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'Štip' () is the largest town in the eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. It has 43,625 inhabitants according to the 2002 census. Sustained by the Bregalnica river, Štip stands at an altitude of 300 m above sea level. Through the center the town is bisected by the small Otinja river, which tends to dry out in the summer months. The town of Štip is a seat of the Štip municipality.

Contents

History

Features

Demographics

Famous residents

Economy

References

External Links

See also

History

Štip (or Astibo/Astibos) has its heritage in being the ancient capital of the Paeonian tribe who were situated in the western part 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 Axius, were the Derrones, called 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 have been heavily weakened by the Persian invasion of 480BC by King Xerxes I, they remained a formidable power and 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.
The area itself has first mention in the writings of the historian Polien form the 3rd century BC, who talks of a river named Astibo presumed to be the river Bregalnica today, and who claims that around the place where Štip is today, the Paeonian emperors were crowned ^[2] 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^[3]
During the second half of the 3rd century BC the barbarian tribes, especially the Goths destroy much of the northern settlements in the easter part of the Roman Empire, among which Astibo as well. However, soon a new settlement has been founded on the same site called Stipeon which thrived though the late Roman and the Early Byzantine period. City of Shtip Between the 5th and 6th century AD the joint Slavic and Avar tribes attacks destroy the Byzantine settlement, and the Slavic tribe of Sagudats permanently settle in this area, and give the current name Štip to the settlement. During the 10th century, the Saints Cyril and Methodius after creating the first Slavic alphabet, first came to preach to the Slavic tribes in this area before going to Great Moravia, thus the Slavic population from this area were the first Christians among the Slavs ^[4]
Many rulers conquered the area of Štip during the early middle ages. The Bulgarian Empire incorporates the area during the rule of Tzar Samuil, however after the Byzantine victory at the Battle of Kleidion falls again under Byzantium until 1330 when the Serbian king Stefan Decanski conquers it and incorporates it in the Serbian kingdom. The Serbian rule lasted only until 1395 when Ottoman Turkey conquers the area, and renames the city to Ishtib making it the capital of the local county. There is little information for the development of Štip during Turkish occupation which would continue for the next 5 centuries, interrupted only during 1689-1690 when the city is liberated by the Austrians for two years. During the Balkan Wars Štip and the surrounding territory goes as to [Serbia] as war spoils and later is incorporated into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia together with Vardar Macedonia. During the Second World War the Axis-allied Bulgarian forces occupy the city until November 8th, 1944 when it is liberated by the Macedonian National Liberation Army. ^[4] November 8th is celebrated as 'Liberation Day' today in Štip, and is municipal holiday.

Features

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 (but is now an art gallery) is a remnant of the muslim 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 can also boast with the healing powers of the Kežovica mineral bath and with the ruins of the ancient city of Bargala.

Demographics

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

'Shtip Municipality '	'Total'	'Macedonians '	'Turks'	'Gypsies'	'Vlach '	'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

Famous residents

Novo Selo, one of the oldest parts of Štip, is famous as the birthplace of many revolutionary, political and religious leaders including the first president of independent Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov; Mr. Mihail, the previous head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, General Mihajlo Apostolski the first commander of the Army of People's Republic of Macedonia, Todor Aleksandrov and Ivan Mihailov, leaders of IMRO between the World Wars. It's also here where the famous revolutionary Gotse Delchev came to teach and spread his ideas for an uprising against the Ottoman Empire.

Economy

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

References

1. Macedonian Coins
2. Astibo
3. Stip
4. City of Shtip
5. City of Shtip

External Links

Official web site of the city of Štip

Štip Online

See also

★ Republic of Macedonia

★ Paeonian

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