Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. It lies on the upper course of the Vardar River on a major north-south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens.

The Dardanians founded ancient Skupi in the 3rd Century BC. It then fell under Roman rule and became an important religious centre.

In the year 518 AD, an earthquake destroyed the city with all its Roman architecture. By the end of the VI century a Slavic tribe called Beregheziti, which gave the city the new name of Skopje, settled the area.

Skopje was then conquered by Macedonians, Bulgarians, Byzantines, and Serbians and, in 1392, by the Turks, which made it an important commercial centre.

In 1689, Skopje was burnt down by the Austrians and only during the second half of the XIX century did the city recover its previous appearance, which had delighted numerous travellers for centuries.

In 1963, the city was again destroyed by an earthquake, but thanks to world solidarity, Skopje was quickly renewed and reconstructed and is now experiencing a new renaissance.

Today, Skopje is a new and modern city of over half a million inhabitants. It is a trading centre for cotton, tobacco, grains, and livestock produced in the surrounding region. The city also has manufacturing facilities for iron and steel, electrical machinery, chemicals, textiles, carpets, and foods.