Štip
Encyclopedia
Štip is the largest urban agglomeration in the eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia
, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities. As of the 2002 census, the Štip municipality alone had a population of about 47,796. Štip is the largest textile production center in the country; the center of the fashion
industry in Macedonia, as well as the location of the only public university in Eastern Macedonia, Goce Delčev University of Štip
. The city of Štip is the seat of Štip Municipality
. The first known opera performance in Republic of Macedonia
was staged in Štip in 1925.
, Ovče Pole
, and Kočani
valleys. Two rivers pass through Štip, the Bregalnica
which is the second largest in the Republic of Macedonia, and the Otinja
which bisects the city center. The hill Isar
, with its early medieval fortress on top, dominates the city and provides for the common reference as "The city under the Isar'. The area surrounding the city is suffering from deforestation
which is contributing to the temperature extremes, summers being hot and dry with mean temperatures around 32 °C (89.6 °F) and days above 40 °C (104 °F) being common. Winters are short (less than 2 months usually) and mild (though considered cold for the area) with normals around -2 C, but with occasional drops down to -10 C. Spring usually comes in February, when most of the foliage is regenerating, although freak snow storms could appear as late as May.
The soil is mostly sandy, and has large patches of red soil which indicates large percentage of Iron
in the soil. The geographical area of the city of Štip is bordered by the mountain Plačkovica
east, by the Krivolak
valley south-east, the estuary of the river Bregalnica
in the south-west, and by its alluvial plain in the north.
basin, around the fifth and fourth centuries BC. The two tribes that lived along the river Astibo
, an estuary to the Axius, were the Derrones
, named after their god of healing, Darron, and the Laeaeans
, who minted their own heavy coins as a sign of their sovereignty following the example of the Greek city-states on Chalkidiki. Although these tribes were heavily weakened by the Persian invasion of 480 BC, led by King Xerxes I, they remained a formidable power and a well-organized people, renowned for the production of their exceptionally heavy coins with emblems including domesticated specimens of the wild aurochs
for which Paeonia was also famous. They were absorbed into the Macedonian empire by Alexander I
before 360BC.
The area itself is first mentioned in the writings of the historian Polien form the 3rd century BC, who talks of a river named Astibo
which is presumed to be the river Bregalnica
today. Polien also states that the Paeonian emperors were crowned in the vicinity of today's Štip. The first mention in written sources of a settlement in this area is from the time of the Roman emperor Tiberius
14-37 AD, when it is mentioned as an important settlement in the Roman province of Paeonia
and the second stop on the Roman road from Stobi
to Pautalia
During the second half of the 3rd century BC the barbarian tribes, especially the Goths
destroyed much of the northern settlements in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, among which Astibo as well. However, a new settlement - Estipeon
- was soon founded on the same site which thrived though the late Roman and the Early Byzantine period. Between the 5th and 6th century AD the joint Slavic
and Avar
tribes attacks destroyed the Byzantine settlement, and the Slavic tribe of Sagudats permanently settled in this area, and gave the town its current name Štip. During the 10th century, the Saints Cyril and Methodius
, after creating the first Slavic alphabet, came to preach to the Slavic tribes in this area before continuing their route to Great Moravia
, thus the Slavic population from this area were the first Christians among the Slavs
Many rulers controlled the area of Štip during the early Middle Ages. Štip was part of the Bulgarian Empire
but after the Byzantine
victory in the Battle of Kleidion
in 1014 it fell again under Byzantine
rule until the reestablishment of the Bulgarian Empire
in 1185. From the mid 13th century the town changed hands several times until 1330 when the Serbian king Stefan Dečanski
conquered it and incorporated it into the Serbian Kingdom. Serbian rule lasted only until 1395 when Ottoman Turkey conquered the area, and renamed the city to Ishtib and made it the capital of the local county. There is little information about the development of Štip during Turkish occupation which would continue for the next five centuries, interrupted only during 1689-1690 when the city was liberated by the Austrians for two years. After the Balkan Wars
, Štip and the surrounding territory was annexed by the Kingdom of Serbia
. Events concerning the Kingdom of Serbia itself meant that Štip would shortly become a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
together with the rest of Vardar Macedonia
. On 6 April 1941, when the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was attacked by Nazi-Germany, the city was bombed by German planes which took off from Bulgaria
. During the Second World War the Axis-allied Bulgarian forces occupied the city until early September, 1944, after which it was taken by German troops. Štip was retaken by the Macedonian National Liberation Army and the newly-allied Bulgarian Army, now part of the anti-Axis coalition on 8 November 1944. Thus 8 November is celebrated as 'Liberation Day' in the city and municipality of Štip, and is a non-working holiday.
like the Cotton Industry "Makedonka" - Štip, with its enormous suburban campus, and the Fashion Industry "Astibo". From their ashes many private mini-factories were created, mostly by former managers in the socialist giants, which employ most of the women in town today, fashion and textile still being the core skills of the city population, as maintained by the educational system. Some of the larger private textile and fashion houses in Štip are: Albatros, Beas-S, Kit–Go Teks, Gracija, Modena, Mavis, Maksima, LARS, Briteks, Stipko, Stip-teks, Longurov, Vivendi, D&A, Amareta, Anateks, Angroteks, EAM, Milano, Vabo, Zogori, Metro Premier, Tekstil Invest-Denim, Tekstil Logistik and Eskada. Stip has four construction companies (among which the most famous is Aktiva).
The city is ruled by the "City Council" which is elected every four years. The counselors are usually members of the strongest political parties. Every City Council elects President. The President of the City Council leads the sessions and also signs the decisions together with city mayor.
as well as some neighboring countries. The train station located in the northern suburb "Zheleznichka" provides links to Kočani
in the east, and Veles
and Skopje
to the west. There is a large fleet of private taxi vehicles in the city, with very competitive prices.
You can visit Stip traveling by car using the highway M-5 (Stip-Kocani-Delcevo) in Republic of Macedonia
, and the connection to E-75 highway Stip-Veles. Travel direction in the region goes via route R-601 (Stip-Plackovica) and R-526 that goes through the city and connects to freeway M-5.
. The five high schools are as follows:
The city is also the home of one of the four public universities of Republic of Macedonia
, the Goce Delčev University of Štip
. The private music high school "Oksia" completes the list of educational institutions in the city.
Štip has a well preserved 14th-century monastery
and the ruins of its old castle
which keeps a watchful eye on the town from the Isar Hill. The Bezisten, a massive stone building which used to be a closed bazaar (now an art gallery) is a remnant of the Ottoman influence in the city. In the old parts of the town (and especially in Novo Selo) some houses built in the Old Macedonian style of architecture can still be found. The town also boasts the healing powers of the Kežovica mineral spa and with the ruins of the ancient city of Bargala
.The ancient town Bargala is located at the foot of mountain Plackovica. Nearby is the river Kozjacka and small village called Kozjak. It is believed that the ruins found there belong to ancient town Bargala. The town was built in the early 4th century, because there are some Roman documents found, containing information that the city gate of Bargala was built by Anthon Alipius, administrator of the province.
, called MakFest
. It has been held every November in the cultural center, "Aco Šopov", for over two decades. Another large cultural event in Štip is the "Štip Summer of Culture" , which is a month long festival held from 1 July to 1 August, since 1987.
, "Astibo" which play in the 3rd League East and "Kezovica" which plays in the regional league.
in Macedonia (and also in former Yugoslavia) was founded in Štip by Mr. Mile Kokotov
in 1989. It was "TEKO TV
", which is not operational any more. The other currently operational local TV stations аrе "TV IRIS" and "TV STAR".
Important radio stations are "Kanal-77
", "Radio Štip" and the Roma
language radio station "Radio Cherenja" .
Тhe local newspaper is called "Štipski Vesnik" .
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities. As of the 2002 census, the Štip municipality alone had a population of about 47,796. Štip is the largest textile production center in the country; the center of the fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
industry in Macedonia, as well as the location of the only public university in Eastern Macedonia, Goce Delčev University of Štip
Goce Delcev University of Štip
The Goce Delčev University of Štip is a state university in Macedonia. It was founded on 27 March 2007 by the Assembly of Macedonia as the fourth state university. Its headquarters are in Štip...
. The city of Štip is the seat of Štip Municipality
Štip municipality
Štip is a municipality in eastern Republic of Macedonia. Štip is also the name of the town where the municipal seat is found. This municipality is part of the Eastern Statistical Region.-Geography:Štip Municipality covers an area of 583.24 km²...
. The first known opera performance in Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
was staged in Štip in 1925.
Geography and Climate
The city is located at the intersection of the LakavicaLakavica
Lakavica, or Kriva Lakavica , is a river in the east-central part of the Republic of Macedonia, in Štip municipality. It is a tributary of the Bregalnica River, the second largest river in country. The Lakavica Valley is very fertile and dotted with villages and farms....
, Ovče Pole
Ovce Pole
Ovče Pole is a plain situated around the flow of Sveti Nikole's River, which is a tributary to the Bregalnica river, in the east-central part of Republic of Macedonia. The climate of the plain is characterized by hot and dry summers and temperately cold winters, with occasional sharp lows...
, and Kočani
Kocani
Kočani is a town away from Skopje, situated in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia, with population of 28 330. The town of Kočani is the seat of Kočani Municipality.-Geography and population:...
valleys. Two rivers pass through Štip, the Bregalnica
Bregalnica
Bregalnica is the second largest river in the Republic of Macedonia. It starts as a spring near the mountain city of Berovo and it passes near the cities of Makedonska Kamenica, Kočani, Vinica and Štip, before joining the river Vardar on its way to the Aegean Sea...
which is the second largest in the Republic of Macedonia, and the Otinja
Otinja
Otinja is a river that bisects the city of Štip and is a tributary to the Bregalnica river. The river is of medium length, but the last part that flows through the city often dries up in the summer months as the water is blocked upstream for irrigation of the farms and vegetable gardens north of...
which bisects the city center. The hill Isar
Isar
The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald, and flows through Bad Tölz, Munich, and Landshut before reaching the Danube near Deggendorf. At 295 km in length, it is the fourth largest river...
, with its early medieval fortress on top, dominates the city and provides for the common reference as "The city under the Isar'. The area surrounding the city is suffering from deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
which is contributing to the temperature extremes, summers being hot and dry with mean temperatures around 32 °C (89.6 °F) and days above 40 °C (104 °F) being common. Winters are short (less than 2 months usually) and mild (though considered cold for the area) with normals around -2 C, but with occasional drops down to -10 C. Spring usually comes in February, when most of the foliage is regenerating, although freak snow storms could appear as late as May.
The soil is mostly sandy, and has large patches of red soil which indicates large percentage of Iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
in the soil. The geographical area of the city of Štip is bordered by the mountain Plačkovica
Plackovica
Plačkovica is a mountain in the eastern part of Republic of Macedonia which extends between the cities of Radoviš, and Vinica.The highest peak is Lisec at 1754 m, the length of main valley slopes of the peak Lisec is 34 km. Valley of river Zrnovska splits the mountain in two parts, eastern and...
east, by the Krivolak
Krivolak
Krivolak is an area in east-central Macedonia, where the largest military base of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia, and the largest military training polygon in the Balkans is located. The area is primarily used for the training of the Macedonian Armed Forces and it's Allies...
valley south-east, the estuary of the river Bregalnica
Bregalnica
Bregalnica is the second largest river in the Republic of Macedonia. It starts as a spring near the mountain city of Berovo and it passes near the cities of Makedonska Kamenica, Kočani, Vinica and Štip, before joining the river Vardar on its way to the Aegean Sea...
in the south-west, and by its alluvial plain in the north.
History
Štip (or Astibo/Astibos/Astibus) has its heritage in being the ancient capital of the Paeonian tribe who were situated in the region west of the fertile river AxiusVardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
basin, around the fifth and fourth centuries BC. The two tribes that lived along the river Astibo
Astibo
Astibo or Astibus was a Paeonian and later Roman settlement which is located in the modern city of Štip in the Republic of Macedonia. It is probable that the capital of the Paeonian royal house was in the area ofAstibus....
, an estuary to the Axius, were the Derrones
Derrones
The Derrones were a Paionian tribe. Our knowledge of them comes from coins bearing variations of the legend of DERRONIKON - DERR . The letters used in the coins seem to be Greek...
, named after their god of healing, Darron, and the Laeaeans
Laeaeans
The Laeaeans were a Paeonian tribe who in the 4th century BC lived adjacent to the Agrianes, another Paeonian tribe, along the upper course of the Strymon river, at the western edge of Thrace. They were not incorporated into the Odrysian state or the Paeonian state, remaining an independent tribe...
, who minted their own heavy coins as a sign of their sovereignty following the example of the Greek city-states on Chalkidiki. Although these tribes were heavily weakened by the Persian invasion of 480 BC, led by King Xerxes I, they remained a formidable power and a well-organized people, renowned for the production of their exceptionally heavy coins with emblems including domesticated specimens of the wild aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
for which Paeonia was also famous. They were absorbed into the Macedonian empire by Alexander I
Alexander I of Macedon
- Biography :Alexander was the son of Amyntas I and Queen Eurydice.According to Herodotus, he was unfriendly to Persia, and had the envoys of Darius I killed when they arrived at the court of his father during the Ionian Revolt...
before 360BC.
The area itself is first mentioned in the writings of the historian Polien form the 3rd century BC, who talks of a river named Astibo
Astibo
Astibo or Astibus was a Paeonian and later Roman settlement which is located in the modern city of Štip in the Republic of Macedonia. It is probable that the capital of the Paeonian royal house was in the area ofAstibus....
which is presumed to be the river Bregalnica
Bregalnica
Bregalnica is the second largest river in the Republic of Macedonia. It starts as a spring near the mountain city of Berovo and it passes near the cities of Makedonska Kamenica, Kočani, Vinica and Štip, before joining the river Vardar on its way to the Aegean Sea...
today. Polien also states that the Paeonian emperors were crowned in the vicinity of today's Štip. The first mention in written sources of a settlement in this area is from the time of the Roman emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
14-37 AD, when it is mentioned as an important settlement in the Roman province of Paeonia
Paeonia
Paeonia or Paionia may refer to:*the generic name of the peony*the ancient tribe and kingdom of Paeonia , in today's northern Greece and the Republic of Macedonia*Paionia , a municipality in northern Greece...
and the second stop on the Roman road from Stobi
Stobi
Stobi was an ancient town of Paeonia, later conquered by Macedon, and later turned into the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris . It is located on the main road that leads from the Danube to the Aegean Sea and is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in the...
to Pautalia
During the second half of the 3rd century BC the barbarian tribes, especially the Goths
Goths
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....
destroyed much of the northern settlements in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, among which Astibo as well. However, a new settlement - Estipeon
Estipeon
Estipeon is the name of an early Byzantine settlement, in the Republic of Macedonia dating from the 3rd to the 5th centuries AD. It is located approximately on the same territory as the modern city of Štip. The Byzantine settlement was destroyed between the 5th and 6th centuries AD after a...
- was soon founded on the same site which thrived though the late Roman and the Early Byzantine period. Between the 5th and 6th century AD the joint Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
and Avar
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
tribes attacks destroyed the Byzantine settlement, and the Slavic tribe of Sagudats permanently settled in this area, and gave the town its current name Štip. During the 10th century, the Saints Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius were two Byzantine Greek brothers born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century. They became missionaries of Christianity among the Slavic peoples of Bulgaria, Great Moravia and Pannonia. Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs, for which they...
, after creating the first Slavic alphabet, came to preach to the Slavic tribes in this area before continuing their route to Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
, thus the Slavic population from this area were the first Christians among the Slavs
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
but after the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
victory in the Battle of Kleidion
Battle of Kleidion
The Battle of Kleidion took place on July 29, 1014 between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire...
in 1014 it fell again under Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
rule until the reestablishment of the Bulgarian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
in 1185. From the mid 13th century the town changed hands several times until 1330 when the Serbian king Stefan Dečanski
Stefan Uroš III Decanski of Serbia
Stephen Uroš III of Dečani was King of Serbia from January 6, 1322 to 8 September 1331. He defeated and killed several of his family members who wanted to take the throne from him. He took his epithet Dečanski from the great monastery he built at Dečani.-Early:He was the son of King Stefan Uroš II...
conquered it and incorporated it into the Serbian Kingdom. Serbian rule lasted only until 1395 when Ottoman Turkey conquered the area, and renamed the city to Ishtib and made it the capital of the local county. There is little information about the development of Štip during Turkish occupation which would continue for the next five centuries, interrupted only during 1689-1690 when the city was liberated by the Austrians for two years. After the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, Štip and the surrounding territory was annexed by the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
. Events concerning the Kingdom of Serbia itself meant that Štip would shortly become a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
together with the rest of Vardar Macedonia
Vardar Macedonia
Vardar Macedonia is an area in the north of the Macedonia . The borders of the area are those of the Republic of Macedonia. It covers an area of...
. On 6 April 1941, when the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was attacked by Nazi-Germany, the city was bombed by German planes which took off from Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. During the Second World War the Axis-allied Bulgarian forces occupied the city until early September, 1944, after which it was taken by German troops. Štip was retaken by the Macedonian National Liberation Army and the newly-allied Bulgarian Army, now part of the anti-Axis coalition on 8 November 1944. Thus 8 November is celebrated as 'Liberation Day' in the city and municipality of Štip, and is a non-working holiday.
Demographics
According to the National Census of 2002 the populations of Štip Municipality breaks down as follows:| Štip municipality Štip municipality Štip is a municipality in eastern Republic of Macedonia. Štip is also the name of the town where the municipal seat is found. This municipality is part of the Eastern Statistical Region.-Geography:Štip Municipality covers an area of 583.24 km²... | Total | Macedonians | Turks Turkish people Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania... | Roma | Vlachs Vlachs Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs... | Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in... | Albanians Albanians Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo... | Bosniaks Bosniaks The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia... | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 47796 | 41670 | 1272 | 2195 | 2074 | 294 | 12 | 11 | 265 |
| Women | 23876 | 20935 | 612 | 1039 | 981 | 153 | 4 | 6 | 146 |
| Men | 23920 | 20735 | 660 | 1156 | 1093 | 144 | 8 | 5 | 119 |
| R.M. (%) | 2.36 | 3.21 | 1.63 | 4.07 | 21.39 | 0.83 | 0 | 0.06 | 1.26 |
Economy
Today, Štip is the center of the country’s textile and fashion industry. Formerly the home of such industrial giants in Former YugoslaviaFormer Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
like the Cotton Industry "Makedonka" - Štip, with its enormous suburban campus, and the Fashion Industry "Astibo". From their ashes many private mini-factories were created, mostly by former managers in the socialist giants, which employ most of the women in town today, fashion and textile still being the core skills of the city population, as maintained by the educational system. Some of the larger private textile and fashion houses in Štip are: Albatros, Beas-S, Kit–Go Teks, Gracija, Modena, Mavis, Maksima, LARS, Briteks, Stipko, Stip-teks, Longurov, Vivendi, D&A, Amareta, Anateks, Angroteks, EAM, Milano, Vabo, Zogori, Metro Premier, Tekstil Invest-Denim, Tekstil Logistik and Eskada. Stip has four construction companies (among which the most famous is Aktiva).
Government
The current mayor of Štip is Zoranco Aleksov . Mr. Alexov holds the title of Doctor of Information Sciences of Southwest University “Neofit Rilski” in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. He is a former Director of the "Central Register of Republic of Macedonia", in charge of registering new private enterprises.The city is ruled by the "City Council" which is elected every four years. The counselors are usually members of the strongest political parties. Every City Council elects President. The President of the City Council leads the sessions and also signs the decisions together with city mayor.
Transportation
The public transport is organized in suburban services and inter-city. The suburbs of Babi, Senjak, Prebeg, Makedonka, Kezhovica, etc. are served by a fleet of municipal buses running 7 days a week and connecting several locations in the city center with the suburbs. The inter-city services are provided by the public transportation company "Balkan Ekspres" which has connections to all cities in Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
as well as some neighboring countries. The train station located in the northern suburb "Zheleznichka" provides links to Kočani
Kocani
Kočani is a town away from Skopje, situated in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia, with population of 28 330. The town of Kočani is the seat of Kočani Municipality.-Geography and population:...
in the east, and Veles
Veles (city)
Veles is a city in the center of the Republic of Macedonia on the Vardar river. The city of Veles is the seat of Veles Municipality.-Name:The city's name was Vylosa in Ancient Greek and before the Balkan Wars, it was a township with the name Köprülü in the Üsküp sandjak, Ottoman empire for 600...
and Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
to the west. There is a large fleet of private taxi vehicles in the city, with very competitive prices.
You can visit Stip traveling by car using the highway M-5 (Stip-Kocani-Delcevo) in Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, and the connection to E-75 highway Stip-Veles. Travel direction in the region goes via route R-601 (Stip-Plackovica) and R-526 that goes through the city and connects to freeway M-5.
Education
There are numerous pre-school, elementary/primary and middle school institutions in Štip. There are five high/secondary schools, each somewhat specialized in a particular field, according to the educational policy of Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. The five high schools are as follows:
- Medical Secondary School "Jane Sandanski" - web site
- Music High School - web site
- Textile Secondary School "Dimitar Mirasčiev"
- Secondary School for Children with Special Needs — Iskra - web site
- Electro-Technical Secondary School "Kole Nehtenin" - web site
- Lyceum "Slavčo Stojmenski" - web site
The city is also the home of one of the four public universities of Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, the Goce Delčev University of Štip
Goce Delcev University of Štip
The Goce Delčev University of Štip is a state university in Macedonia. It was founded on 27 March 2007 by the Assembly of Macedonia as the fourth state university. Its headquarters are in Štip...
. The private music high school "Oksia" completes the list of educational institutions in the city.
Architecture and sights
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
and the ruins of its old castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
which keeps a watchful eye on the town from the Isar Hill. The Bezisten, a massive stone building which used to be a closed bazaar (now an art gallery) is a remnant of the Ottoman influence in the city. In the old parts of the town (and especially in Novo Selo) some houses built in the Old Macedonian style of architecture can still be found. The town also boasts the healing powers of the Kežovica mineral spa and with the ruins of the ancient city of Bargala
Bargala
Bargala was a fortified town constructed between the4th and 6th century, a period spanning Late Antiquity and Early Byzantium. It is located 20 km northeast of the modern city of Štip, Republic of Macedonia on the lower slopes of the Plachkovica mountain...
.The ancient town Bargala is located at the foot of mountain Plackovica. Nearby is the river Kozjacka and small village called Kozjak. It is believed that the ruins found there belong to ancient town Bargala. The town was built in the early 4th century, because there are some Roman documents found, containing information that the city gate of Bargala was built by Anthon Alipius, administrator of the province.
Arts and culture
Štip boasts the largest festival of pop music in Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, called MakFest
MakFest
MakFest founded in 1986, is the largest festival of Macedonian popular music. It is held every year in November, in Štip, Republic of Macedonia, at the Cultural Center "Aco Šopov" . MakFest is a member of FIDOF with headquarters in Los Angeles, CA, USA. In 1997, MakFest was awarded the "Festival...
. It has been held every November in the cultural center, "Aco Šopov", for over two decades. Another large cultural event in Štip is the "Štip Summer of Culture" , which is a month long festival held from 1 July to 1 August, since 1987.
Sports and recreation
Štip has three professional football teams, FK Bregalnica Stip which plays in the Macedonian First LeagueMacedonian First League
The First Macedonian Football League is the highest professional football competition in the Republic of Macedonia.The league consists of 12 teams. The teams play against each other 3 times...
, "Astibo" which play in the 3rd League East and "Kezovica" which plays in the regional league.
Media
Štip has many media establishments. The first private televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
in Macedonia (and also in former Yugoslavia) was founded in Štip by Mr. Mile Kokotov
Mile Kokotov
Mile Kokotov -Career:He funded the first private television in the former Yugoslavia in 1989....
in 1989. It was "TEKO TV
TEKO TV
The first private television in Republic of Macedonia was founded in Štip by Mr. Mile Kokotov in 1989. It was "TV TEKO", which is not operational any more....
", which is not operational any more. The other currently operational local TV stations аrе "TV IRIS" and "TV STAR".
Important radio stations are "Kanal-77
Kanal 77
Radio Kanal 77 is a private national radio station broadcasting in Macedonia, with its headquarters located in Štip, and studios located in Skopje and Bitola. It started broadcasting in 1991, and since then it's one of the most listened radios in Macedonia...
", "Radio Štip" and the Roma
Romani language
Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own....
language radio station "Radio Cherenja" .
Тhe local newspaper is called "Štipski Vesnik" .
External links
- Official web site of the city of Štip
- Official web page for National Broadcast Radio Network Kanal77
- Štip Online No web site is configured at this address.
- Tv Star
- Iris Tv
- Radio Štip
- Radio Čerenja