Veles: Architecture, Vardar and Pesti Gorge

The historic architecture of Veles is arranged amphitheatrically on both sides of the Vardar. It includes a 200-metre-long riverfront promenade, buildings with different historical associations, and natural features such as Pesti Gorge and Lake Mladost. This gives you a choice of different focuses for your trip, from urban history and culture to landscapes and cycling. Veles is also a hub for international road and rail connections.

City history and culture

The Cathedral of Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr was built in 1840 by Andreja Damjanov and his brothers. It is known for its unique acoustics, is considered one of the most representative cultural and historical monuments in Veles, and attracts many local and foreign visitors. The Church of Saint Demetrius is a protected cultural asset. The clock tower dates back to the 14th century and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The Ossuary Monument also tells the story of the city: it was built in 1979 through voluntary contributions from the residents of Veles.

The International Folklore Festival “Veles” is part of the local folk tradition. It was founded after a long tradition of preserving Macedonian folklore. At its first edition in 2004, folklore ensembles from Macedonia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro performed. The “Gemidzhii” regatta has a different connection to the Vardar: it grew out of an idea by enthusiasts from Veles in 1984.

River landscapes, gorge and lake

The Veles Municipal Council designated the Babuna River as a landscape of special character. The Egyptian vulture is found at Pesti on the Babuna River. It is considered an endemic species found nowhere else in the world and is threatened with extinction. Pesti Gorge contains around 50 caves. Some are up to 10,000 years old; the gorge is also home to the more than 1,000-year-old cave church of Markova Peštera. Thus, caves of different ages and a cave church as a distinct historical feature sit side by side in this landscape.

Lake Mladost lies north of Veles. A paved local road runs along the lakeshore, passes through the dam and continues to the Skopje–Veles motorway. Twenty electric bicycles have been made available at the lake to develop cycle tourism.

Getting around Veles

The Vardar riverfront promenade is a recreational area between the Gemidzhii Bridge and Malo Movche. The project to develop it included setting up two kiosks selling souvenirs and other products made by traditional Veles craftspeople. Alongside the historic architecture, the riverside and local crafts are therefore also things you can consider when planning your trip.

For travel by train, the station has connections to Skopje, Bitola, Gevgelija and Kocani. Veles’s wider role in international road and rail traffic complements these specific train connections. One example of cycling activities in the city is a tour held as part of European Mobility Week 2023: members of the “Veles Biking” association and other cycling enthusiasts visited the memorial houses of Kocho Racin, Vasil Glavinov and the Kasapovi family, the “Floating House” and the Ossuary Monument. This tour is a dated example, not an indication of a recurring event.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can first consider which kind of trip matters most to you: buildings and city history, folklore, river landscapes, or nature and cycling around the lake and gorge. The train connections also provide concrete information to help you plan your journey.

For a closer look at the next level down, visit Veles. Other destinations in the same higher-level area include Podgorci, Delchevo, Bogovinje, Ohrid, Kavadarci, Resen and Skopje.

For an overview of the wider area: Macedonia.