Kratovo is a small picturesque town in north-eastern part of Macedonia, and known as one of the regions “living museums”. It’s the seat of the Kratovo municipality.

According to the 2002 census, the Kratovo had 6,924 inhabitants. Kratovo lies on the western slopes of Osogovo mountain, 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. Kratovo is famous for its old bridges. The main road which connects Kumanovo and Kriva Palanka is around 25-30km away (at the Stracin junction). Kratovo is 93 km away from Skopje, while from Kumanovo is 43km, Kriva Palanka 44km and Stip 52 km.

Today Kratovo has many characteristics of the past times. Once there were 12 towers, but today only 6 towers have remained, which primarily served miners, chiefs and guards. The Kratovo bridges are another characteristic of this town made by old masters. Kratovo has unique and interesting architecture from the 19th century and a unique Art gallery of children’s drawings, with pictures by Kratovo children which have won numerous prices at different international exhibitions. Currently many organizations are working on rebuilding of Kratovo.

Kratovo tourist attractions

• KRATOVO BRIDGES The bridges which unite both parts of the city, extend as lances between the two shores of Tavacka river, and are a special feature of the town. Carsiski, Grofcanski, Yorkshirski, Argulicki and Radin birdge – all of them are built of the Kratovo river. 0.2 km E from main square / Kratovo
• KRATOVO TOWERS Only 6 of 12 medieval towers of the city have been preserved to the present day. The time of the construction of those towers has not been established yet, but their architectural style and the ornamentation used, indicate that those construction originate from the period of the Turkish rule. The more significant towers in Kratovo, are the Simiceva tower, Emin-Bey, the clock tower, the Zlatkova, Krsteva and the Hadzi-Kostova tower. The most imposant of them is the Simikjeva tower, located in Dolna Maala district, built in the distant 1370 AD 0.1 km SSW from main square / Kratovo
• STONE COLUMNS OF KUKLICA The stone town, is situated by the Kuklica village in the Kratovo district. According to the sources, the stone figures, that are mentioned by the local population as Dolls, are 10 million years old. There are many legends and myths for their existence, but the most famous is the one, according to which, the stone figures are wedding guests (people), that were cursed by the forsaken bride, and turned into a rocks. There are 120 stone figures, one by another, up to 10 meters high in the area. The legends speak that once a upon a time, one boy from the village of Kuklica (that is above the stone town), who cannot decided whom to marry with, asked two girls. The wedding with the both of them was planned in a same day. There used to be a tradition not to have more than one wedding in each day, because the brides must not be seen each other, during their wedding – that was a bad luck. Not knowing for that one of the brides saw that there is another wedding in the same day and run out of her house to see who is getting married. When she saw her boyfriend with another girl, she cursed all of them: “Let God turn all of you into rocks, even me”. And in the moment all of people got frozen and turned into rocks. According to another legend, the existence of the stone figures is very different. There used to be a wood in this area, but due to the wars it was burned down. Soon the area became nearly to a desert. When the army passed because of the low temperatures, all of the soldiers frizzed and turned into rocks. But the scientists do not agree with the legends. According to them, they were formed 10 million years ago, by the tectonic erosion, from a minerals that dissolve in water. Over the years, the nature created master pieces. The local population says that on every 5-6 years a new figures appear. 10.75 km WNW from Kratovo center
• COCEV KAMEN Cocev Kamen is a rock from volcanic origin which consists of caves and rock-shelters. Cocev Kamen is believed that it has been used as a temple from prehistory (Neolithic/Bronze age), throughout Roman times, until the middle ages due to the surrounding archaeological sites. Some of the rock shelters are decorated with red figural prehistoric rock art. Cocev Kamen is also believed that it has been used as a prehistoric observatory. 16.01 km W from Kratovo center Cultural-historical heritage