Gostivar

(Macedonian: Гостивар)

Gostivar is city in the Republic of Macedonia, located in the upper Polog region. It is one of the largest cities in the country with a population of 81,042, and the town also covers 134,1 square kilometres. Gostivar has good road and railway connections with the other cities in the region: Tetovo, Skopje, Kicevo, Ohrid and Debar. A new and modern highway was built, in 1995, from Gostivar to Tetovo, 24 km long. The city of Gostivar is a seat of the Gostivar municipality.

The municipality borders Mavrovo and Rostusa, Zajas and Oslomej municipality in the south, Makedonski Brod municipality in the east, Brvenica and Vrapciste municipality in the north, and Albania and Serbia in the west.

• Number of inhabitants: Gostivar itself 49.545 in 2002
• Area: 513,9 sq. km, 80.280 habitants in 2003
• Geographic position: 41o47'50'' N, 20o54'30'' E
• Climate: Continental
• Average temperature:
• Time zone: Central European Time (GMT +1)
• Postal Code: 1230
• Local area code: 042

As the population in Gostivar is various so the “food sources” are various and amazingly, live in perfect harmony. So, you may find on a 10 metres distance a Macedonian national restaurant sharing a wall with the Albanian national restaurant, enriched with the pizzerias and many pie (burek) shops which will offer you the best burek on the Balkans. Many of local inhabitants were working abroad, many of them still work, and the percentage of those working in “food machinery” is pretty high. You could find them all over former Yugoslavia, first class bakers and pastry shop owners, even today when you’re on the Adriatic coast their smiling face will tell you where they are from. Many of them returned to their loving Gostivar bringing their masterpiece and experience to offer to their countrymen and those being or passing here.

Possibly the first mention of the town was made by the Roman historian Livy. He records how during the Third Macedonian War the King of Macedon Perseus at the head of 10000 men, after taking Uskana (Kicevo), attacked Drau-Dak, today Gostivar.

One of the most significant monuments in the city is The Clock Tower. It dates from 1566 and was built by the Ottomans. The Beg Mahala Mosque was built in 1688 by Ebu Bekir, the son of Kara Mustafa Pasha. Later it was rebuilt by Ismail Aga.

Gostivar was founded as a Slavic town during the middle ages. The number of the population in Gostivar moved on the next way: in the year of 1874 around 2,000 citizens, in 1900 around 4,000, in 1921 4,885, in 1948 around 7,800, in 1961 12,788, in 1977 around 32,900 citizens. From the population rating in 1916 there can be noticed domination of the Macedonians there, 5,092, Turks 4,349 and Albanians 2,904.

But as the time carried on, the population has drastically changed. In the census of 1994 together with the all municipalities in the region Gostivar had a population of 12,084 Macedonians, then 14,128 Albanians, 4,475 Turks, Serbs 231, Vlachs 11 and other. Today there live around 45,740 citizens, of which highest percentage are ethnic Albanians, then Macedonians, Turks, Gypsies ...

Gostivar is merchant city. From the second half of the 19th century, a lot of merchants started moving in and opening new shops and stores. Merchants from Kruševo, Ki?evo, Tetovo and Veles were the founders of the Gostivar merchant center in that time. But today they are gone electricians, mechanic workers. Today Gostivar is a modern city.

Gostivar is the centre of Bistra National Park, so you feel very sporty as you enter in this area. Mountain walk? Yes, just visit Mavrovo and walk to Bistra mountain, touch the nature and sky above. Biking? Yes, ride your bike around the lake, it’s only 3 hours, continue then to south a bit or stay in Mavrovo and ride another circle. Skiing? Yes, the best ski terrains are here in front of you, just jump on the ski-lift and go up. Tennis? Yes, there are some nice courts in Mavrovo and Gostivar itself.

If you want to take the challenge and explore, you may find some “exotic” places to spend the night in Gostivar, but leave your hopes at home, concerning the music. You will be hit with the sounds of turbo-folk producers, which basis lie somewhere on the East.

• By car: 70 km far from Skopje, taking the western highway to Tetovo and Gostivar
• By plane: www.airports.com.mk (Skopje)
• By bus: www.sas.com.mk (Skopje)
• By train: regular motor railway Skopje - Kicevo

The city itself is not as many different from any ordinary Macedonian, Albanian or Oriental city. But you will be delighted with the surroundings, the Bistra National Park, Galicnik village, particularly if you’re there in the summertime, Mavrovo lake as well.