VELES

Veles Veles is an industrial and agricultural centre, that lies at an altitude of 174 m above sea level. Situated in the main route linking Central Europe with the Aegean Sea, Veles was grow in the last century into an important centre for trade. It is a small town rising in terraces a round the bowls and slopes of the hills each side of the River Vardar, and looks especially beautiful in the late afternoon of a summer's day.
There is not much here in the way of antiquities, despite the fact that it is a very ancient site. In 216 B.C. it was called Vilazora and then, Veles like Skopje, it came under the rule of Byzantines - who were followed by the Serbs, the Bulgarian's and the Turk's.
Veles is a town with a rich cultural tradition. In honour of the founder (Koco Racin) of modern Macedonian literature, the Racin Meetings are held here. In this event writers from all the Balkan country's take part. The churches of St. Dimitri and St. Nicholas rang among the important cultural and historical monuments as well some remaining buildings from the medieval period. Both churches were built in the fourteenth century. Lake "Mladost" is located around 10 km from Veles.

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