VINIČKO KALE

Viničko Kale is a living area from the late ancient period. It is located south-western of the town, on left of the river Grdečka, on a hill, and 400 meters above the sea level. All sides are surrounded by high walls except the south-eastern side. It has dimensions 250x150 meters and lies on a 2,5 hectares land. By the researches made it was discovered that the entire living area was not only on this location, but to the other hills, near it. From here there is an excellent view of the town Vinica and the river Bregalnica.
Viničko Kale is an archeological locality since 1954, its known by the name Gradište and later in 1958 was called Kale Bair. The interest for its researching calls in the year of 1978 when the an archeologist discovered 5 fragments of terra-cotta icons, by then unknown to the public and with special interest about them. So from 1985 researches are in progress until today. In the beginning they were to protect this ruins, and later systematic. By the researches made and from the things discovered, plenty of them were ceramic, the life in this living area was long period from the Neolithic to the full middle ages.
Picture: "Bull - terra-cotta icon from 5th - 6th century"
From the late ancient period were discovered the most monuments. There were discovered walls of some objects, and also characteristics with organized porches, then magicians, built of stone and cement. On several places these building has walls kept until today high 4 meters. In some of them were discovered water installations... These buildings were built by the defensive walls. The defensive wall was built of broken stone with cement and is 3 meters fat. The famous terra-cotta icons were discovered by these walls.

St. Panteleimon – Nerezi, Skopje

The 12th century church of St. Panteleimon contemplates Macedonia’s capital city in untroubled serenity from the tiny village of Gorno Nerezi, high on the forested slopes of Mt. Vodno. Only a 15 minute drive from downtown Skopje, the church, which is one of the oldest and most important in Macedonia, was built and painted in 1164 under patronage of Byzantine prince Alexios Komnenos, whose name is immortalized in marble above the entrance to the church. It was dedicated to St. Panteleimon, the protector of health.
The monastery is most famous for its exceptional fresco paintings, which convey dramatic facial expression and emotions not commonly found in Byzantine art. In 1555 the main dome collapsed, but within a short time the monastery was renewed and repainted. Fragments of old frescoes were incorporated into the new ones. An example of a combination of a new and old painting is the fresco portrayal of The Communion of the Apostles. Among other well-known fresco themes are the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus, the Birth of the Mother of God, the Presentation of the Mother of God to the Temple, The Entry into Jerusalem, and The Descent from the Cross.
The most impressive fresco in St Panteleimon, created under the influence of apocryphal religious literature, is The Lamentation of Christ. Art historians consider it a masterpiece, as it displays traits associated with renaissance art at a much earlier date than the blossoming of the Italian Renaissance

Stobi

The ancient city of Stobi, lying in a fertile valley just a few minutes off the central north-south highway that connects Macedonia with Greece, was a vital trade route in its day. This crossroad of ancient civilizations has left a rich legacy of antique theaters, palace ruins, brightly-colored mosaics and religious relics for visitors today to enjoy.

The ancient city of Stobi, lying in a fertile valley just a few minutes off the central north-south highway that connects Macedonia with Greece, was a vital trade route in its day. This crossroad of ancient civilizations has left a rich legacy of antique theaters, palace ruins, brightly-colored mosaics and religious relics for visitors today to enjoy.

As a city, Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C.E. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited from at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes. It experienced its biggest period of growth from the 3rd-4th centuries C.E.

The archaeological site (located just 3 km or 1.8 miles from the Gradsko exit on Highway E-75) offers sweeping views of the central Macedonian plain and contains buildings such as the 2nd century amphitheatre, the Theodosia palace, and early Christian ruins with extensive and ornate mosaic floors.

As a city, Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C.E. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited from at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes. It experienced its biggest period of growth from the 3rd-4th centuries C.E.

The archaeological site (located just 3 km or 1.8 miles from the Gradsko exit on Highway E-75) offers sweeping views of the central Macedonian plain and contains buildings such as the 2nd century amphitheatre, the Theodosia palace, and early Christian ruins with extensive and ornate mosaic floors.

St Jovan Bigorski

St. Jovan Bigorski is a 19th century monastery standing on the slopes of Debar’s Mt. Bistra, above the banks of the River Radika. While relatively new, St. Jovan was constructed over the remains of an older church dating from 1021.

Built on a steep slope surrounded by dense woods and rocky hills, St Jovan is reminiscent of the cliff top monasteries of Mt. Athos in Greece.

Since the monastery is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the faithful believe that icons with his image are blessed with a miraculous healing power.

The monastery also has a small silver coffin containing alleged relics of St. John. The monastery complex includes a dining room and old monastic dormitory, a tower, a charnel house, and two fountains spilling over with fresh mountain water.

Veles

Located in the very center of Macedonia, Veles is a predominantly industrial town, containing factories for porcelain, silk and lead. Veles’ old town, with its steep and winding lanes flanked by traditional wooden houses, makes for an enjoyable afternoon jaunt. In addition, the city’s central location and nearby historical and natural attractions make it well worth a visit. Veles has always been an important trading center. Located on the all-important commercial road that connected the northern parts of the Balkan Peninsula with the Aegean Sea, it reached its peak in the 19th century, when the river Vardar was used as a transport highway. The city of Veles is surrounded by forested mountains to the west, perfect for hiking or camping. The tranquil mountain village of Bogomilija, thirty minutes west of the city by car, was named after a heretical Christian sect that enjoyed widespread popularity in this part of Macedonia during the 10th and 11th centuries and became a thorn in the side of the Byzantines. As the birthplace of Koco Racin, founder of modern Macedonian literature, Veles holds an annual festival in his honor. In general, Macedonians from Veles are reputed to speak the purest quality of the traditional Macedonian language, untainted by regional dialects.

Mavrovo

The highest mountain peaks in Macedonia are all found in Mavrovo National Park, located in the western-central edge of the country. These peaks, which include the Sara, Desad and Bistra, are topped by the imposing Great Korab Mountain (2,764 meters or 9,069 feet high). Not only do these mountains provide magnificent visual landscapes, they also offer some of the best skiing in the Balkans. Mavrovo’s impressive forests contain more than 100 rare species of trees, and its rugged hilltops are rich in wild teas and herbs that can be easily gathered by hand.Lake Mavrovo, located just beneath the ski center, makes Mavrovo National Park a popular weekend resort all year around

Kumanovo - Introduction how to get here

Located in the middle of a long valley 35 km (21 m) to the northeast of Skopje, Kumanovo is one of Macedonia’s larger cities and a place well known for its unique blend of Serbian and Macedonian culture, something which is evidenced by the feisty, fun-loving Kumanovci (as the residents are called). The city and its outlying villages exemplify Macedonia’s unique multi-ethnic blend, containing as they do Albanian, Roma, Serbian and Turkish minorities.

An example of Kumanovo joviality is the traditional appearance of the dzamalari, masked revelers from the village of Orashec, every 14th of January in the Kumanovo city square. This raucous winter celebration is believed to be more than ten centuries old.

Kumanovo today is a modernizing town, where new offices, houses and restaurants are constantly being built. It is well-outfitted with sports grounds, theatres, internet cafes and eateries, and is especially famous throughout the country for its nightlife.

Aside from these modern touches, however, Kumanovo also contains many features from earlier times. Some 19th century stone houses remain, and even the very center of the town is filled with labyrinthine alleyways connecting little homes covered by the trademark terra cotta tiled Macedonian roofs. The city square, as well as some restaurants and other buildings, also bear the stamp of the old Yugoslavia.

Another unique aspect of the Kumanovo experience is the city’s mineral water springs, located on the southern edge of the town. People come here regularly to fill up bottles of the mineral-rich water, which is good not only for drinking but also for cleaning the eyes and skin. In its carbonated form, this water is sold throughout Macedonia under the name ‘Kumanovka.’

Beljakovo monastery – Village of Beljakovce On the location of today’s monastery, dedicated to St. Gjorgjija, an old church and a spring of water with healing power were located. Today the church is very well preserved, while the monastic quarters are almost destroyed. The locals claim that the church was built in Roman times, and was restored more than 100 years ago. The elderly remember that the monastic life was renewed by a Russian monk Anatolij, who retreated in Macedonia after the October Revolution. The rites related to Christian holidays Mala Bogorodica, Gjurgjovden, Holy Trinity and Duhovden are performed even today in the yard of the monastery. A large congregation was held here where people from all surrounding villages would join up to 30 years ago. The village people tell the story of the church restoration: “It was a Roman church, and later restored. The Turks wouldn’t let us build a church. ‘What are you building’? ‘A pen, for livestock”. And later, it was renovated. In the past century, there was an old man, Stamen, who moved from village Rudare and he healed the people who would come for remedy with the healing water. The people from the village also donated money for restoration of the church. It was finished in 1894.

Prilep

A large town located in the Pelagonia Valley of south-central Macedonia, Prilep has been inhabited since Neolithic times. In the later 14th century, it was for a time the capital of Macedonia’s most famous medieval king, Kral Marko, a legendary warrior who became an important figure in Macedonian epic poetry. His impregnable fortress still adorns a hill above the town. The other major attraction of the Prilep area is the clifftop monastery of St Archangel Mikhail. This and the monasteries of Treskavec and Zrze are situated in close proximity to the town. (churches and monasteries) Today, Prilep is one of Macedonia’s major agricultural centers, best known for its flavorful tobacco. The arid soil makes for perfect growing conditions for not only this but a wide range of vegetables besides. Prilep is also known for its valuable quarries, which contain some of the highest quality marble to be found in the Balkans.

Kavadarci

Located in the heart of Macedonia’s wine country, the farming town of Kavadarci is famous for its high-quality grapes and Tikves wines, popular both at home and on the wider world market. Every year at the beginning of September a wine carnival is held in Kavadarci. (cuisine & wine) Cultural monuments worth mentioning include Marko’s Tower, a stone edifice in the center of Kavadarci standing twenty meters (60 feet) tall, the 14th century Poloski Monastery and the ruins of the medieval cities of Tikves and Devol located near the town. TOWN OF GRAPES AND WINE The Municipality of Kavadarci is in the southern part of the Republic, with 1 132 square–km of area. The Municipality borders with Greece to the South, the Municipality of Negotino to the East, the Municipality of Prilep to the West, and the Municipality of Veles to the North. It is the biggest part of the Tikvesh valley, comprising the largest share of the central part of the Povardarie region. In the Municipality, there are 50 populated places of which there is one city with four small boroughs. Town of Kavadarci, which is situated in the Tikvesh valley it’s mentioned for the first, times under this name in the first half of the 16th century. Etymologically the name “Kavadarci” has its origin in the Greek word “Kavadion” which means “a cape made from valuable textile”, and the people from Kavadarci were manufacturers of this textile. The main activities of the population are growing of the grapevine and production of wine. Upon the development of the viniculture in the Tikvesh region affected the natural-geographical conditions expressed through the effect of the Mediterranean climate and soil advantages. This favorable climate conditions allows the growing of the dessert sorts of grapes from the earliest to the latest periods. The beginnings of the grapevine growing in the Tikvesh region dated from the 4th century B.C. and in the medieval age the viniculture and winery marks a significant growth. Through the years, the town of Kavadarci has maintained the epithet Town of grapes and wine by which its famous not only in the borders of the Republic but in European and Worldwide ranges. That the tradition is still present we have the fact that the total workable surface on the territory of the Municipality of Kavadarci is 18523 Ha, and 8000Ha falls on grapevine. And also with the big number of family wineries that are producing high quality wine and brandy, where they mix the traditional recipes with modern technology. On the territory of the town of Kavadarci can be found one of the biggest wineries on the Balkan Peninsula which produces 55.000.000 litters of wine per year, sorted in 25 kinds of white and red wines and which are offered on European and World tables. Beside grapes and wine which draws the Tikvesh region and the Municipality of Kavadarci there can be found the nature “beauties” such as Kozuv Mountain, situated in the South part of the Municipality of Kavadarci, and its stretches with lack and without division into joints of its mountain hill. It has a surface of 265 square – km over 1500 meters altitude above sea level, and 1.6 square-km are over 2000 meters altitude above sea level. These parameters offer excellent conditions for extreme sports of any kind, as well as mountain climbing, and of course with six-months snow cover, excellent conditions for ski sports. Beauties made by the man can be seen on Tikvesh Lake, which is one of the biggest man made ones in the Republic of Macedonia and its situated on only 12 km from the town of Kavadarci on the flowing spring of the river Crna. Its surface is 14 km with longitude of 28.5 km and average latitude broadness of 0.7 m. The water temperature is 24º C, and the summer period makes it one of the most favorable lakes for water sports, and its rich fish fond of 20 fish types offers excellent fishing conditions. It is promoting the Tikvesh region through the time as a significant cultural strategic army and economical center confirms the archeological locality Stobi. The town of Stobi was built in the Hellenic period, and its situated on only 160km from Thessalonica on the magisterial road Via Ignacia that led from Dunav to the Adriatic Sea. Big number of found documentation are witnesses that this locality as a town was populated by people who were highly qualified, and it can be seen by the amphitheatre, many palaces with segments from Antic – Roman time as well as many ceramic objects and objects of silver and gold. The comparison between the history, tradition and modern time which are making the Municipality of Kavadarci more unique than the others is the Traditional Economic – Tourist manifestation “Tikveshki Grozdober” which is organizing in September and has for its aim to promote the beginning of grape pickup. The Carnival Defile is ahead, and draws the tradition of the local population that cultivate the grapevine and the production of wine in Antic Macedonian until today.

Cocev Kamen (Tsote’s Stone), the village of Sopsko Rudare, in the Municipality of Kratovo

Cocev Kamen (Tsote’s Stone) is a unique site, which joins the grounds for sacrificial rituals, a temple, painted rock art and a prehistoric observatory.

A few years ago the Rock Art Research team of the World Academy of Rock Art has discovered the most imposing and significant cultural monument from the prehistory, in the village of Sopsko Rudare, in the Municipality of Kratovo.

There were two rows of rock seats engraved under the cave, which joined by the platform formed a theater. This is the first theatre of that kind discovered in the World. Gea Mater, a bone, has been discovered near the cave which tells us that the cave was used by the people in the Paleolithic. There was a smaller natural cave, above this cave until the Bronze Age, when the spiritual leaders of the population who inhabited the surroundings of “Tsotsev Kamen”, organized cave’ s warming for spirituals needs.

The rock is a fascinating location, resembles a site as if from fantasy films, full of secret meanings that incite the imagination.