an underground river. Under the table lies anaquifercontained inmarl.The water table is 4 to 12 m under the ground and 4 to 144 m deep. Several wells collect its waters but most of the drinking water used in Skopje comes from akarsticspring inRašče,west of the city.

• 
  The Treska lake
• 
  TheVardarand theStone Bridge,symbol of the city
• 
  The main river running through the centre of Skopje, c. 1950
• 
  The Serava north of the city

Geology

The Skopje valley is bordered on the West by theŠar Mountains,on the South by theJakupicarange, on the East by hills belonging to theOsogovorange, and on the North by theSkopska Crna Gora.MountVodno,the highest point inside the city limits, is 1066 m high and is part of theJakupicarange.

Although Skopje is built on the foot of Mount Vodno, the urban area is mostly flat. It comprises several minor hills, generally covered with woods and parks, such as Gazi Baba hill (325 m), Zajčev Rid (327 m), the foothills of Mount Vodno (the smallest are between 350 and 400 m high) and the promontory on whichSkopje Fortressis built.

The Skopje valley is near a seismic fault between the African and Eurasiantectonic platesand experiences regular seismic activity.This activity in enhanced by the porous structure of the subsoil.Large earthquakes occurred in Skopje in 518, 1555 and 1963.

The Skopje valley belongs to the Vardar geotectonic region, the subsoil of which is formed ofNeogeneandQuaternarydeposits. The substratum is made ofPliocenedeposits includingsandstone,marl,and various conglomerates. It is covered by a first layer of Quaternary sands and silt, which is between 70 and 90 m deep. The layer is topped by a much smaller layer of clay, sand, silt, and gravel, carried by theVardarriver. It is between 1.5 and 5.2 m deep.

In some areas, the subsoil iskarstic.It led to the formation of canyons, such as theMatka Canyon,which is surrounded by ten caves. They are between 20 and 176 m deep.

• 
  MountVodnoin the background overlooking Skopje
• 
  TheMatka Canyonon the western edge of the City of Skopje
• 
  A cave at theMatka Canyon

Climate

Skopje has ahumid subtropical climate(Köppen:Cfa), bordering on ahumid continental climate(Köppen:Dfa)with a mean annual temperature of 12.6 °C (55 °F). Precipitation is relatively low due to the pronouncedrain shadowof theAccursed Mountainsto the northwest, being significantly less than what is received on the Adriatic Sea coast at the same latitude. The summers are long, hot and relatively dry with low humidity. Skopje's average July high is 32 °C (90 °F). On average Skopje sees 88 days above 30 °C (86 °F) each year, and 10.2 days above 35.0 °C (95 °F) every year.

Winters are short, relatively cold and wet. Snowfalls are common in the winter period, but heavy snow accumulation is rare and the snowcover lasts only for a few hours or a few days if heavy. In summer, 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 winter, the day temperatures are roughly in the range from 5–10 °C (41–50 °F), but at nights they often fall below 0 °C (32 °F) and sometimes below −10 °C (14 °F). Typically, temperatures throughout one year range from −13 °C to 39 °C. Occurrences of precipitation are evenly distributed throughout the year, being heaviest from October to December, and from April to June.

Climate data for Skopje International Airport (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1949−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	19.6 (67.3)	24.6 (76.3)	34.2 (93.6)	35.0 (95.0)	35.8 (96.4)	41.1 (106.0)	42.8 (109.0)	43.2 (109.8)	38.2 (100.8)	33.9 (93.0)	28.2 (82.8)	22.1 (71.8)	43.2 (109.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	4.8 (40.6)	9.0 (48.2)	14.5 (58.1)	19.4 (66.9)	24.4 (75.9)	29.2 (84.6)	32.0 (89.6)	32.3 (90.1)	26.7 (80.1)	20.1 (68.2)	12.5 (54.5)	5.9 (42.6)	19.2 (66.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.2 (32.4)	3.0 (37.4)	7.7 (45.9)	12.4 (54.3)	17.2 (63.0)	21.7 (71.1)	24.1 (75.4)	24.1 (75.4)	19.0 (66.2)	13.1 (55.6)	6.9 (44.4)	1.8 (35.2)	12.6 (54.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−3.3 (26.1)	−1.6 (29.1)	1.9 (35.4)	5.7 (42.3)	10.3 (50.5)	14.3 (57.7)	16.3 (61.3)	16.2 (61.2)	12.2 (54.0)	7.6 (45.7)	2.8 (37.0)	−1.4 (29.5)	6.7 (44.2)
Record low °C (°F)	−25.6 (−14.1)	−22.0 (−7.6)	−19.0 (−2.2)	−6.0 (21.2)	−1.6 (29.1)	3.2 (37.8)	5.8 (42.4)	4.3 (39.7)	−2.3 (27.9)	−6.4 (20.5)	−12.2 (10.0)	−22.9 (−9.2)	−25.6 (−14.1)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	30 (1.2)	29 (1.1)	38 (1.5)	40 (1.6)	43 (1.7)	54 (2.1)	38 (1.5)	36 (1.4)	34 (1.3)	49 (1.9)	45 (1.8)	48 (1.9)	483 (19.0)
Average precipitation days	10	9	10	10	11	10	7	6	6	7	9	11	106
Average snowy days	5	5	3	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0.1	2	5	20
Averagerelative humidity(%)	83	75	68	66	66	61	56	56	63	74	82	85	70
Mean monthlysunshine hours	86.9	112.5	161.1	198.4	245.2	276.3	323.0	305.4	247.5	188.2	114.8	79.6	2,339
Source 1:World Meteorological Organization(precipitation days)
Source 2:NOAA(sun, 1961–1990),UHMR (extremes, 1951-present)

Environment

The City of Skopje encompasses various natural environments and its fauna and flora are rich. However, it is threatened by the intensification of agriculture and urban extension. The largest protected area within the city limits is Mount Vodno, which is a popular leisure destination. A cable car connects its peak to the downtown, and many pedestrian paths run through its woods. Other large natural spots include theMatka Canyon.

The city itself comprises several parks and gardens amounting to 4,361 hectares. Among these are the City Park (Gradski Park), built by the Ottoman Turks at the beginning of the 20th century; Žena Borec Park, in front of the Parliament; the university arboretum; and Gazi Baba forest. Many streets and boulevards are planted with trees.

Steel processing, which is a crucial activity for the local economy, is responsible forsoil pollutionwith heavy metals such as lead,zincandcadmium,and air pollution withnitrogen oxideandcarbon monoxide.Vehicle traffic anddistrict heatingplants are also responsible for air pollution.

Water treatment plants are being built, but much polluted water is still discharged untreated into theVardar.Waste is disposed of in the open-air municipal landfill site, 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the city. Every day, it receives 1,500 m³of domestic waste and 400 m³of industrial waste. Health levels are better in Skopje than in the rest of North Macedonia, and no link has been found between the low environmental quality and the health of the residents.

A panoramic view of Skopje as seen from Mount Vodno.

Urbanism

Urban morphology

Skopje urban plan for 2002–2020:

City centre

Collective housing

Individual housing

Industrial areas

The urban morphology of Skopje was deeply impacted by the26 July 1963 earthquake,which destroyed 80% of the city, and by the reconstruction that followed.For instance, neighbourhoods were rebuilt in such a way that the demographic density remains low to limit the impact of potential future earthquakes.

Reconstruction following the 1963 earthquake was mainly conducted by the Polish architectAdolf Ciborowski,who had already planned the reconstruction ofWarsawafterWorld War II.Ciborowski divided the city into blocks dedicated to specific activities. The banks of theVardarriver became natural areas and parks, areas between the main boulevards were built with highrise housing and shopping centres, and the suburbs were left to individual housing and industry.Reconstruction had to be quick to relocate families and to relaunch the local economy. To stimulate economic development, the number of thoroughfares was increased and future urban extension was anticipated.

Skopje as seen by theSPOT satellite.Mount Vodno is visible on the bottom left of the picture.

The south bank of the Vardar river generally comprises highrise tower blocks, including the vast Karpoš neighbourhood which was built in the 1970s west of the centre. Towards the East, the new municipality ofAerodromwas planned in the 1980s to house 80,000 inhabitants on the site of the old airport. Between Karpoš and Aerodrom lies the city centre, rebuilt according to plans by Japanese architectKenzo Tange.The centre is surrounded by a row of long buildings suggesting a wall ( "Gradski Zid" ).

On the north bank, where the most ancient parts of the city lie, theOld Bazaarwas restored and its surroundings were rebuilt with low-rise buildings, so as not to spoil views of theSkopje Fortress.Several institutions, including the university and the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, were also relocated to the north bank to reduce borders between the ethnic communities. The north bank is mostly inhabited by Muslim Albanians, Turks, and Roma, whereas Christian ethnic Macedonians predominantly reside on the south bank.

The earthquake left the city with few historical monuments, apart from the OttomanOld Bazaar,and the reconstruction, conducted between the 1960s and 1980s, turned Skopje into amodernistcity. At the end of the 2000s, the city centre experienced profound changes. A highly controversialurban project, "Skopje 2014",was adopted by the municipal authorities to give the city a more monumental and historical aspect, and thus to transform it into a proper national capital. Several neoclassical buildings destroyed in the 1963 earthquake were rebuilt, including the national theatre, and streets and squares were refurbished. Many other elements were also built, including fountains, statues, hotels, government buildings and bridges. The project has been criticized because of its cost and its historicist aesthetics.The large Albanian minority felt it was not represented in the new monuments,and launched side projects, including a new square over the boulevard that separates the city centre from theOld Bazaar.

• 
  Vapcarov Street, in the city centre
• 
  A street in theOld Bazaar
• 
  Highrise housing in Karpoš
• 
  "Macedonian Cross" andCevahir Towers.
• 
  The archeological museum, one of the elements of "Skopje 2014"

Urban sociology

Kapištec neighbourhood, developed during the 1970s. Some post-earthquake prefabricated houses can be seen in the foreground.

Skopje is an ethnically diverse city, and its urban sociology primarily depends on ethnic and religious affiliation.Macedoniansform 66% of the city population, whileAlbaniansandRomaaccount respectively for 20% and 6%.Each ethnic group generally restricts itself to certain areas of the city. Macedonians live south of theVardar,in areas massively rebuilt after 1963, and Muslims live on the northern side, in the oldest neighbourhoods of the city. These neighbourhoods are considered more traditional, whereas the south side evokes to Macedonians modernity and rupture from rural life.

The northern areas are the poorest. This is especially true forTopaana,inČair municipality,and forŠuto Orizari municipality,which are the two main Roma neighbourhoods. They are made of many illegal constructions not connected to electricity and water supply, which are passed from one generation to another. Topaana, close to theOld Bazaar,is a very old area: it was first mentioned as a Roma neighbourhood in the beginning of the 14th century. It has between 3,000 and 5,000 inhabitants. Šuto Orizari, on the northern edge of the city, is a municipality of its own, withRomanias its local official language. It was developed after the1963 earthquaketo accommodate Roma who had lost their house.

The population density varies greatly from one area to another. So does the size of the living area per person. The city average was at 19.41 m²(208.93 sq ft) per person as of 2002,but at 24 m²(258 sq ft) inCentaron the south bank, and only 14 m²(151 sq ft) inČairon the north bank. InŠuto Orizari,the average was at 13 m²(140 sq ft).

Localities and villages

Gorno Nerezi,a village on the northern side of Mount Vodno

Outside of the urban area, the City of Skopje encompasses many small settlements. Some of them are becoming outer suburbs, such asČento,on the road to Belgrade, which has more than 23,000 inhabitants, andDračevo,which has almost 20,000 inhabitants.Other large settlements are north of the city, such as Radišani, with 9,000 inhabitants,whereas smaller villages can be found on Mount Vodno or inSaraj municipality,which is the most rural of the ten municipalities that form the City of Skopje.

Some localities outside the city limits are also becoming outer suburbs, particularly inIlindenandPetrovec municipality.They benefit from the presence of major roads, railways, and theairport,in Petrovec.

Pollution

Pollution contributors in the area of Skopje

Air pollution is a serious problem in Skopje, especially in winter.Concentrations of certain types ofparticulate matter(PM2 and PM10) are regularly over twelve times theWHOrecommended maximum levels. In winter, smoke regularly obscures vision and can lead to problems for drivers. Together withKosovoandBosnia and Herzegovina,North Macedoniahas the most polluted urban areas in Europe.

Skopje's high levels of pollution are caused by a combination of smoke from houses, emissions from the industry, buses, and other forms of public transport, as well as from cars, and a lack of interest in caring for the environment. Central heating is often not affordable, and so households often burn firewood, as well as used car tyres, various plastic garbage, petroleum, and other possible flammable waste, which emits toxic chemicals harmful to the population, especially to children and the elderly.

The city's smog has reduced its air quality and affected the health of many of its citizens, many of whom have died from pollution-related illnesses.

AnapplicationcalledAirCare('MojVozduh') has been launched by local eco-activistGorjan Jovanovskito help citizens track pollution levels. It uses aTraffic lightsystem, with purple for heavily polluted air, red for high levels detected, amber for moderate levels detected, and green for when the air is safe to inhale.The application relies on both government and volunteersensorsto track hourly air pollution. Unfortunately, government sensors are frequently inoperable and malfunctioning, causing the need for more low-cost, but less accurate, volunteer sensors to be put up by citizens. Faults on government sensors are especially frequent when the pollution is measured is extremely high, according to the AQILHC (Air Quality Index Levels of Health Concern).

Skopje topped the ranks in December 2017 as one of the most polluted cities in the world.In 2017, as part of the city's efforts to reduce pollution, aCityTreewas installed, and promoted by German ambassador Christine Althauser.

On 29 November 2019, a march, organized by the Skopje Smog Alarmactivist community,attracted thousands of people who opposed the government's lack of action in dealing with the city's pollution, which has worsened since 2017, contributing to around 1300 deaths annually.

A panoramic view of the smog in the central area of Skopje

History

Main article:History of Skopje

For a chronological guide, seeTimeline of Skopje.

Timeline of Skopje
Historical affiliations

Dardanian Kingdom,230–28 BC
Roman Empire,28 BC–395
Byzantine Empire,395–836
First Bulgarian Empire,836–1004
Byzantine Empire,1004–1093
Grand Principality of Serbia,1093–1097
Byzantine Empire,1098–1203
Second Bulgarian Empire,1203–1246
Empire of Nicaea,1246–1255
Second Bulgarian Empire,1255–1256
Empire of Nicaea,1256–1261
Byzantine Empire,1261–1282
Kingdom of Serbia,1282–1346
Serbian Empire,1346–1371
District of Branković,1371–1392
Ottoman Empire,1392–1912
Kingdom of Serbia1912–1915
Tsardom of Bulgaria1915–1918
Kingdom of Yugoslavia1918–1941
Tsardom of Bulgaria1941–1944
Democratic Federal Yugoslavia(Democratic Federal Macedonia) 1944–1946
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia(Socialist Republic of Macedonia) 1946–1992
North Macedonia1992–present

Origins

The rocky promontory on whichSkopje Fortressstands was the first site to be settled in Skopje. The earliest vestiges of human occupation found on this site date from theChalcolithic(4th millennium BC).

Although the Chalcolithic settlement must have been of some significance, it declined during theBronze Age.Archeological research suggests that the settlement always belonged to the same culture, which progressively evolved due to contacts withBalkanandDanubecultures, and later with theAegean.The locality eventually disappeared during theIron AgewhenScupiemerged on Zajčev Rid hill, some 5 km (3.1 mi) west of the fortress promontory. At the centre of the Balkan peninsula and on the road between theDanubeandAegean Sea,it was a prosperous locality, although its history is not well known.

During the Iron Age, the area of Skopje was inhabited by theDardani.Illyriantribes lived in most of the area west of Skopje andThraciangroups (Maedi) to the east, whilePaeonianslived to the south of Skopje.The Dardanians had remained independent after the Roman conquest ofMacedon,and it seems most likely that Dardania lost its independence in 28 BC.

Roman Scupi

A "Venus Pudica" found in Scupi, dated from the 2nd century AD

Roman expansion east brought Scupi under Roman rule as a colony of legionnaires, mainly veterans of theLegio VII Claudiain the time ofDomitian(81–96 AD). However, several legions from theRoman province of MacedoniaofCrassus' army may already have been stationed there around 29–28 BC before the official imperial command was instituted.The first mention of the city was made at that period byLivy,who died in 17 AD.Scupi first served as a military base to maintain peace in the regionand was officially named "Colonia Flavia Scupinorum",Flaviabeing the name of theemperor's dynasty.Shortly afterwards it became part of the province ofMoesiaduringAugustus's rule. After the division of the province byDomitianin 86 AD, Scupi was elevated to colonial status and became a seat of government within the new province ofMoesia Superior.The district calledDardania(within Moesia Superior) was formed into a special province byDiocletian,with the capital atNaissus.In Roman times the eastern part of Dardania, from Scupi to Naissus, remained inhabited mostly by a local population, mainly ofThracianorigin.

The city population was very diverse. Engravings on tombstones suggest that only a minority of the population came from Italy, while many veterans were fromDalmatia,southernGaulandSyria.Because of the ethnic diversity of the population,Latinmaintained itself as the main language in the city at the expense ofGreek,which was spoken in most of the Moesian and Macedonian cities.During the following centuries, Scupi experienced prosperity. The period from the end of the 3rd century to the end of the 4th century was particularly flourishing.The first church was founded under the reign ofConstantine the Greatand Scupi became the seat of a diocese. In 395, following the division of theRoman Empirein two, Scupi became part of theEastern Roman Empire.

An ancient funeral inscription of theIllyriantribeAlbanoiwas found inScupi.

In its heyday, Scupi covered 40 hectares and was closed by a 3.5 m (11 ft) wide wall.It had many monuments, including four necropoles, a theatre, thermae,and a large Christian basilica.

Middle Ages

Skopje Fortress

In 518, Scupi was destroyed by a violent earthquake,possibly the most devastating the town had ever experienced.At that time, the region was threatened by theBarbarian invasions,and the city inhabitants had already fled to the forests and mountains before the disaster occurred.The city was eventually rebuilt byJustinian I.During his reign, many Byzantine towns were relocated on hills and other easily defendable places to face invasions. It was thus transferred to another site: the promontory on which thefortressstands.However, Scupi was sacked bySlavsat the end of the 6th century and the city seems to have fallen under Slavic rule in 595.The Slavic tribe which sacked Scupi was probably theBerziti,who had invaded the entireVardarvalley.However the Slavs did not settle permanently in the region, which had been already plundered and depopulated, but continued south to the Mediterranean coast.After the Slavic invasion it was deserted for some time and is not mentioned during the following centuries.Perhaps in the late 7th or the early 8th century the Byzantines again settled at this strategic location. Along with the rest of the Upper Vardar valley it became part of the expandingFirst Bulgarian Empirein the 830s.

The coronationof emperorDušanin Skopje

Starting from the end of the 10th century Skopje experienced a period of wars and political troubles. It served as the Bulgarian capital from 972 to 992, andSamuilruled it from 976until 1004, when its governor surrendered it to Byzantine EmperorBasil the Bulgar Slayerin 1004 in exchange for the titles of patrician and strategos.It became a centre of a new ByzantineprovincecalledBulgaria.Later Skopje was briefly seized twice by Slavic insurgents who wanted to restore the Bulgarian state. At first in 1040 underPeter Delyan's command,and in 1072 under the orders ofGeorgi Voyteh.In 1081, Skopje was captured byNormantroops led byRobert Guiscardand the city remained in their hands until 1088. Skopje was subsequently conquered by the Serbian Grand PrinceVukanin 1093, and again by the Normans four years later. However, because of epidemics and food shortage, Normans quickly surrendered to the Byzantines.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, Bulgarians and Serbs took advantage of Byzantine decline to create large kingdoms stretching fromDanubeto theAegean Sea.Kaloyanbrought Skopje back intoreestablished Bulgariain 1203until his nephewStrezdeclared autonomy along the Upper Vardar with Serbian help only five years later.In 1209, Strez switched allegiances and recognizedBoril of Bulgariawith whom he led a successful joint campaign against Serbia's first internationally recognized kingStefan Nemanjić.From 1214 to 1230, Skopje was a part of Byzantine successor stateEpirusbefore being recaptured byIvan Asen IIand held by Bulgaria until 1246 when the Upper Vardar valley was incorporated once more into a Byzantine state – theEmpire of Nicaea.Byzantine conquest was briefly reversed in 1255 by the regents of the youngMichael Asen I of Bulgaria.Meanwhile, in the parallel civil war for the Crown inTarnovoSkopjeboyarand grandson toStefan NemanjaConstantine Tikhgained the upper hand and ruled until Europe's only successful peasant revolt theUprising of Ivaylodeposed him.

In 1282, Skopje was captured by Serbian kingStefan Milutin.Under the political stability of theNemanjićrule, settlement has spread outside the walls of the fortress, towards Gazi Baba hill.Churches, monasteries and markets were built and tradesmen fromVeniceandDubrovnikopened shops. The town greatly benefited from its location near European, Middle Eastern, and African markets. In the 14th century, Skopje became such an important city that kingStefan Dušanmade it the capital of theSerbian Empire.In 1346, he was crowned "Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks" in Skopje.After his death the Serbian Empire collapsed into several principalities which were unable to defend themselves against the Turks. Skopje was first inherited by theLordship of Prilepand finally taken byVuk Brankovićin the wake of theBattle of Maritsa(1371)before becoming part of theOttoman Empirein 1392.

In 1330, Serbian kingStefan Dečanskimentioned Albanians as being in the district of Skopje and regularly going to the Fair ofSaint Georgewhich convened near the city.

Ottoman period

First May Day celebration of theOttoman periodin Skopje, 1909

TheOttomansstayed in Skopje for over 520 years and the city’s economic life greatly benefited from its position in the middle ofRumelia,the European province of the Ottomans. TheStone Bridge,"one of the most imposing stone bridges to be found in Yugoslavia", was reconstructed under the patronage ofSultan Mehmed II the Conquerorbetween 1451 and 1469.The Ottomans drastically changed the appearance of the city. They organized theBazaarwith itscaravanserais,mosques andbaths.

In the cadastral register of 1451-52, the Skopje neighborhoodGjin-ko- (Gjinaj), is mentioned, being named after the medieval AlbanianGjini family.The neighbourhood displayed mixed Christian Albanian anthroponomy with cases of Slavicisation present (e.gPalić;Pal+ Slavic suffixić).During this time period, a number of timariotes of the city are recorded as bearing the nameArnauti(Albanian) alongside a Muslim name, i.eHamza Arnauti, Shahin Arnauti, Jusuf Arnauti.Another group bore Christian/Slavic names, while also carrying bearing the surnameArbanas/Arnaut,i.eBogdan Arbanas, Bogoslav Arbanas, Milosh Arbanas, Bozhidar Arnautetc. These individuals are not noted as having the Slavic appellativesdošlac, prišlacoruselica,which were given by Ottoman authorities to new settlers of a given region, likely indicating they were locals.In the year 1451/53 a neighborhood was registered bearing an Aromanian name,Mahalle-i Todor Vlaja-Vlaha.Among the 45 family heads of this neighborhood, Christian-Slavic and Albanian anthroponyms were recorded (Gjon-çe,son ofNoriç,Koljko Bibani,Tusho,son ofRadaetc), while a sizeable number of individuals bearing mixed Slavic-Vlach anthroponyms are also registered, such as:Petko,son ofVllah(Iflak),Petruson ofDavid,Andreja, kozhuhar,Nikul Çikun,etc.

In themahallahAhrijan Hasanin the year 1451/53, a head of the family from noble AlbanianMuzaka family,who had converted to Islam, was re-registered among the Muslim heads of the family. In the other register of 1467/68, now in the Christian mahallah namedSvetko Samarxhi,among the 29 heads of families with Slavic Christian anthroponyms, a number also carry Albanian anthroponyms.In the neighborhood ofJazixhi Shahin,among the residents with Muslim names, the head of the family was registered only with the surnameZenebishi,without mentioning his social position or his profession, indicating a higher social status. This may suggest a relation to Hasan Bey Zenebishi adescendant of theZenebishi familyand theSoubashiof theNahiyahofKalkandelen.Individuals bearing Albanian anthroponyms, be they in conjunction with Oriental/Islamic, Slavic or Christian ones, also appear in the neighbourhoods ofKasim Fakih,Dursun Saraç,Kujumxhi Mentesheli,Çerep, Jandro, Stanimir, Vllah DançuandRela.A number of Sipahis were also of Albanian origin, with these individuals holdingtimarsin areas which had a Christian Albanian symbiosis with Slavic anthroponyms in the vicinity of Skopje. The defters noted that these were old were old Sipahis, likely having been landowners. These individual Sipahis were closely related by descent and blood, and taking account kinship ties, even though they had heterogeneous, Christian, Slavic and Oriental names, they appear to have been Albanians. Some have names indicating their origin, such asShimerd Vardarlifrom Skopje, making it likely these timariotes were locals.

The 15th-centuryMustafa Pasha Mosque

Around 1529, the Christians of Skopje were mostly non-convertedSlavsandAlbanians,but alsoRagusanandArmeniantradesmen.Mustafa Pasha Mosque,built in 1492, is reputed to be "one of the most resplendent sacral Islamic buildings in the Balkans."In 1535 all churches were demolished by decree of the (Ottoman) governor.In 1555, the city was hit by another severe earthquake, collapsing much of the city. TheOld Bazaar of Skopje,the columns of theStone Bridge,and the murals in the upper parts of theChurch of Saint Panteleimon, Gorno Nereziwere all severely damaged.Some modern sources estimate this earthquake to have been a category XII (Extreme) on theModified Mercalli intensity scale,although others believe this is an overestimate.

In 1623-1624, the CatholicPjeter Mazrekureported the town was inhabited by 'Turks (Muslims), majority of them being Albanians, the rest are of Asiatic origin', Mazreku further wrote; 'there are also Jews, Serbs and some Greeks in the town'.In the Ottoman period, 'Turk' was used within Christian writings as a name for a Muslim or for Islamised Albanians.

Until the 17th century, Skopje experienced a long golden age. Around 1650, the number of inhabitants in Skopje was between 30,000 and 60,000, and the city contained more than 10,000 houses. It was then one of the only big cities on the territory of futureYugoslavia,together withBelgradeandSarajevo.At that time,Dubrovnik,which was a busy harbour, had not even 7,000 inhabitants.The city severely suffered from theGreat Turkish Warat the end of the 17th century and consequently experienced recession until the 19th century. In 1689, theHapsburgsseized Skopje which was already weakened by acholeraepidemic.The same day, generalSilvio Piccolominisetfire to the cityto end the epidemic.It is however possible that he wanted to avenge damages that Ottomans caused inViennain 1683.Skopje burned for two days but the general himself perished of the plague and his leaderless army was routed.The Austrian presence in Macedonia motivated Slav uprisings. Nevertheless, the Austrians left the country within the year and theHajduks,leaders of the uprisings, had to follow them in their retreat north of the Balkans.Some were arrested by the Ottomans, such asPetar Karposh,who was impaled on Skopje'sStone Bridge.

After the war, Skopje was in ruins. Most of the official buildings were restored or rebuilt, but the city experienced newplagueandcholeraepidemics and many inhabitants emigrated.Ottoman Empireas a whole entered in recession and political decline. Many rebellions and pillages occurred in Macedonia during the 18th century, either led by Ottoman outlaws,JanissariesorHajduks.An estimation conducted by French officers around 1836 revealed that at that time Skopje only had around 10,000 inhabitants. It was surpassed by two other towns of present-day North Macedonia:Bitola(40,000) andŠtip(15–20,000).

Skopje began to recover from decades of decline after 1850. At that time, the city experienced a slow but steady demographic growth, mainly due to the rural exodus of Slav Macedonians. It was also fuelled by the exodus of Muslims fromSerbiaandBulgaria,which were gaining autonomy and independence from the Empire at that time.During theTanzimatreforms,nationalismarose in the Empire and in 1870 a newBulgarian Churchwas established and its separate diocese was created, based onethnic identity,rather than religious principles.The Slavic population of the bishopric of Skopje voted in 1874 overwhelmingly, by 91% in favour of joining the Exarchate and became part of theBulgarian Millet.Economic growth was permitted by the construction of the Skopje-Salonicarailway in 1873.The train station was built south of theVardarand this contributed to the relocation of economic activities on this side of the river, which had never been urbanized before.Because of the rural exodus, the share of Christians in the city population arose. Some of the newcomers became part of the local elite and helped to spread nationalist ideasIn 1877, Skopje was chosen as the capital city of the newKosovo Vilayet,which encompassed present-dayKosovo,northwestern Macedonia and theSanjak of Novi Pazar.

In statistics gathered by Bulgarian ethnographerVasil Kanchovin 1900, the city of Skopje was inhabited by 31,900 people, of whom 15,000 were Turks, 13,000 Christian Bulgarians, 1920 Romani, 800 Jews, 450 Vlachs, 150 Christian Albanians, 50 Christian Greeks, 30 Circassians and 500 inhabitants of various other ethnicities.Kanchov wrote in the same year that many Albanians declared themselves as Turks. In Skopje, the population that declared itself Turkish "was of Albanian blood", but it "had been Turkified after the Ottoman invasion, including Skanderbeg", referring to Islamization. Bulgarian literary historianYordan Ivanovwrote in 1915 that Albanians, since they did not have their own Alpha bet, due to a lack of consolidated national consciousness and influenced by foreign propaganda, declared themselves as Turks, Greeks and Bulgarians, depending on which religion they belonged to. Albanians were losing their mother tongue in Skopje.German linguistGustav Weiganddescribed that the Skopje's Muslim population of "Turks" or Ottomans (Osmanli) during the late Ottoman period were mainly Albanians who spoke Turkish in public and Albanian at home.In 1905, the city had 32,000 inhabitants, making it the largest of the vilayet, although closely followed byPrizrenwith its 30,000 inhabitants.At the beginning of the 20th century, local economy was focused ondyeing,weaving,tanning,ironworksand wine and flour processing.

Skopje was one of the five main centres of theInternal Macedonian Revolutionary Organizationwhen it organized the 1903Ilinden uprising.Its revolutionarynetwork in the regionled byNikola Pushkarovwas not well-developed and the lack of weapons was a serious problem. At the outbreak of the uprising, the rebel forces derailed a military train.On 3 and 5 August respectively, they attacked an Ottoman unit guarding the bridge on the Vardar river and gave a battle in the "St. Jovan" monastery. In the next few days, the band was pursued by numerousBashibozuksand moved to Bulgaria.

Following theYoung Turk Revolutionin 1908, the Ottoman Empire experienced democracy and several political parties were created.However, some of the policies implemented by theYoung Turks,such as a tax rise and the interdiction of ethnic-based political parties, discontented minorities. Albanians opposed the nationalist character of the movement and led local uprisings in 1910 and 1912. During the latter, they managed to seize most of Kosovo and took Skopje on 11 August. On 18 August, the insurgents signed the Üsküb agreement which provided for the creation of an autonomous Albanian province and they were amnestied the day later.

• 
  Bulgarianmanifestation in support of theYoung Turk Revolution
• 
  TheChurch of the Nativity of the Theotokos,seat of the Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese of Skopje, built in the 19th century
• 
  Cutlers in theOld Bazaararound 1900

Balkan Wars to present day

Skopje after beingcaptured by Albanian revolutionariesin August 1912 after defeating the Ottoman forces holding the city, later the Ottomans restored power over the city

Peter I of Serbiavisiting Skopje in 1914

Following an alliance contracted in 1912,Bulgaria,GreeceandSerbiadeclared war on theOttoman Empire.Their goal was to definitively expel the Ottomans from Europe. TheFirst Balkan Warstarted on 8 October 1912 and lasted six weeks. Serbians reached Skopje on 26 October. Ottoman forces had left the city the day before.During the conflict,Chetniks,a Serb irregular force razed the Albanian quarter of Skopje andkilled numerous Albanian inhabitants from the city.The Serbian annexation led to the exodus of 725 Muslim families which left the city on 27 January 1913. The same year, the city population was evaluated at 37,000 by the Serbian authorities.

A view of the centre of Skopje in the 1930s

A Bulgarian officer looking at Skopje's centre, April 1941

In 1915, during theFirst World War,Serbian Macedonia was invaded by Bulgaria, which captured Skopje on 22 October 1915. Serbia, allied to theTriple Entente,was helped by France,Britain,Greece,and Italy, which formed theMacedonian front.Following a great Allied offensive in 1918, theArmée française d'Orientreached Skopje 29 September and took the city by surprise.After the end of the World War, Vardar Macedonia became part of the newKingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes,which became "Kingdom of Yugoslavia" in 1929.A mostly foreignethnic Serbruling class gained control, imposing large-scale repression.The policies of de-Bulgarization and assimilation were pursued.At that time part of the young locals, repressed by the Serbs, tried to find a separate way of ethnic Macedonian development.In 1931, in a move to formally decentralize the country, Skopje was named the capital of theVardar Banovinaof theKingdom of Yugoslavia.Until theSecond World War,Skopje experienced strong economic growth, and its population increased. The city had 41,066 inhabitants in 1921, 64,807 in 1931, and 80,000 in 1941.Although in an underdeveloped region, it attracted wealthy Serbs who opened businesses and contributed to the modernization of the city.In 1941, Skopje had 45 factories, half of the industry in the whole of Socialist Macedonia.

The national theatre and the fortress around 1920

In 1941, during the Second World War, Yugoslavia was invaded byNazi Germany.Germans seized Skopje on 8 Apriland left it to their Bulgarian allies on 22 April 1941.To ensure thebulgarizationof the society, authorities closed Serbian schools and churches, opening new schools and a higher education institute, the King Boris University.The 4,000 Jews of Skopje were all deported in 1943 to theTreblinka extermination campwhere almost all of them were killed.

Čento,Dimitar VlahovandMihajlo Apostolskiparading in liberated Skopje, November 1944

Skopje was liberatedon 13 November 1944 by units of theBulgarian People's Army(Bulgaria having switched sides in the warin September) aided byYugoslav Partisansof theMacedonian National Liberation Army.Skopje became the capital city of the newly proclaimedDemocratic Federal Macedoniaas set up by theASNOMon 2 August 1944 in theBulgarian occupation zone in Yugoslavia.

AfterWorld War II,Skopje greatly benefited fromSocialist Yugoslavpolicies which encouraged industry and the development of Macedonian cultural institutions. Consequently, Skopje became home to a national library, a philharmonic orchestra, a university, and the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts. However, its post-war development was altered by the1963 earthquakewhich occurred on 26 July. Although relatively weak in magnitude, it caused enormous damage in the city and can be compared to the1960 Agadir earthquake.The disaster killed 1,070 people, injuring 3,300 others. 16,000 people were buried alive in ruins and 70% of the population lost their home.Many educational facilities, factories and historical buildings were destroyed.

American soldiers in Skopje after the1963 earthquake

Monument to the Macedonian partisans – Liberators of Skopje, next to the Government building

After theearthquake,reconstruction was quick. It had a deep psychological impact on the population because neighbourhoods were split and people were relocated to new houses and buildings they were not familiar with.Many Albanians, some from Kosovo participated in the reconstruction effort.Reconstruction was finished by 1980, even if many elements were never built because funds were exhausted.Skopje cityscape was drastically changed and the city became a true example ofmodernist architecture.Demographic growth was very important after 1963, and Skopje had 408,100 inhabitants in 1981.After 1963, rural youth migrated to Skopje and were involved in the reconstruction process resulting in a large growth of the urban Macedonian population.The Albanian population of Skopje also increased as people from the northern villages migrated to the city and others came from Kosovo either to provide manpower for reconstruction or fled the deteriorating political situation, especially during the 1990s.However, during the 1980s and the 1990s, the country experienced inflation and recession and the local economy heavily suffered. The situation became better during the 2000s thanks to new investments. Many landmarks were restored and the "Skopje 2014"project renewed the appearance of the city centre.

Emblems

Main articles:Flag of SkopjeandCoat of arms of Skopje

TheFlag of Skopjeis a red banner in proportions 1:2 with a gold-colouredcoat of arms of the citypositioned in the upper-left corner. It is either vertical or horizontal, but the vertical version was the first to be used.

The coat of arms of the city was adopted in the 1950s. It depicts theStone Bridgewith theVardarriver, theKale Fortressand the snow-capped peaks of theŠar mountains.

Administration

Status

Greater Skopje among themunicipalities of North Macedonia

Being the capital and largest city of North Macedonia, Skopje enjoys a particular status granted by law. The last revision of its status was made in 2004. Since then, the City of Skopje has been divided into 10 municipalities which all have a council and a mayor, like all of the country's municipalities. Municipalities only deal with matters specific of their territory, and the City of Skopje deals with matters that concern all of them, or that cannot be divided between two or more municipalities.

The City of Skopje is part of theSkopje Statistical Region,which has no political or administrative power.

City Council

The City Council consists of 45 members who serve a four-year term. It primarily deals with budget, global orientations and relations between the city and the government. Several commissions exist to treat more specific topics, such as urbanism, finances, environment of local development.The President of the council is elected by the Council Members. Since 2021 the president has been Trajko Slaveski, member ofVMRO-DPMNE.

Following the 2021 local elections, the City Council is constituted as follows:

Party / List	Seats
SDSM	12
VMRO-DPMNE	18
DUI	5
AA/A	2
DOM	2
Levica	4
Total	45

Mayor

TheMayor of Skopjeis elected every four years. The mayor represents the City of Skopje and can submit ideas to the council, manages the administrative bodies and their officials.

Municipalities

Skopje was first divided into administrative units in 1945, but the first municipalities were created in 1976. They were five:Centar,Čair,Karpoš,Gazi BabaandKisela Voda.After the 1991 independence of the country, power was centralized and municipalities lost much of their competences. A 1996 law restored them and created two new municipalities:Ǵorče PetrovandŠuto Orizari.After theinsurgency between Albanian rebels and Macedonian forcesin 2001, a new law was enacted in 2004 to incorporateSaraj Municipalityinto the City of Skopje. Saraj is mostly populated by Albanians and, since then, Albanians represent more than 20% of the city population. Thus Albanian became the second official language of the city administration, something which was one of the claims of the Albanian rebels. The same year,Aerodrom Municipalityseparated itself from Kisela Voda, andButel Municipalityfrom Čair.

Municipalities are administered by a council of 23 members elected every four years. They also have a mayor and several departments (education, culture, finances...). The mayor primarily deals with these departments.

Name Size (km2) Population 2002 Population 2021 Aerodrom 20 72,009 77,735 Butel 54.79 36,144 37,968 Centar 7.52 45,412 43,893 Čair 3.52 64,773 62,586 Gazi Baba 110.86 72,617 69,626 Ǵorče Petrov 66.93 41,634 44,844 Karpoš 35.21 59,666 63,760 Kisela Voda 34.24 57,236 61,965 Saraj 229.06 35,408 38,399 Šuto Orizari 7.48 22,017 25,726 City of Skopje 571.46 506,926 526,502

Centar(Центар) Gazi Baba(Гази Баба) Aerodrom(Аеродром) Čair(Чаир) Kisela Voda(Кисела Вода) Butel(Бутел) Šuto Orizari(Шуто Оризари) Karpoš(Карпош) Ǵorče Petrov(Ѓорче Петров) Saraj(Сарај)

Economy

Economic weight

The small business district

Skopje is a medium city at the European level. Being the capital and largest city of North Macedonia, Skopje concentrates a large share of the national economy. TheSkopje Statistical Region,which encompasses the City of Skopje and some neighbouring municipalities, produces 45.5% of the Macedonian GDP.In 2009, the regional GDP per capita amounted to US$6,565, or 155% of the Macedonian GDP per capita.This figure is, however, smaller than the one of neighboringSofia(US$10,106),Sarajevo(US$10,048)orBelgrade(US$7,983),but higher than the one ofTirana(US$4,126).

Because there are no other large cities in the country, and because of political and economic centralization, a large number of Macedonians living outside of Skopje work in the capital city. The dynamism of the city also encouragesrural exodus,not only from North Macedonia, but also fromKosovo,Albaniaand SouthernSerbia.

Firms and activities

In 2009, Skopje had 26,056 firms but only 145 of them had a large size. The large majority of them are either small (12,017) or very small (13,625).A large share of the firms deal with trade of goods (9,758), 3,839 are specialized in business and real estate, and 2,849 are manufacturers.Although few in number, large firms account for 51% of the local production outside finance.

TheImperial Tobaccoplant

The city industry is dominated by food processing, textile, printing and metal processing. In 2012, it accounted for 30% of the city's GDP.Most of the industrial areas are inGazi Baba municipality,on the major routes and rail lines toBelgradeandThessaloniki.Notably, theArcelorMittal,Makstil steel plants and the Skopje Brewery are there. Other zones are between Aerodrom and Kisela Voda, along the railway toGreece.These zones comprise Alkaloid Skopje (pharmaceuticals), Rade Končar (electrical supplies),Imperial Tobacco,and Ohis (fertilizers). Twospecial economic zonesalso exist, around the airport and the Okta refinery. They have attracted several foreign companies, such asJohnson Controls,Johnson MattheyandVan Hool.

As the country's financial capital, Skopje is the seat of theMacedonian Stock Exchange,of theNational Bank,and of most of the country's banking, insurance, and telecommunication companies, such asMakedonski Telekom,Komercijalna banka SkopjeandStopanska Banka.The services sector produces 60% of the city GDP.

The Zelen Pazar ( "green market" )

Besides many small traditional shops, Skopje has two large markets, the "Zelen Pazar" (green market) and the "Bit Pazar" (flea market). They are both considered local institutions.However, since the 1970s, retailing has largely been modernized and Skopje now has many supermarkets and shopping centres. The largest, Skopje City Mall, opened in 2012. It comprises aCarrefourhypermarket, 130 shops and a cinema, and employs 2,000 people.

Skopje City Mall

Employment

51% of the Skopje active population is employed in small firms. 52% of the population work in the services sector, 34% in industry, and the remaining is mainly employed in administration.

The unemployment rate for theSkopje Statistical Regionwas at 27% in 2009, three points under the national rate (30%). The neighbouringPolog Regionhad a similar rate, but the less affected region was theSouth-West,with 22%.Unemployment in Skopje mainly affects men, who represent 56% of job-seekers, people between 25 and 44 years old (45% of job-seekers), and non-qualified people (43%).Unemployment also concernsRoma people,who represent 4.63% of the city population but affects 70% of the active population in the community.

The average net monthly wage in Skopje was at €400 in October 2010, which represented 120% of the national figure.The average wage in Skopje was then lower than inSarajevo(€522),Sofia(€436),and inBelgrade(€440).

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1921	41,000	—
1931	68,880	+5.32%
1948	88,355	+1.48%
1953	120,130	+6.34%
1961	166,870	+4.19%
1971	314,552	+6.54%
1981	448,200	+3.60%
1991	444,760	−0.08%
2002	506,926	+1.20%
2021	526,502	+0.20%
Source:

Population

People on Macedonia street, the main pedestrian axis of the city

According to the results of the 2021 census, the City of Skopje had 526,502 inhabitants.Skopje's employment area covers a large part of the country, includingVeles,KumanovoandTetovo,and totaling more than one million inhabitants.

Skopje contains roughly a quarter of North Macedonia's population. The second most populous municipality,Kumanovo,had 107,632 inhabitants in 2011,and anurban unitof 76,272 inhabitants in 2002.

Before theAustro-Turkish warand the1689 Great Fire,Skopje was one of the biggest cities in theBalkans,with a population estimated between 30,000 and 60,000 inhabitants.After the fire set by the retreating Austrian forces, it experienced a long period of decline and only had 10,000 inhabitants in 1836.However, the population started to rise again after 1850 and reached 32,000 inhabitants in 1905.In the 20th century, Skopje was one of the fastest-growing cities inYugoslavia,and it had 448,200 inhabitants in 1981. Since then, the demographic growth has continued at a steady pace.

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in the Greater Skopje include:

Ethnic group	2002		2021
	Number	%	Number	%
Macedonians	338,358	66.75	309,107	58.71
Albanians	103,891	20.49	120,293	22.85
Turks	8,595	1.70	8,524	1.62
Roma	23,475	4.63	18,498	3.51
Vlachs	2,557	0.50	2,778	0.53
Serbs	14,298	2.82	9,478	1.80
Bosniaks	7,585	1.50	7,365	1.50
Others	8,167	1.61	6,284	1.19
Administrative sources	n/a	n/a	44,175	8.39
Total	506,926	100	526,502	100

Skopje, just like North Macedonia as a whole, is characterized by a large ethnic diversity. The city is in a region where Macedonians and Albanians meet, and it has had populations of Bulgarians, Romani, Turks, Jews, and Serbs through its history. Skopje was mainly a Muslim city until the 19th century when large numbers of Christians started to settle there. According to the 2021 census, Macedonians were the largest ethnic group in Skopje, with 309,107 inhabitants, or 58.71% of the population. Then came Albanians with 120,293 inhabitants (22.85%), Roma people with 18,498 (3.51%), Serbs (9,478 inhabitants), Turks (8,524), Bosniaks (7,365) andAromanians(also known as "Vlachs", 2,778). 6,284 people did not belong to any of these groups.

Macedonians form an overwhelming majority of the population in the municipalities ofAerodrom,Centar,Ǵorče Petrov,KarpošandKisela Voda,which are all south of theVardar.They also form a majority inButelandGazi Babawhich are north of the river. Albanians form a majority inČairwhich roughly corresponds to theOld Bazaar,and inSaraj.They form a large minority in Buteland Gazi Baba.Šuto Orizari,on the northern edge of the city, is predominantly Roma.When an ethnic minority forms at least 20% of the population in a municipality, its language can become official on the local level. Thus, in Čair and Saraj schools and administration use Albanian, and Romani in Šuto Orizari.The latter is the only municipality in the world where Romani is an official language.

Relations between the two largest groups, Macedonians and Albanians, are sometimes difficult, as in the rest of the country. Each group tolerates the other but they tend to avoid each other and live in what can appear as two parallel worlds.Both Macedonians and Albanians view themselves each as the original population of Skopje and the other as newcomers.The Roma minority is on its side very deprived. Its exact size is not known because many Macedonian Roma declare themselves as belonging to other ethnic groups or simply avoid censuses. However, even if official figures are underestimated, Skopje is the city in the world with the largest Roma population.

Religion

The church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

Religious affiliation is diverse: Macedonians, Serbs, and Aromanians are mainly Orthodox, with the majority affiliated to theMacedonian Orthodox Church;Turks are almost entirely Muslim; those of Albanian ethnicity are largely Muslim, although Skopje also has a sizeableRoman CatholicAlbanian minority, into whichMother Teresawas born; the Roma (Gypsies) represent a mixture (in almost equal numbers) of Muslim and Orthodox religious heritage.

According to the 2002 census, 68.5% of the population of Skopje belonged to theEastern Orthodox Church,while 28.6% belonged toIslam.The city also had Catholic (0.5%) andProtestant(0.04%) minorities.The Catholics are served by the Latinbishopric of Skopje,in which is also vested theByzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Macedonia.

	2002		2021
	Number	%	Number	%
TOTAL	506,926	100	526,502	100
Orthodox	348,837	68.8	264,872	60.3
Christians	216	0.49	50,624
Catholics	2,506	0.04	2,044
Islam	143,770	28.4	155,245	29.5
others	11,597	1.81	9,542	1.81
Administrative sources			44,175	8.39

UntilWorld War II,Skopje had a significant Jewish minority which mainly descended from SpanishSephardiswho had escaped theInquisition.The community comprised 2,424 members in 1939 (representing about 3% of the city population), but most of them were deported and killed byNazis.After the war, most of the survivors settled in Israel.Today the city has around 200 Jewish inhabitants (about 0.04% of the population).

Because of its 520-year Ottoman past, and the fact that many of its inhabitants today are Muslims, Skopje has more mosques than churches. Religious communities often complain about the lack of infrastructure and new places of worship are often built.Skopje is the seat of many Macedonian religious organizations, such as theMacedonian Orthodox Churchand the Islamic Religious Union of Macedonia. It has an Orthodox cathedral and seminary, severalmadrasahs,a Roman Catholic cathedral and a synagogue.

Health

Skopje has several public and private hospitals and specialized medical institutions, such as theFilip II Hospital,a psychiatric hospital, two obstetric hospitals, a gerontology hospital, and institutes for respiratory and ocular diseases.In 2012, Skopje had a ratio of one physician per 251.6 inhabitants, a figure higher than the national ratio (one per 370.9). The ratio of medical specialists was also higher than in the rest of the country. However, the ratio of hospital beds, pharmacists and dentists was lower in Skopje.The population in Skopje enjoys better health standards than other Macedonians. In 2010, the mortality rate was at 8.6‰ in Skopje and 9.3‰ on the national level. The infant mortality rate was at 6.8‰ in Skopje and 7.6‰ in North Macedonia.

Education

Faculty of Economics,Ss. Cyril and Methodius University.

Skopje's citizenry is generally more educated than the rest of the country. 16% of Skopjans have graduated from university in contrast to 10% for the rest of the country. The number of people with a complete lack of education or ones who received a partial education is lower in Skopje at 9% compared to the provincial average of 17%. 80% of Macedonian citizens who hold a PhD take up residence in Skopje.

Skopje has 21 secondary schools; 5 of which serve as general high-school gymnasiums and 16 vocational schools.The city is also host to several higher education institutions, the most notable of which isSs. Cyril and Methodius University,founded in 1949. The university has 23 departments, 10 research institutes and is attended by an average of 50,000 students.After the country's independence in 1991, several private universities were brought into existence. The largest private universities in Skopje areEuropean University Skopjewith 7 departmentsandFON Universitywith 9 departments respectively.

Media

TheMacedonian Radio-Television headquarters

Skopje is the largest media centre in North Macedonia. Of the 818 newspapers surveyed in 2000 by the Ministry of Information, over 600 had their headquarters in Skopje. The dailyDnevnik,founded in 1996, with 60 000 runs per day is the most printed in the country. Also based in Skopje,Večeris pulled 50,000 copies and the state owns one-third of its capital, as well asNova Makedonija,reprinted 20,000 copies. Other major newspapers in Skopje, totally private, are Utrinski Vesnik (30,000 copies), Vest (25,000 copies), andVreme(15,000 copies). Magazines Fokus (12,000 copies), Start (10,000 copies), and Denes (7,500 copies) also have their headquarters in Skopje.

The city is home of the studios ofMacedonian Radio-Television(MRT), the country's public radio and television. Founded in 1966, it operates with three national broadcast channels, twenty-four hours a day. The most popular private television stations areSitel,Kanal 5,Telma, Alfa TV, and AlsatM.MRT also operates radio stations with national coverage, the private station Skopje's Kanal 77 is the only one to have such a span. RadioAntenna 5and Metropolis are two other major private stations that have their headquarters in Skopje.

Also, the city boasts big news agencies in the country, both public, such as theMedia Information Agency,and private, such as theMakfax.

Sports

Main article:Sports in Skopje

As the capital and largest city of North Macedonia, Skopje has many major sporting facilities. The city has three large swimming pools, two of which feature Olympic pools. These pools are particularly relevant to coaching water polo teams. Skopje also boasts many football stadiums, like Ilinden in Čair and Železarnica, which can accommodate between 4,000 and 4,500 spectators. The basketball court Kale can accommodate 2,200 people and the court of Jane Sandanski has a 6,000 seat capacity.

The Toše Proeski Arena

The largest stadium remainsToše Proeski Arena.The stadium, built in 1947 and named until 2008, City Stadium Skopjeexperienced a total renovation, begun in 2009 to meet the standards of FIFA. Fully renovated the stadium contains 33,460 seats,and a health spa and fitness area. TheBoris Trajkovski Sports Centeris the largest sports complex in the country with 6,250 seats. It was opened in 2008 and named after former presidentBoris Trajkovski,who died in 2004. It includes rooms dedicated to handball, basketball, and volleyball, a bowling alley, a fitness area, and an ice hockey court. Its main hall, which regularly hosts concerts, holds around 10,000 people.

FK VardarandFK Rabotničkiare the two most popular football teams in the city. Vardar plays in thesecond division,while Rabotnicki plays in thefirst division.Their games are held at Toše Proeski Arena, like those of the national team. The city is also home to many smaller football clubs, such as:FK Makedonija Ǵorče Petrov,FK Gorno Lisiče,FK Lokomotiva Skopje,FK Metalurg Skopje,FK Madžari SolidarnostandFK Skopje,who play in first, second or third national league. Another popular sport in North Macedonia is basketball, represented in particular by the teamsMZT SkopjeandRabotnički.Handball is illustrated byRK VardarPRO andRK Metalurg Skopje,also the women's teamŽRK MetalurgandŽRK Vardar.The city co-hosted the2008 European Women's Handball Championshiptogether withOhrid,and hosted the2017 UEFA Super Cup,the match between the two giants of the European footballReal MadridandManchester United

Transport

Main connections

Skopje bypass

Skopje is near three other capital cities,Pristina(87 km (54 mi) away),Tirana(291 km) andSofia(245 km).Thessalonikiis 233 km (145 mi) south andBelgradeis 433 km (269 mi) north.Skopje is also at the crossroad of twoPan-European corridors:Corridor X,which runs betweenAustriaandGreece,andCorridor VIII,which runs from theAdriaticin Albania to theBlack Seain Bulgaria. Corridor X links Skopje to Thessaloniki, Belgrade, and Western Europe, while Corridor VIII links it with Tirana and Sofia.

Corridor X locally corresponds to theM-1 motorway(E75), which is the longest highway in North Macedonia. It also corresponds to theTabanovce-Gevgelijarailway. Corridor VIII, less developed, corresponds to the M-4 motorway and theKičevo-Beljakovce railway. Skopje is not quite on the Corridor X and the M-1 does not pass on the city territory. Thus the junction between the M-1 and M-4 is some 20 km (12 mi) east, close to the airport. Although Skopje is geographically close to other major cities, movement of people and goods is not optimized, especially withAlbania.This is mainly due to poor infrastructure. As a result, 61.8% of Skopjans have never been toTirana,while only 6.7% have never been toThessalonikiand 0% toSofia.Furthermore, 26% of Thessalonians, 33% of Sofians and 37% of Tiranans have never been to Skopje.

The first highways were built during the Yugoslav period, when Skopje was linked through theBrotherhood and Unity Highwayto, what was then, the Yugoslav capitalBelgradeto the North, and the Greek border to the South.

Rail and coach stations

Main railway stationas seen from MountVodno

The main railway station in Skopje is serviced by theBelgrade-Thessalonikiand Skopje-Pristinainternational lines.After the completion of theCorridor VIIIrailway project, currently scheduled for 2030, the city will also be linked toTiranaandSofia.Daily trains also link Skopje with other towns of North Macedonia, such asKumanovo,Kičevo,Štip,BitolaorVeles.

Skopje has several minor railway stations but the city does not have its own railway network and they are only serviced by intercity or international lines. On the railway linking themain stationto Belgrade and Thessaloniki are Dračevo and Dolno Lisiče stations, and on the railway to Kičevo are Skopje-North, Ǵorče Petrov and Saraj stations. Several other stations are freight-only.

Skopje coach station opened in 2005 and is built right under the main railway station. It can host 450 coaches in a day.Coach connections reach more destinations than train connections, connecting Skopje to many domestic and foreign destinations includingIstanbul,Sofia,Prague, Hamburg andStockholm.

Public transport

A red Yutong City Master double-decker bus in Skopje

Skopje has a bus network managed by the city and operated by three companies. The oldest and largest is JSP Skopje, a public company founded in 1948. JSP lost its monopoly on public transport in 1990 and two new companies, Sloboda Prevoz and Mak Ekspres, obtained several lines. However, most of the network is still in the hands of JSP which operates 67 lines out of 80. Only 24 lines are urban, the others serving localities around the city.Many of the JSP vehicles are redYutong City Masterdouble-decker buses built by Chinese bus manufacturerYutongand designed to resemble the classic BritishAEC Routemaster.

A tram network has long been planned in Skopje and the idea was first proposed in the 1980s. The project became real in 2006 when the mayor Trifun Kostovski asked for feasibility studies. His successor Koce Trajanovski launched a call for tenders in 2010 and the first line is scheduled for 2019.

A new network for small buses started to operate in June 2014, not to replace but to decrease the number of big buses in the city centre.

Airport

The airport was built in 1928. The first commercial flights in Skopje were introduced in 1929 when the Yugoslav carrierAeroputintroduced a route linking the city with the capital,Belgrade.A year later the route was extended toThessalonikiin Greece, and further extended to Greek capitalAthensin 1933.In 1935 Aeroput linked Skopje withBitolaandNiš,and also operated a longer international route linkingViennaandThessalonikithroughZagreb,Belgrade and Skopje.After the Second World War, Aeroput was replaced byJAT Yugoslav Airlines,which linked Skopje to a number of domestic and international destinations until the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.

Skopje International Airportis inPetrovec,20 km (12 mi) east of the city. Since 2008, it has been managed by the TurkishTAV Airports Holdingand it can accommodate up to four million passengers per year.The annual traffic has constantly risen since 2008, reaching one million passengers in 2014.

Skopje's airport has connections to several European cities, includingAthens,Vienna,Bratislava,Zürich,Brussels,Oslo,Istanbul,London andRome.It also maintains a direct connection withDubaiandDoha, Qatar.

Culture

Cultural institutions

Macedonian Opera and Ballet

Skopje is home to the largest cultural institutions of the country, such as theNational and University Library "St. Kliment of Ohrid",theMacedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts,the National Theatre, the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Macedonian Opera and Ballet. Among the local institutions are the Brothers Miladinov Library which has more than a million documents, the Cultural Information Centre which manages festivals, exhibitions and concerts, and the House of Culture Kočo Racin which is dedicated tocontemporary artand young talents.

Skopje has also several foreign cultural centres, such as aGoethe-Institut,aBritish Council,anAlliance française,anAmerican Corner.

The city has several theatres and concert halls. The Univerzalna Sala, seating 1,570, was built in 1966 and is used for concerts, fashion shows, and congresses. The Metropolis Arena, designed for large concerts, has 3,546 seats. Other large halls include the Macedonian Opera and Ballet (800 seats), the National Theatre (724), and the Drama Theatre (333).Other smaller venues exist, such as the Albanian Theatre and the Youth Theatre. A Turkish Theatre and a Philharmonic hall are under construction.

Further information on the organization:Hip Hop Macedonia

Museums

Museum of the Macedonian Struggle

The largest museum in Skopje is theMuseum of the Republic of North Macedoniawhich details the history of the country. Itsiconsand lapidary collections are particularly rich.The Macedonian Archeological Museum, opened in 2014, keeps some of the best archeological finds in North Macedonia, dating fromPrehistoryto the Ottoman period. TheNational Gallery of Macedoniaexhibits paintings dating from the 14th to the 20th century in two formerhammamsof theOld Bazaar.TheContemporary Art Museumwas built after the 1963 earthquake thanks to international assistance. Its collections include Macedonian and foreign art, with works byFernand Léger,André Masson,Pablo Picasso,Hans Hartung,Victor Vasarely,Alexander Calder,Pierre Soulages,Alberto BurriandChristo.

TheSkopje City Museumis inside the remains of the old railway station, destroyed by the 1963 earthquake. It is dedicated to local history and it has four departments: archeology, ethnology, history, and art history.TheMemorial House of Mother Teresawas built in 2009 on the original site of the church in which the saint had been baptized.TheMuseum of the Macedonian Struggleis dedicated to the modern national history and the struggle of Macedonians for their independence. Nearby is theHolocaust Memorial Center for the Jews of Macedonia.The Macedonian Museum of Natural History showcases some 4,000 itemswhile the 12-haSkopje Zoois home to 300 animals.

Architecture

Ruins of RomanScupi

Although Skopje has been destroyed many times throughout its history, it still has many historical landmarks which reflect the successive occupations of the city. Skopje has one of the biggest Ottoman urban complexes in Europe, with many Ottoman monuments still serving their original purpose. It was also a ground formodernistexperiments in the 20th century, following the 1963 earthquake. At the beginning of the 21st century, it is again the subject of massive building campaigns, thanks to the "Skopje 2014"project. Skopje is thus an environment where old, new, progressist, reactionary, eastern and western perspectives coexist.

Skopje Aqueduct

Skopje has some remains of Prehistorical architecture which can be seen on theTumba MadžariNeolithic site.On the other side of the city lie the remains of the ancientScupi,with ruins of a theatre, thermae and a basilica.TheSkopje Aqueduct,between Scupi and the city centre, is rather mysterious because its date of construction is unknown. It seems to have been built by the Byzantines or the Turks, but it was already out of use in the 16th century.It consists of 50 arches, worked in cloisonné masonry.

Church of Saint Panteleimon

Skopje Fortresswas rebuilt several times before it was destroyed by the 1963 earthquake. Since then, it has been restored to its medieval appearance. It is the only medieval monument in Skopje, but several churches around the city illustrate theVardar architectural schoolwhich flourished around 1300. Among these churches are the ones aroundMatka Canyon(St Nicholas, St Andrew and Matka churches). Thechurch of Saint PanteleimoninGorno Nerezidates from the 12th century. Its expressive frescoes anticipate theItalian primitives.

Aladža Mosque and its türbe

Examples ofOttoman architectureare in theOld Bazaar.Mosques in Skopje are usually simple in design, with a square base and a singledomeandminaret.Their entrance is usually emphasized by a portico, as onMustafa Pasha Mosque,dating from the 15th century. Some mosques show some originality in their appearance:Sultan Muradand Yahya Pasha mosques have lost their dome and have a pyramidal roof, while Isa Bey mosque has a rectangular base, two domes and two side wings. The Aladža Mosque was originally covered with blue faience, but it disappeared in the 1689 Great Fire. However, some tiles are still visible on the adjoiningtürbe.Other Ottoman public monuments include the 16th-century clock tower, abedesten,threecaravanserais,twohammamsand theStone Bridge,first mentioned in 1469.

The oldest churches in the city centre, theAscensionand St Dimitri churches, were built in the 18th century, after the 1689 Great Fire. They were both renovated in the 19th century. The Church of the Ascension is particularly small it is half-buried in order not to overlook neighbouring mosques.In the 19th century, several new churches were built, including the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which is a large three-nave building designed byAndrey Damyanov.

Main post office and the Communication Centre

After 1912, when Skopje was annexed by Serbia, the city was drastically westernized. Wealthy Serbs built mansions and town houses such as the 1926Ristiḱ Palace.The architecture of that time is very similar to the one of Central Europe, but some buildings are more creative, such as theNeo-MoorishArab House and theNeo-Byzantinetrain station, both built in 1938.Modernismappeared as early as 1933 with the former Ethnographic Museum (today the City Gallery), designed byMilan Zloković.However, modernist architecture only fully developed in Skopje after the 1963 earthquake. The reconstruction of the city centre was partially planned by JapaneseKenzo Tangewho designed the new train station.Macedonian architects also took part in the reconstruction:Georgi Konstantinovskidesigned the City Archives building in 1968 and the Hall of residence Goce Delčev in 1975, whileJanko Konstantinovdesigned the Telecommunication Centre and the main post office (1974–1989).Slavko Brezovskidesigned theChurch of St. Clement of Ohrid.These two buildings are noted for their originality although they are directly inspired bybrutalism.

The reconstruction turned Skopje into a proper modernist city, with large blocks of flats, austere concrete buildings and scattered green spaces. The city centre was considered as a grey and unattractive place when local authorities unveiled the "Skopje 2014"project in 2010.It made plans to erect a large number of statues, fountains, bridges, and museums at a cost of about €500 million.

The project has generated controversy: critics have described the new landmark buildings as signs of reactionaryhistoricistaesthetics.Also, the government has been criticized for its cost and the original lack of representation of national minorities in the coverage of its set of statues and memorials.However, representations of minorities have since been included among the monuments. The scheme is accused of turning Skopje to atheme park,which is viewed as nationalistic kitsch,and has made Skopje an example to see how national identities are constructed and how this construction is mirrored in the urban space.

• 
  Fresco in thechurch of Saint Panteleimon
• 
  Interior ofMustafa Pasha Mosque
• 
  Daut Pasha Hammam
• 
  The historic clock tower
• 
  The Arab House
• 
  Macedonian National Theater
• 
  Art Bridge

Festivals

TheSkopje Jazz Festivalhas been held annually in October since 1981. It is part of the European Jazz Network and the European Forum of World Wide Festivals. The artists' profiles include fusion,acid jazz,Latin jazz,smooth jazz,andavant-garde jazz.Ray Charles,Tito Puente,Gotan Project,Al Di Meola,Youssou N'Dour,among others, have performed at the festival. Another music festival in Skopje is the Blues and Soul Festival. It is a relatively new event in the Macedonian cultural scene that occurs every summer in early July.Past guests includeLarry Coryell,Mick Taylor& the All-Stars Blues Band,Candy Dulfer& Funky Stuff,João Bosco,the Temptations,Tolo MartonTrio,Blues Wire,andPhil Guy.

The Skopje Cultural Summer Festival is a renowned cultural event that takes place in Skopje each year during the summer. The festival is a member of theInternational Festivals and Events Association(IFEA) and it includes musical concerts, operas, ballets, plays, art and photograph exhibitions, movies, and multimedia projects that gather 2,000 participants from around the world each year including theSt PetersburgTheatre, the Chamber Orchestra of theBolshoi Theatre,Irina Arkhipova,Viktor Tretiakov,The Theatre of Shadows,Michel Dalberto,andDavid Burgess.

May Opera Evenings is a festival that has occurred annually in Skopje since 1972 and is dedicated to promoting opera among the general public. Over the years, it has evolved into a stage on which artists from some 50 countries have performed. There is one other major international theatre festival that takes place each year at the end of September, the Young Open Theater Festival (MOT), which was organized for the first time in May 1976 by the Youth Cultural Center – Skopje.More than 700 theatrical performances have been presented at this festival so far, most of them being alternative,experimental theatregroups engaging young writers and actors. The MOT International Theatre Festival is also a member of theInternational Network for Contemporary Performing Arts or IETM.Within the framework of the MOT Festival, the Macedonian National Center of the International Theater Institute (ITI) was established, and at the 25th ITI World Congress in Munich in 1993, it became a regular member of this theatre association. The festival has an international character, always representing theatres from all over the world that present and enhance the exchange and circulation of young-fresh-experimental-avant-garde theatrical energy and experience between its participants on one side and the audience on the other.

TheSkopje Film Festivalis an annual event held in the city every March. Over 50 films are shown at this five-day festival, mostly from North Macedonia and Europe, but also including some non-commercial film productions from all over the world.

Nightlife

Panorama of Skopje at night

Skopje has a diverse nightlife. There is a large emphasis on casinos, many of which are associated with hotels. In 2010, the Colosseum club was named fifth on a list of the best clubs in Southeastern Europe.Armin van Buuren,Above and Beyond,The Shapeshiftersare just some of the many musicians that have visited the club.Nighttime concerts in local, regional and global music are often held at theToše Proeski ArenaandBoris Trajkovski Sports Center.For middle-aged people, places for having fun are also thekafeanaswhere traditionalMacedonian foodis served and traditionalMacedonian music(Starogradska muzika) is played, butmusic from all the Balkans,particularlySerbian folk musicis also popular. Apart from the traditional Macedonian restaurants, there are restaurants featuring international cuisines.TheOld Bazaarwas a popular nightlife destination in the past. Thenational governmenthas created a project to revive nightlife in the Old Bazaar. The closing time in shops, cafés and restaurants was extended due to the high attendances recorded. In the bazaar's restaurants, along with the traditional Macedonian wine and food, dishes of theOttoman cuisineare also served.

People from Skopje

Main article:List of people from Skopje

International relations

Soravia Center Skopje

See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in North Macedonia

Twin towns – sister cities

Skopje istwinnedwith:

• Bradford,United Kingdom(since 1961)
• Dijon,France(since 1961)
• Dresden,Germany(since 1967)
• Tempe,United States(since 1971)
• Roubaix,France(since 1973)
• Waremme,Belgium(since 1974)
• Nuremberg,Germany(since 1982)
• Chlef,Algeria(since 1983)
• Nanchang,China(since 1985)
• Manisa,Turkey(since 1985)
• Suez,Egypt(since 1985)
• Pittsburgh,United States(since 2002)
• Istanbul,Turkey(since 2003)
• Ljubljana,Slovenia(since 2007)
• Podgorica,Montenegro(since 2007)
• Zaragoza,Spain(since 2008)
• Zagreb,Croatia(since 2011)
• Tirana,Albania(since 2016)
• Sarajevo,Bosnia and Herzegovina(since 2017)

Partnerships

• Ankara,Turkey(since 1995)
• Belgrade,Serbia(since 2012)

See also

• History of Skopje
• List of honorary citizens of Skopje
• List of people from Skopje
• Old Bazaar, Skopje
• Sports in Skopje

General sources

• Ramet, Sabrina P.(2006).The Three Yugoslavias: State-Building and Legitimation, 1918–2005.Indiana University Press.ISBN9780253346568.
• Duridanov, Ivan (1975).Die Hydronymie des Vardarsystems als Geschichtsquelle(PDF).Böhlau Verlag.ISBN3412839736.
• Papazoglu, Fanula(1978).The Central Balkan Tribes in pre-Roman Times: Triballi, Autariatae, Dardanians, Scordisci and Moesians.Amsterdam: Hakkert.ISBN9789025607937.
• Herold, Stephanie; Langer, Benjamin & Lechler, Julia (2010).Reading the city: Urban Space and Memory in Skopje.Universitätsverlag der Technischen Universität Berlin.ISBN9783798321298.

Further reading

• Ilká Thiessen (2007).Waiting for Macedonia: Identity in a Changing World.University of Toronto Press.ISBN9781551117195.
• Ivan Tomovski (1978).Skopje between the past and the future.Macedonian Review Editions.
• Jovan Šćekić (1963).This Was Skopje.Yugoslav Federal Secretariat for Information.
• M. Tokarev (2006).100 години модерна архитектура.Pridonesot na Makedonija i Jugoslavija.
• Danilo Kocevski (2008).Чај од јужните мориња.Маgor.ISBN9789989183447.
• D. Gjorgiev (1997).Скопје од турското освојување до крајот на XVIII vek.Institut za nacionalna istorija.
• L. Kumbaracı-Bogoyeviç (2008).Üsküp'te osmanlı mimarî eserleri.ENKA.

External links

• Discover Skopje(archived 24 May 2013)
• City of Skopje Official Portal
• Skopje at night,picture gallery (archived 26 April 2011)
• Online tourist guide for Skopje