Štip

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Štip
Штип
Štip at night
Štip at night
Coat of arms of Štip
Coat of arms
Štip (Republic of Macedonia )
Štip
Štip
Location within Macedonia
Coordinates: 41°44′N 22°11′E / 41.733, 22.183
Country Flag of the Republic of Macedonia Macedonia
Municipality Štip municipality
Founded 1st century AD
Population ([citation needed])
 - Total 47,796
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 2000
Area code(s) +389 32
Car plates ŠT
Website: www.Stip.gov.mk/

Štip (Macedonian: Штип) is the largest city in the eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Located at the intersection of the Lakavica, Ovče Pole, and Kočani valleys, it has existed at least 2000 years, and as of 2002, it had a population of about 43,000. Two rivers pass through Štip, the Bregalnica which is the second largest in Republic of Macedonia and the Otinja which bisects the city center. The hill Isar, with it's 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 days above 40 °C (104 °F), and winters being cold and snowy (but short) and minimums going to −10 °C (14.0 °F). Štip serves as a cultural and economic center of eastern Republic of Macedonia, and is the largest textile production center in the country, as well as the location of one of the public universities, Goce Delčev University of Štip. The city of Štip is the seat of Štip municipality.

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[edit] History

Štip (or Astibo/Astibos) has its heritage in being the ancient capital of the Paeonian tribe who were situated in the region west of the fertile river Axius 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 [1] . 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 [2].

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 [3] 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[4]

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[5]. 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 [6]

Many rulers conquered the area of Štip during the early Middle Ages. The Bulgarian Empire incorporated the area during the rule of Tzar Samuil, however after the Byzantine victory at the Battle of Kleidion it fell again under Byzantium until 1330 when the Serbian king Stefan Dečanski conquered it and incorporated it into the Serbian Empire. 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. During the Balkan Wars, Štip and the surrounding territory joined 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. During the Second World War the Axis-allied Bulgarian forces occupied the city until November 8, 1944, after which it was captured by the Macedonian National Liberation Army. [7] Because of this, Macedonia's modern republic recognises November 8th as 'Liberation Day' in the city and municipality of Štip, it is thus a local holiday (known as a praznik).

[edit] Geography

Located at the intersection of the Lakavica, Ovče Pole, and Kočani valleys, the area of the contemporary city of Štip has been judged an attractive place to establish a settlement from very early times. The landscape is mostly hilly, with the only flat parts being along the rivers Bregalnica and Otinja. The soil is mostly sandy, and has large patches of red soil (Macedonian: Црвеница) which indicates large percentage of Iron in the soil. The geographical area of the city of Štip is bordered by the mountain Plachkovica 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 [8].

[edit] Demographics

According to the National Census of 2002 the populations of Štip Municipality breaks down as follows:

Štip municipality Total Macedonians Turks Roma Vlachs Serbs Albanians Bosniaks 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

[edit] Economy

Today, Štip is the center of the country’s textile and fashion industry.

[edit] Government

The current mayor of Štip is Pande Sarev(Macedonian: Панде Сарев)[9].

[edit] 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" (Macedonian: Балкан Експрес) which has connections to all cities in Republic of Macedonia 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.

[edit] 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 Macedonia. The five high schools are as follows:

  • Music High School (Macedonian: Музички Училишен Образовен Центар) - web site
  • Textile Secondary School "Dimitar Mirasčiev" (Macedonian: Државно Средно Текстилно Училиште „Димитар Мирашчиев“)
  • Secondary School for Children with Special Needs - Iskra - web site
  • Medical Secondary School "Jane Sandanski" (Macedonian: Државно Средно Медицинско Училиште) - web site
  • Electro-Technical Secondary School "Kole Nehtenin" (Macedonian: Државно Средно Електротехничко Училиште) - web site
  • Lyceum "Slavčo Stojmenski" (Macedonian: Државна Гимназија „Славчо Стојменски“) - web site

[10]

The city is also the home of one of the four state universities of Republic of Macedonia, the Goce Delčev University of Štip.

[edit] Architecture and sights

Statue of Alexander the Great
Statue of Alexander the Great

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 bath and with the ruins of the ancient city of Bargala.

[edit] Arts and Culture

Štip boasts the largest festival of contemporary music in Republic of Macedonia called MakFest. It is held every November in the Cultural Center "Aco Šopov" for over two decades. The other large cultural event is the "Štip Summer of Culture" (Macedonian: Штипско Културно Лето) a month long festival held from July 1st to August 1st since 1987 [11].

[edit] Sports and Recreation

Štip has two professional football teams, "Bregalnica-Štip" which plays in the Macedonian Major League, and "Kezhovica" which plays in the minor league.

[edit] Media

Štip is rich in different media establishments. The first private television in Republic of Macedonia was founded in Štip, called "TV TEKO", which is still operational. The other currently operational local TV station is "TV IRIS". Both television stations took part in the pre-election monitoring for the election of 1998 [12]

Štip is home to several radio stations, among which is "Kanal 77", the first private radio station in Republic of Macedonia, which currently has a network throughout the northeastern part of the country. Other important radio stations are "Radio Štip" Macedonian: Радио Штип web site and the Roma language radio station "Radio Cherenja" Macedonian: Радио Черења web site.

Тhe local newspaper is called "Štipski Vesnik" (Macedonian: Штипски Весник).

[edit] Notable people

[edit] References

  1. ^ Macedonian Coins (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  2. ^ Hammond, N. G. L. (1991). The Miracle that was Macedonia. London: Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd, 22. 
  3. ^ Astibo (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  4. ^ Stip (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  5. ^ City of Shtip (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  6. ^ City of Shtip (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  7. ^ City of Shtip (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  8. ^ Geography of Shtip (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  9. ^ City Mayor (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  10. ^ Macedonian High School Portal (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  11. ^ Cultural Manifestations (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  12. ^ Radio Broadcasting Council (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 2007-09-13.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Cities and towns in the Republic of Macedonia