Skopje/Centar

Centar primarily sits on the south bank of the Vardar River, though portions of the north bank are also included. For simpler presentation, although large portions of the Old Bazaar fall within Centar, the Old Bazaar in its entirety is covered on one guide. Centar extends to the foot of Mount Vodno to the southwest, roughly to the train tracks in the east, and roughly to the City Park in the west.

Historically, the Vardar River divided the Christian and Muslim populations of Skopje with the former on the south bank and the latter on the north bank. What is now Centar was largely the Christian side of the city. As the Ottoman influence left Skopje, political and commercial power began to shift from the Stara Čaršija to the south bank of the river. Various neoclassical buildings were constructed to house these functions. In 1963, an earthquake devastated the city and cleared out most of the neoclassical buildings of Centar. Decades of socialist-style urban planning left Skopje's most important district looking cold, bland, and unwelcoming; Macedonia Square was a vast concrete space for years.

In 2010, the ruling populist coalition announced a plan to give the capital a new look, primarily affecting Centar. The plan consisted of rebuilding some buildings lost in the earthquake, as well as erecting completely new buildings in Baroque and neoclassical styles. In addition, countless monuments of various sizes were to be placed throughout the city but mostly in Centar. Despite much controversy, most of the plan is complete and Skopje looks like a different city than just a few years ago (less than half of the "See" listings below existed before the project). Whatever your thoughts on the architectural choices seen in project, it has made Centar a more visually-pleasing place with more cultural institutions and places of interest.

• 🌍 Stone Bridge (Камен мост). A main symbol of Skopje since the 15th century, though bridges have existed at the location since perhaps the 6th century. It is built of solid stone blocks and has 12 arches, stretching 214 m (702 ft) long. The pedestrian bridge connects across the Vardar the historic Old Town to Macedonia Square and the modern commercial centre of the city. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Macedonian National Theatre (Македонски народен театар). The Macedonian National Theatre building was first built in 1927, fronting the Vardar River. It was destroyed in the 1963 earthquake but was rebuilt in 2013 in largely the same design. It is a neoclassical building with many statues standing on it. The interior is even more lavish than the exterior would suggest. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Macedonia Square (Плоштад Македонија). Macedonia Square has had two major changes in appearance in the past several decades. Following the 1963 earthquake, most of its neoclassical buildings were destroyed with the exception of the southern section crowned with the "СКОПСКО" sign. Then in the 2010s, after decades of being a mostly empty open space, it became a major site of the government-funded Skopje 2014 project which has constructed mostly neoclassical-style buildings and monuments across the central part of the city. The facades of socialist-era buildings on the square have been changed into neoclassical styles as well. It is now fronted by older-looking buildings and massive statues. The new buildings and monuments have generated much controversy but, regardless of your opinion, they have once again made Macedonia Square a major point of interest in the city. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 🌍 Old City Hall (Стара Градска Куќа). Most of Skopje 2014 consists of original buildings but some, like the Old City Hall, are reconstructions of buildings lost in the 1963 earthquake. The Old City Hall is under construction and will have the same appearance, although it is being built in a different location on the square than the original. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 🌍 Alexander the Great Monument (Warrior on a Horse). This grand fountain and statue may be the main symbol of the entire Skopje 2014 project. Placed in the centre of the square, it consists of a 10 m (33 ft) column atop which stands a 14.5 m (48 ft) tall bronze statue of Alexander on his horse. At the base are eight bronze soldiers and at the edges of the fountain pool are eight bronze lions. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 🌍 Tsar Samuel Monument. It's where Macedonia Street meets Macedonia Square. The monument depicts Tsar Samuel sitting on a throne holding a scepter. It stands 9 m (28 ft) high. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 🌍 Justinian I Monument. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, born in Tauresium just outside Skopje, is depicted sitting on a throne on top of a pedestal. The monument is at the north side of the square, near the river. (updated Aug 2016)
  • Other smaller monuments include those of Goce Delčev, Dame Gruev, the Gemidži, Dimitar Popgeorgiev, and others.
• 🌍 Art Bridge (Мост на Уметноста). A pedestrian bridge across the Vardar, the Art Bridge runs from the cafes east of Macedonia Square to the Financial Police Building. The bridge contains 29 sculptures of noted North Macedonian musicians and artists. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Bridge of Civilisations in Macedonia (Мост на Цивилизации во Македонија). Another new pedestrian bridge across the Vardar, the Bridge of Civilisations contains 28 sculptures of individuals of the various civilisations that have existed in Macedonia. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Mother Teresa Square. Between the new buildings for the Agency for Electronic Communications and the Financial Police on the river is Mother Teresa Square. Fronting it are the boldly modern Macedonian Philharmonic and the Macedonian Opera and Ballet building. (updated Aug 2016)

• 🌍 Porta Macedonia (Порта Македонија), ☏ +389 02 3151 141, PortaMK@mmb.org.mk. A triumphal arch built in 2011 to commemorate 20 years of Macedonian independence. The 21 m (69 ft) arch contains marble reliefs on its exterior depicting various scenes from Macedonian history. It has interior rooms as well as an elevator to the observation deck. Access to the deck is included in the ticket price at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 VMRO Square (Плоштад ВМРО). A square anchored by the new white neoclassical VMRO building. Fans of the Skopje 2014 project will admire this building. It has a taller tower section attached to the south side. The center of the square contains a lion sculpture atop a white column within a white fountain. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Feudal Tower (Феудална Кула). A 14-m-high residential tower from the 17th century, this is the oldest building on this side of the Vardar in central Skopje. Built for defense with 1.5-m-thick walls, a high door, and small windows on the lower floors. Today it serves as a souvenir shop and you can enter and see it from the inside. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Parliament Building (Собрание на Република Македонија), 11th October St. 10. Built in 1933 by Viktor Hudak in modernistic style. In the 2010s, large glass domes were incorporated onto the building's roof. A large equestrian statue of Nikola Karev, president of the historical Kruševo Republic, stands directly in front of the building. 
• 🌍 Park of the Woman Freedom Fighter (Парк Жена Борец). This park sits directly across Parliament and contains many new memorials. One is to the Fall Soldiers of Macedonia, a white monument and fountain consisting of many pillars. Another is to the Anti-Fascists Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia, which consists of the individuals involved in the assembly sitting at a table. Other includes those of Kuzman Josifovski-Pitu, the Defenders of Macedonia, and the Founders of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Government of the Republic of North Macedonia (Влада на Република Македонија), Boulevard Ilinden 2. Built in a modern style, it received a complete makeover in the early 2010s transforming the complex into a white neoclassical style. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Debar Maalo (Дебар Маало). Skopje's Bohemian neighbourhood. It was settled by displaced Macedonians from the Debar region in western Macedonia in the early 1920s. The individuals from this part of North Macedonia are known for their building skills (Mijaks) and this can be seen in the Debar Maalo area. Today, the neighbourhood consists of tree-lined streets and countless restaurants, bars, and cafes. It is also home to some of the highest property values in the city. (updated Aug 2016)

• Skopje Walks. 10am daily. A "free" walking tour of the major sites in Centar and the Old Town. The tour lasts about 3 hours. Tips expected. (updated Dec 2022)
• 🌍 Beautiful City (Graffiti Art Gallery). A nice graffiti wall. (updated Dec 2022)
• 🌍 City Park (Градски Парк). North Macedonia's largest urban park, south of the stadium. It contains streams and ponds, and a variety of plant and animal life. It also contains statues such as one of revolutionary Goce Delčev, a gift from Bulgaria made in 1946. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Youth Theatre, Mitropolit Teodosij Gologanov 4, ☏ +389 2 313 6185. (updated Aug 2016)
• Casinos. There over a dozen, primarily electronic, casinos throughout the area.

• 🌍 Macedonian Philharmonic (Македонска филхармонија). Part of the Skopje 2014 project, but notable for having bold modern architecture instead of neoclassical. It was built to have excellent acoustics and features concerts regularly. (updated Apr 2020)

• 🌍 Gradski Trgovski Centar. The city's oldest shopping centre. It is partially open-air and sits just east of Macedonia Square on the Vardar. Its three floors contain stores, restaurants, and bars. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Super Vero Mall, Koco Racin boulevard 1, ☏ +389 2 308 8400. The main point of this mall is the Vero supermarket but there are multiple other stores within, as well as restaurants. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Trgovski Centar Bunjakovec. (updated Aug 2016)
• Souvenirs can be found for sale around many of the major sites.

There are restaurants all over central Skopje. As with most cities in Macedonia, the specialty of most of these restaurants is the traditional "skara" (barbeque). Skopje does, of course, offer other types of cuisine one would expect to find in a modern capital city.

• 🌍 Pelister (Пелистер), ☏ +389 2 311 2482. On Macedonia Square, Pelister is in one of the buildings to have received a neoclassical facade giving it a Parisian cafe look. It offers traditional cuisine, pasta, and pizza. While it is pricier than other restaurants in the city, it is still cheap by European standards. Service and quality are excellent. 300 - 1000 MKD (Jan 2023). (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 La Terrazza, ☏ +389 2 311 3380. One of Skopje's best Italian restaurants. (updated Aug 2016)

• 🌍 Chinese Restaurant Peking Garden, Максим Горки 3, ☏ +389 71 381 981. While you don't have much of a choice when it comes to Asian cuisine in Skopje, Peking Garden's food is at least as good as what you'd typically find in Europe. (updated Aug 2016)

This part of Skopje has an abundance of places to get a drink, whether at a nightclub or a more laid-back setting.

• 🌍 Club Havana. Nightclub. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Rock bar „Old School“. Popular rock bar, considered among the best in the country. (updated Dec 2022)
• 🌍 XO Club, ☏ +389 72 214 400. Popular nightclub. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Irish Pub St. Patrick, KEJ 13 Noemvri, Gradski Trgovski Centar Skopje. (updated Aug 2016)

• 🌍 Best Western Skopje, Gjuro Strugar Street 11 (on Macedonia Street, just a block south of Macedonia Square), ☏ +389 2 328 9111. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Holiday Inn Skopje, Philip II of Macedon 5, ☏ +389 2 329 2929. Right next to the Gradski Trgovski Centar on the south bank of the Vardar. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Hotel ibis Skopje City Center, Orce Nikolov Br 55, ☏ +389 2 312 3700. On Orce Nikolov Boulevard north of Macedonia Square. (updated Aug 2016)