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The city of Kumanovo is situated in the northeast of the Republic of Macedonia, 340 m. above sea level. Kumanovo is believed to derive from the Cumans, a Turk tribe who settled the area in the 12th-13th century. It extends over the rivers Lipkovka and Konjarka. The first authentic information concerning Kumanovo dates back to 1519 in documents of the Istanbul Turkish archives, mentioning 52 families with about 300 inhabitants. The most comprehensive and relevant information on Kumanovo is provided by Evlija Celebija in 1660: "The colony of Kumanovo is situated on the territory of the Skopje sanjak and represents one county. The city is embellished with many rivers and 600 tile-roofs houses. The mosque in the downtown is beautiful, there are teke, medressa (Islam religion secondary school), hammam (Turkish bath), a number of shops and water mills; and the climate is pleasant and agreeable. There are many vineyards and gardens". Kumanovo became an urban settlement and administrative center of the region at the end of the XVI century or the beginning of the XVII century. Following the turbulent events (notably, the Karposh rebellion in 1689) the city experienced a period of stagnation, and by the end of XVIII century Kumanovo epitomized a Turkish provincial town. It developed economically in the late XIX century (agriculture, handcrafts and trade). Still, industrial development occurred only at the end of the Second World War. The fast growing economic, administrative and cultural expansion in Kumanovo fired up in 1945. The town's metal-processing, tobacco, agriculture, footwear and textile industries have made it an economic, trading and cultural center of approximately 135,529 people. The city and the region boast a reach history with numerous cultural and historical monuments dating back to the prehistoric period.

Culture monuments

The Church of St. George at the Monastery of Staro Nagoricane is the best known cultural and historical monument in Kumanovo. It was built in the 11th century and was reconstructed in the l4th. During its reconstruction, the fresco-painters Mihailo and Evtihij painted its walls with frescoes of exceptional skill. The oldest sites are some settlements: the Kostoperska karpa, the Bronze Age Gradiste (near the village of Pelince), the Neolithic site of Mlado Nagorichane, the Iron Age tumulus Groblje (village of Vojnik), the Roman Necropolis Drezga(village of Lopate), the Roman Settlement Vicianus(village of Klechovce), and many others. There are also some important monasteries from the later period, as the monastery Karpino, near the village of Suv Ora, XVI c., the Church of St. Petka in the village of Mlado Nagorichane, XVI c., the Eski Mosque, 1751, the Church of St. Nicolas, the Church of St. Trojca (the Holy Trinity), and the monastery in the village of Gradiste. The Chirch "St. Nicolas", masterpiece of Andreja Damjanov, surrounded by remarkable arcades, reach enterier with remarkable galeries, frescoes and furniture.The incription on the south entrance is telling the year 1851, on the same place where before was older church(with the same patron) in the famous "Varosh maalo". The Church of St. Trojca (the Holy Trinity) is known as the youngest public religious object built in 1902.This church is a product from the struggles in the XIX century by initiative of the Patriarshy. Raised in the "Karapsko maalo", nearby the patriarshy's school. The oldest object with public function in Kumanovo is said to be the old "Eski" mosque built in 1751 in that time known turkish "Orta bunar maalo", raised by Tatar Said beg. For the needs of the turkish authorities near the Eski mosque was built the "Ukumat" (building), from 1880,(on a place where before was a temporary lodgement) where the "kadija"(turkish judge) and the rest of the court and police authorities. In this building sessioned the "medzlis"(the sres committee).

Economy

Kumanovo is administrative, economic and culturer center in northeastern part of Republic of Macedonia, with over 100.000 residents. It is situated in immediate closeness to the mountain Kozjak and branches of Skopska Crna Gora, Kumanovo is in excellent favorable goe-strategy location, and there are many important traffic roads which are connecting Kumanovo with other towns in the country and abroad. With rich and fertil soil which are enabling intensive agriculturer production , also hilly mountain regions, important for development of cattle breeding and with high level of industry like basic power of development, Kumanovo is moving through the time in constant fight for looking its own identity and comprehensive development and for providing better life to its residents. Kumanovo had quick economic development after World War II, util mow. Industry is main economic branch, including: black metallurgy (FZC "11 Oktomvri"), metalworking (AD "KEN" and FMK "Iskra Inzenering"), chemical industry and production of plastic wrapping material (AD "30 Juli" and AD "Polet"), industry of construction materials (AD "KIK"), textile industry (AD "Bibrok", "Euroteks" and around 15 small private factories), leather-adaptation industry (AD "CIK", "KPK Kumanovo" and over 15 private factories: "Tusevski", "BOS Trejd", "Zibars", "Suster", "Ciciban" etc.), food industry, including 17 dairy stores, 11 mills, 10 factories for juices, 14 bakeries, big refrigerator, wine cellar, tobacco industry ("Tutunov kombinat") etc In the field of transportation, there is well known company "Jug Turist", which enables transportation of people, but also goods. Their service can be from every kind of transportation, like buses, trucks (every kind of trucks), trucks for transportation of vehicles and small buses, including services in the country and abroad, in whole Europe and Eastern part of Asia. It is also developed transportation of small ferryman, and taxi service. Restaurant management in Kumanovo is also very developed. There is AD "Biserka", but also many small private restaurants and hotels. There is restaurant management and spa tourism in Kumanovska banja. Tourism has many unused opportunities (there are opportunities for development of hunting tourism, regions of mountain Kozjak and Skopska Crna Gora, transit tourism etc.) For faster development of small and middle companies, in Kumanovo is operating Regional center "NEPA", in structure of foundation "FARE", also is present credit line of foundation "Moznosti" for support of family businessand small and middle companies. Large economic companies, mostly, were made private, but one part of them is facing with problems (structure changes, technology, disposal of goods, unliquidity). But in last ten years were created many new, small and middle private companies, mostly in textile industry, factories for shoes and food factories. In this period they are accommodating faster on the market.

External links

• Kumanovo FAQ