Tourist resources

Speleology localities
In Sopiste Community in the vicinity of Skopje there is one of the most interesting karst regions in the Republic of Macedonia (the region Nova Breznica, Jabolci and Krasta). The speleology club "Peoni" from Skopje researches the speleology objects in this region. There are about 50 speleology localities, which are very important and should be protected and the region should become a karst reservation. Very specific calcite crystals exist here which is a very rare mineral phenomenon.

The caves are called:
1. "Svetla"
2. "Kalenci"
3. "Brlog"
4. "Veligdenska"
5. "Bozguni" (This cave is very spacious inside with a lot of cave ornaments and mineral water. It should be protected for tourist visits.)


Holes
This karst region has vertical holes in abundance. Some of them are 100 meters deep. They have specific shapes and deserve to be protected. Some of them can be used for tourists.

Other holes are:
01. Zitin propast;
02. Sitojca;
03. Radeva niva;
04. Gabrulica;
05. Titov propast which is towards the dam, above Breznica
06. Mali 1 near Patiska reka;
07. Mali 2 near Patiska reka;
08. Cavkarnik 1, above Patiska reka (plateau at the summer mountain pastures);
09. Cavkarnik 2, above Patiska reka (plateau at the summer mountain pastures);
10. Peoni 1 (above Breznia);
11. Peoni 2 (above Breznia);
12. Peoni 3 (above Breznia);
13. Peoni 4 (above Breznia);
14. Peoni 5 (above Breznia);
15. Peoni 6 (above Breznia).

The environment in the cave is characterized with very stable and unchangeable ecology conditions, which change very slowly for millions of years. There are life fossils that date from the Tertiary period. New very important species for the science such as endems and relics, are can be found here. There are also bats, rats, wild cats, snails, worms, butterflies, centipedes, crabs and several types of endemic underground base animals. The underground fauna is a natural treasure protected by conservation. Having in mind the value and the cave's shape, it fulfills all the conditions to be educational center for the people as well as a place where some cultural manifestations can be held.

The National Natural Reservation Jasen belongs to this Community.

Monastery localities

The monastery St.Trifun is 15 km far from Skopje on the south side of Vodno in the area of the village Govrlevo. According to what the nun Paraskeva says the monasteries date from many years ago, but there were renovated in the previous century. The monastery complex consists of the monasteries St.Trifun; St.Troica; St.Petar and Pavle; St.Marina and the church St.Kuzman and Damjan built in 1936. There are also two healing waters there.

Apart from these monasteries, there are also other monasteries. They are: St.Jovan and St.Spas in Sopiste, St,Ilija in Rakotinci and the monastery St.Trojca situated between Dolno Sonje and Govrlevo. There are churches in every village and some new have also been built.

The church St.Bogorodica in Rakotinci is a new one and it has been built on the foundations of the ruined church and it has been consecrated on November 02, 2003.

In each of the villages there are monuments made of carved stone in the shape of a cross and they are older than 400 years.

There are mosques in the villages Sveta Petka and Jabolci where there is Albanian population.

One of the characteristics of the community is the large number of fountains built in 1926 of the marble and stone found in this region. Some of these fountains are out of use. The mayor suggested these fountains to be renovated and used again. This will happen very soon. At the moment the fountain in Sopiste has been renovating and the same stone is used in order to maintain the authenticity.

One os the most important excavation sites is the Govrlevo locality where a very important objects from the past have been found. They date from the neolith period. Many objects made of ceramics have been found. They show us that the technology for ceramics processing has not been changed from the past. Some things that people used to wear on them can be found here, although rarely. They show the people's sex, age and social status. Such things are necklaces made of pearls, shells, snails, bones, stone and ceramics.