The capital and largest city of Macedonia is Skopje. An ancient city, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times during its long history—most recently after a devastating earthquake in the 1960s. Skopje lies on the Vardar River in a mountainous area near Macedonia's northern border.

Places of interest

The rebuilding of Skopje after the 1963 earthquake gave the city a modern look. However, a number of historic sites remain. The oldest part of the city is on the north bank of the Vardar. The dominant structure is the ancient, stone-block Kale Fortress, which overlooks downtown Skopje. The Daud Pasha baths, built in the 15th century by the Turks, now house an art gallery. The Old Skopje bazaar is a historic marketplace where craftspeople sell a variety of handmade goods. Notable religious buildings in the old part of Skopje include the 16th-century Mustafa Pasha Mosque and the 17th-century Church of the Holy Savior. The nearby village of Nerezi is the site of a 12th-century monastery, or religious center.

Skopje's cultural institutions include the Museum of Macedonia, the Natural Sciences Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. The city is home to the Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts, a university, and the National and University Library.

Economy

Skopje is the industrial and commercial center of Macedonia. Its factories produce chemicals, cement, agricultural machinery, electrical goods, bricks, food products, and carpets. Farm goods produced in the countryside, including grains, tobacco, and livestock, are traded in the city. Skopje is also the site of Macedonia's stock exchange. Tourism contributes to the city's economy as well, with most of the visitors coming from other parts of Europe.

History

Skopje has had a long and difficult history. It was founded by an ancient people called the Illyrians. By the 4th century AD Skopje had become the capital of a province of the Roman Empire. In 518 the city was destroyed by an earthquake. It was rebuilt and grew again over the next several centuries. The Serbs conquered the city in 1189, but the Turkish Ottoman Empire took control of the region in 1392 and held it until 1912. They made Skopje into a provincial capital and a major commercial center.

In 1689 invaders from Austria burned Skopje to the ground. But the city revived in the 19th century when a railroad was built in the area. After the end of World War I (1914–18) the city became a part of the newly created country of Yugoslavia. During World War II (1939–45) the Germans and later the Bulgarians occupied the city. After the war Skopje was made the capital of Macedonia, a republic of Yugoslavia.

Disaster struck Skopje in 1963 when an earthquake left much of the city in ruins. More than 1,000 people were killed and 120,000 were left homeless. Relief aid from 78 countries helped rebuild the city once again. In 1991 Macedonia separated from Yugoslavia and became an independent country with Skopje as its capital. In the early 21st century the region around Skopje became the site of clashes between ethnic Albanian rebels and the Macedonian government. Population (1994 census), 444,299.