The old chronies say that once, this was a pass for the Vardar's main road from Via Ignatia.
If the good and well-meaning passenger could be encouraged to visit the home of the hospitable people, this would certainly be done by the warmth of the town, the town on the most southern point of the Republic of Macedonia, very close to the border with Republic of Greece, the town of cordiality, Gevgelija.
Explore this town by travelling through its antique, the time, tradition, of the old economic midpoint of Macedonia.

The greatness of the citizens is in their kindness and hospitality.

MUNICIPALITY OF GEVGELIJA

The municipality of Gevgelija covers an area of 317 km2, at an altitude of 64m. Gevgelija municipality is consisted today of 11 villages, of which 9 are continuously inhabited: Negorci, Sermenin, Bogorodica, Mrzenci, Prdejci, Novo Konsko, Kovanec, Moin, and Huma. The municipality has 20.000 citizens (6.000 households), mostly Macedonians, in an area of 317km.

HISTORY

Every nation marks its own path through the chronicle of the generations creating the world of today, for the future and noting the persistence up to yesterday. This is the only way of tending the eternal tradition, the spirit as a mirror of the cultural living.

In the old chronicles, it is noted that the urban development of Gevgelija has been started in the mid XIX century, when the population from these areas felt the need of creating a modern settlement, which would challenge the passengers and merchants and would host them in its numerous inns during their travel to the Near East.

The warm spirit of the citizens of Gevgelija has engraved the legend into their "national memory" about a dervish who came to Gevgelija and did not want to leave because he liked the place very much. The citizens did not want to welcome the dervish and decided to drive him out.
The dervish started to curse the citizens in anger, and fearing his curses they invited him back with the words "gel-gerik" meaning "come back". Although this is a legend, the citizens of Gevgelija do not want to break the oath of their ancestors. Those who decide to stay in the town and who are ready for new challenges and experiences will be welcomed.

Gevgelija gained a real urban image in 1886, when it had become an administrative centre of a separate county (Casa).
The economic development of Gevgelija continuously grew within the period of 1860 to 1912, when the manufacturing and industrial production was developed, so that the town known as town "from station to the border" became more famous with its numerous handicraft stores: shoe making, cart making, joinery, saddle making, tailoring...

Three kilometres before reaching the border crossing with Greece, on the hill over the river Vardar, the archaeological site Vardar Hill can be seen.
So far six settlements have been discovered, layers one on top of the other. Life had flourished there in the period before the 13th century B.C. until the 2nd century B.C. These represent ancient Macedonian settlements of the times prior and after the reign of Alexander the Great of Macedonia. This settlement has extremely rich cultural layers with significant architecture.
The pottery findings range chronologically from the Iron period to late Hellenism. Numerous silver and bronze coins were also discovered, forged in the time of the reign of Alexander the Great of Macedonia and his father Philip II, as well as Philip III, Lizimach Perseus and Antigon.

TRADITION AND CULTURE

Since the middle 20th century, Gevgelija was attractive for the European rich tradesmen. This region is famous for its' silk trade, various fruits and vegetables, red and white types of grape, as well as by pomengranates and figs..

VLADO'S INN

Vlado's Inn was built in the beginning of 1906 and after 1980 it has been readapted into a public museum. There are several departments for the prehistory ancient period and middle ages, and collections of the recent history of the Macedonian nation.

SPORT AND RECREATION

Besides the cultural tradition, Gevgelija also cares for the sport education, promoting the popular sport and increasing the physical culture. The sport hall in Gevgelija is a modern location for doing sports.

TRADITIONAL MANIFESTATION

The local population manifests its old habits and traditions during the Christian Holidays, reflecting the present time.

OLD HABITS

The joyfulness and elation that are part of Christmas and Easter when the people honestly celebrate the heathen habits "Kolede" and "Surva", making fires and singing the relative Kolede and Surva songs.
Paying honour to St. Spas, a two-day fair takes place in Gevgelija every year in the church "St. Spas" which was built in the beginning of XIX century. During the fair many visitors come from the neighboring towns and villages.

TOURIST LOCALITIES

The tourist locality Smrdliva Voda is a resort on the mountain of Kozuf, at 850m above sea level and 24km from Gevgelija. It is well known by the sources of sulphur-mineral water, which is very curative for stomach and kidney diseases. 400 villas and a hotel for accommodation of guests are built in the woodland.

The mineral spa Negorci is 4 km from Gevgelija and represents a well-known tourist-recreational centre, mainly due to the thermal mineral water. The examinations and experiences made till now, confirm that the mineral water is suitable for healing all kinds of rheumatism, sterility, gastrointestinal and cardio-vascular diseases, inflammations of the peripheral nervous system, as well as for healing dermatological diseases. The surrounding forest offers good conditions for preparatory training activities of sport teams from the country and abroad, even in the winter period when the weather conditions are still mild. There is an accommodation capacity of 330 beds, swimming pools, a physical therapy department and drinking water with curative characteristics.