KRATOVO-THE TOWN OF TOWERS AND BRIDGES
Kratovo is a small picturesque town in Macedonia, one of the regions’ living museums. It is the seat of Kratovo Municipality. It lies on the western slopes of Mount Osogovo at an altitude of 600 metres (2,000 ft) above sea level. Having a mild and pleasant climate, it is located in the crater of an extinct volcano.
Culture
Nestled in the pit of a volcanic crater an hour northeast of Skopje, Kratovo is famous for its Ottoman-era towers and high stone bridges.
• Towers of Kratovo: Clock tower in Kratovo, Tower of Emin Bey, Tower of Abedin Efendi, Tower of Asan Efendi
• Bridges in Kratovo: Rada’s Bridge ,Grofchanski Bridge, Grofchanski Serraglio, Hawzi –Pasha’s Bridge
Today’s Kratovo has many characteristics of the past times. Once there were 12 towers, but nowadays one can notice six towers which primarily served miners, chiefs and guards. The Kratovo bridges are another characteristic of this town made by old masters.
The town has unique and interesting architecture from the 19th century and a unique Art gallery of children’s drawings, with pictures of Kratovo.
Until its gold and silver dried up in the 19th century, Kratovo had been a prosperous mining town. Ancient tunnels still snake through the rock, and evidence of the town’s former wealth can be seen in the fabulous old buildings which line the hills. Many of these historic houses and shops have survived intact, and Kratovo seems to have arrived in the modern day unblemished by the hands of time.
Although Kratovo is a small, out-of-the-way town, it’s very much alive, with so many pedestrians ambling along the roads, exploring the town.