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Revision as of 18:54, 14 December 2005 by TimBentley (talk | contribs) (disambiguation link repair (You can help!))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Kumanovo is a city in the north-eastern part of the Republic of Macedoniain the vicinity of the capital city – Skopje. Several industry facilities in the town are providing Kumanovo’s economical development: footwear, agriculture, tobacco, metal-processing, textile etc. Today more than 100 000 inhabitants are living in Kumanovo. The city has a library, cultural center, museum and national theatre. Also, several painting colonies and exhibitions took place every year in Kumanovo or in the nearby villages. Also, Kumanovo is famous by its jazz festival.
Economy
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 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 anti-fascist insurrection of Slavic Macedonians and the struggle for national and social liberation began in Kumanovo and Prilep on October 11, 1941. Also notable is the private practice "Otodent", located in Goce Delcev suburb, which offers different medical services like ENT and dentistry. The founder and the director is Dr. Milenko Trendafilovski.
Etymology
Kumanovo is believed to derive from the Cumans, a Turkic tribe who settled the area in the 12th-13th century.
History
The city is mentioned for the first time in one document from 1519 that can be found in the Turkish archive in Istanbul. Also, the famous Evlija Chelebija traveler mentioned Kumanovo in 1660 saying that Kumanovo is embellished by many rivers and there are beautiful mosque, medressa, hammam, vineyards and gardens.
The city has grown steadily in the XVI and XVII century, becoming an administrative center in the region. In 1689 the Karposh rebellion took place in Kumanovo.
The agriculture and trade have developed mainly in XIX century, but the city modern look have been established after the Second World War
Cultural monuments
Kumanovo boasts several monuments of very big importance. Between them are: the church of St. George in the village of Staro Nagorichane, the monastery of Karpino, the Ascension of Holy Mother in the village of Matejce., the church of St. Petka in the village of Mlado Nagorichane, the Church of Holy Trinity, the Eski mosque etc.
The oldest and biggest church in the town is the Church of St. Nikolas. There are valuable icons from XIII century in the church. The church represents a masterwork of the Andreja Damjanov, an important Macedonian renaissance architect.
The Church of St. George in the village of Staro Nagorichane was built in 1071 and it represents one of the most beautiful Macedonian churches. It is an example of the “five cupola”style. It contains very valuable frescoes and icons.
The Church of Holy Trinity was built in 1902.
The Eski mosque was built in 1751 and it represents an interesting Islamic architecture.
Violence
At 4:45 PM, on December 27, 2002, a bomb went off in front of Kumanovo's Goce Delcev High School while classes were still in session, killing one and injuring five bystanders. Goce Delcev is Kumanovo's biggest high school and is located near the central square. Shrapnel was found as far as 100 meters away from a trash can in front of the school where the bomb had been concealed. Shortly after the detonation, police arrived and blocked off adjacent streets. The identity of the perpetrators and their motivation is still unknown.
Narcotics
Illegal drugs are notably high spread in Kumanovo particularly because of its proximity to three border crossings. Dragi Karadzinski, doctor and specialist in neuro-psychiatry at the Hospital Centre in Kumanovo, believes that the two most common narcotics among Kumanovo's youth are marijuana and hashish. The drug trade in Kumanovo has lead to a criminal underworld directly tried to Albanian mob factions.