2. Welcome to the capital of Republic of Macedonia Get to Skopje
SKOPJE
Skopje Bus Station
This is a city of contrasts. Different kingdoms, The bus connections with Skopje you can also find on the Skopje Bus
different countries, Empires and even Sultanates’ Station website: http://www.sas.com.mk/en/index.php
ruled the city during its long history. We are going and telephone: + 389 2 466 313
to tell you a short story about it and we are going to Check the timetable again before your trip ☺
tell it backwards from recent to not so recent An hour before you are on the Bus or the train station please send a
events in history. So sit tight and enjoy your ride. SMS message to: +389 70 810 896 (Elena) informing us to pick up you
from the Bus or the Train station.
Railway Station
There is a railway station in Skopje but there is not a web site. Please
check your local web site where you can also find the connections to
Skopje.
An hour before you are on the Bus or the train station please send a
SMS message to: +389 70 810 896 (Elena) informing us to pick up you
from the Bus or the Train station.
Airports in Macedonia
There are two airports in Macedonia:
http://airports.com.mk/ ‐ by plane
Before you get on the plane please send a SMS to +389 70 810 896
(Elena) so we can arrange your transport from Skopje airport (it's on
30 min from Skopje and the only connection to Skopje are taxi).
3. Accommodation Linen
MHC Hotel – located in the center of our beautiful capital city Skopje, near The MHC hostel provides towels, sheets and blankets.
the river Vardar which is the largest river in Macedonia.
To bring
Warm clothes, raincoat, formal clothes for the opening and your smiles :)
Eurodinner
Fridge and kitchen are not available in this moment. If you need to buy
something in Skopje or you really need a fridge, tell us in advance.
Participation Fee
Participation fee for the whole event for the NRs, IB, OC of the AGM
http://www.hotelmhc.com and special guests approved by the Coordinators is 30 Euros.
All the others need to pay 15 Euros per night. All the extra nights will
The hotel itself is combination of a youth hotel and pension so guests are cost 15 Euros per night (breakfast included) and should be paid the
tourists all over the world, at different age and professions, artists, people day when arriving in Skopje.
of culture, music bends, athletes, fans….
Organization Committee
The hotel offers:
• Its own parking place; • Head of OC – Elena Nikolova (+389 70 810 896)
• A TV and telephone in every room; • Igor Izotov
• Central heating and cooling systems; • Maja Sahpaska
• Its own dining room equipped with all the necessary utensils where
• Stevica Levajkovski
the guests could cook their own food;
• Kostadinka Arbelska
• Free of charged tea or coffee at your disposal at any time;
• In the same building operates one of the most famous discotheques • Dusko Janevski
in the city where the hotel guests have discount;
• aundry services;
• Souvenirs.
• INTERNET ‐ (and limited number of lap tops with wi‐fi in British
Council)
4. Currency Agenda
The official currency is the Macedonian Denar (MKD), with a current
exchange rate (October 2008) of approx. 61.5 to the Euro. Euros are
19 February, 2009
also widely accepted, especially in Skopje (though change will usually
be given in Denars).Currency can be exchanged at state‐owned ……….. ‐ 16:00 Arriving
exchange offices in banks or post offices, and also at private exchange 20:00 – 21:30 Opening Ceremony – British Council
offices. The private offices offer slightly better rates, but are properly 21:30 ‐ ………. Birthday Party
regulated and safe to use. 20 February, 2009
09:00 – 13:00 Workshop – British Council
Useful Telephone Numbers 13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
Police 192 Fire brigade 193 14:30 – 18:00 Workshop – British Council
Information 188 Ambulance 194
Skopje Airport (02) 3148 333 Country code +389 18:30 – 20:00 Student mobility in Europe – debate British Council
20:00 – 21:00 Diner
USEFUL PHRASES IN MACEDONIAN 21:00 ‐ ……….. Party with the local student’s organizations
21 February, 2009
Greetings: 09:00 – 13:00 Workshop – British Council
Dobro utro Good morning
Dobar den Good afternoon 13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
Dobrovecher Good evening 14:30 – 18:00 Workshop – British Council
Dobra nokj Good night 20:00 ‐ ………. Eurodiner
Zdravo Hello 22 February, 2009
Prijatno Goodbye
Ve molam Please 09:00 – 13:00 Workshop – British Council
Blagodaram Thank you 13:00 – 14:00 Evaluation and closure – British Council
Nazdravje! Cheers! 14:00 – 15:30 Lunch
16:00 – 19:00 Sightseeing of Skopje
Eating:
20:00 ‐ ………. Macedonian National Evening
Šopska Shopska (fresh salad with grated cheese)
Skopsko Beer (The most famous brand) 23 February, 2009
Vino Wine DEPARTURE ☺☺☺
Pivo Beer
Mineralna voda Mineral water
Sok Juice
Sok od portokal (ve molam) An orange juice (please)
Meso Meat
Riba Fish
Zelenčuk Vegetables
5. Skopje through centuries and today The legend of the seven gates
Once on a location where the city is today, there was an enormous
head but without a single opening. Everybody simply called it “The
Out of Ramstore Mall and in front of the old Head”. It has not
Railway station (Skopje Museum) been identified
when, but a
In 1963 a devastating earthquake hit Skopje certain evil
at 05:17 am (look at the clock on the old magician cursed
railway station). Nearly 70% of the city was The Head to be
destroyed, along with the beautiful baroque disabled: blind,
style buildings that just started to decorate deaf, mute. It was
the city after the 500 year dominance of many years after
Turkish‐oriental style. The sculpture that a great hero
“wounded Skopje” is trying to depict the horror that people had to came armed with
endure, as the horror we have to go through by just watching at the a huge spear. As
soon as he
sculpture.
Anyway, Skopje was rebuilt, and everybody in the world helped. The defeated the
architect of Skopje's modern layout of is the Japanese Kenzo Tange. magician, with his
The old Railway station is a monument of the earthquake. Today it is spear he opened
all the seven
the city museum.
roads in the bewitched head. These roads are all the seven gorges
Strolling through Macedonia Street that go in or out of today's Skopje Valley.
As the head revived, its body woke up too. It had enquired of the
hero how he had managed to release it from the spell. The hero
Mother Theresa, real name Gondza Bojadziu, a catholic Albanian, was showed his great spear that opened all seven paths. At that instant,
born in Skopje, and lived there until her
seven winds began blowing through all the seven access roads to the
adolescence. The statue represents the place
valley. The spear driven into the earth started clanging, chanting.
where the Catholic Church in Skopje used to be.
This is the place where Mother Theresa first came Ever since then, the city that lay in this valley was called “City Freed
in contact with religion and enlightment. Her With Spear‐That‐Sings” (So‐Kopje‐Koe‐Pee)!
house used to be, where Macedonia square is Later a shorter name Skopje was derived from that form, and all
today. Unfortunately the church and the house on letters from the old name have been retained in the new name.
the square were lost in the earthquake in 1963.
6. The Stone Bridge: Old Bazaar (the heart of merchant land)
According
to certain data the Welcome to the Old Bazaar, or what is
bridge was built in the 6th left of it. After the Turkish occupied
century, whereas in its present Skopje in 14th century, they started
form it was raised upon the old building a lot, and eventually Skopje
foundation in the time of the became the most beautiful oriental
Sultan Murat II in the first half of styled city in this part of Europe. The
the 15th century. It was built of main reason for the renaissance period
well worked out stone blocks and
of Skopje was trade. For example, the
has 12 semicircular arches. This monumental building has
Turkish writer Dilger Zede who has
undergone larger repairs through the centuries, but today the
visited the city in the XVII century says,
bridge has still kept the primary shape and form.
"I traveled for a long time across that
The Oath of the Old Pot: country of Rumelija and I saw a lot of beautiful cities and I was
amazed from the Alah blessings, but not one has impressed and
delighted me so much as the heavens city of Skopje across which
In all the places where they conquered new lands,
the Turks had difficulties in convincing the people of passes the river Vardar".
different languages and faith to live together in What impressed travelers most were the mosques made out of the
peace and harmony. Eventually, a dervish from finest marble, the many Turkish baths (amams), ans, playgrounds
Anatolia taught them to seek out the spot where an and stuff. To show you an example of the quality of life the people
enormous and very old earthenware pot was buried. had, in one of the Turkish baths one could have a depilation
He also told them, “In that old Pot the snake, frog (modern for body hair removal). And don't forget, this was the
and mouse live together and there is also a beehive. The old pot is at ultimate trading post on the Balkans. One could find merchandise
the bottom of a deep dried out well. If you build a city on that place
from faraway places as China or Persia. Traders from these lands
people of all religions and languages will live there together as long
rarely wend further west. The greatest open bazaar even to these
as there is at least one piece of the old pot.
Following on those instructions, they eventually came to the well days is BIT bazaar. As the name suggests you can get everything you
they have searched for, and found the actual pot right there! They need there, even beetles in your hair.
made a city bazaar on the same spot, and in time the city grew up Unfortunately, in the war between Turkey and Austria in 1689, the
around the bazaar. The city was called “Us Kup”, which in Turkish it Austrians burned the city to the ground. Austria's general
means “The Old Pot”. And even to today, in turkish, Skopje is called Picolomini wrote that with great regret he is burning the city down,
USKUP. because he can't leave such beauty and richness to be left in the
hands of the enemy. Today, more or less we see what is left of the
old city.
7. Other places of interest:
Kale
! Skopje city Museum, formerly the old railway station.
(The Phoenix always raises from its ashes) ! Macedonia square. See the place where Mother Theresa was
born. There is no house there any more, but I am sure that you
The last stop on our tour Kale, also called upper city, is one of two will start feeling positive, and do something good that day.
fortifications that used to guard the city from enemies. Jet Kale is ! Daut Pasha Amam. Visit the Art gallery depicting the history of art
not the birthplace of a city in Skopje valley. A roman city called in Macedonia, from religious icons to Cubism.
! Church of the Holy Savior (St Spas). Visit one of the world wonders
Skupi used to be a regional capital in roman times, until a the church iconostas, a woodcarving masterpiece of art. There are
devastating earthquake destroyed in the 6th century. Then only three of its kind in the world.
something extraordinary happened. Using the stones of the old ! Kapan an. You can easily imagine traders full with merchandise
buildings and the amphitheater of Skupi, a new city on another hill ask for rooms in this former Turkish hotel. Today it is only a cafe
was build. Emperor Justinian, who was born in a village near Skopje, bar and restaurant, so you can enjoy while you let your fantasy
built the new city and called it Justinian Prima. The only remains of free.
that city today are one Cyclops fortification wall in Kale, and the ! Musum of Archeology, Ethnology and History. It's just below
basis of the Stone Bridge. Mustafa Pasha Mosque and Kale. You will be amazed by what
archeologist dug up from the Macedonian soil. Just opposite is
Kurshumli an, the best preserved An (hotel) in Skopje (it may be
closed though).
! Mustafa Pasha Mosque. Visit the most beautiful mosque in Skopje
and climb the high minaret to experience a breath taking view of
the city. The mosque may be closed due renovation.
! Sultan Murat Mosque. Right next to the university, this mosque is
on a top of a hill that also holds the old clock tower of Skopje. It's
a great experience for those that have never been in a Mosque.
Old Bazaar: Other thing to see there are: Civte amam (another
art gallery), Suli an ‐ (today the art faculty).
! Vicinity of Skopje: Monastery Panteleimon (great frescoes, the
birthplace of baroque painting, great scenery), Canyon Matka
(great nature, a lot of picaresque old monasteries [it's a must if
you stay in Skopje longer]).
