HISTORY OF THE CITY

The historical past of Demir Kapija is connected with the well-known Demir Kapija gorge, a place from which many military campaigns began and ended, a place that at different times was the border of several rulers and a place which was the seat of special feudal lords who occupied the territory and ruled with her.

First mentioned is the settlement that existed around the fortress, under the name of the old Roman city of Stenae. After the ruin of the Roman Empire, the fortress became a location for the existence of another city called the medieval Prosek. For this city there are more written data, especially those related to the names of the feudal lords Dobromir Hrast and Dobromir Strez.

With the arrival of the Turks the settlement in the fortress ceased to exist, the local population was displaced to a new location several kilometers to the north and was called Banja, according to the warm water baths that exist in this area from a very old time. Today, that settlement is called Demir Kapija. But one thing is common to all these names of populated places, and that is connecting with the fortress.

Most of the past of D. Kapija is associated with permanent wars and traumas experienced by the local population. This city was occupied and dominated by several rulers during very short periods. Because of this, it was not possible for the development of economic life to get larger, but what was produced was plundered by the armies.

During the five centuries of the Turks, few things have changed. At that time with. The bath in which the population was fleeing from Prosek was converted into a close feudal possession of various Turkish beaches. Along with that, the population was dependent on Turkish feudal lords who had their life and freedom. Only after the expulsion of the Turks in 1912-1913. the village got rid of that addiction and began to live a more free life. But this lasted briefly because after a few years a Bulgarian or Serbian occupying power was established.

In the First World War, the territory of D. Kapija was conquered by the Bulgarian-German and Serbian-English military forces. The First World War left devastation in D. Kapija. The consequences of her felt long after her.

During the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1919 to 1941. the economic situation was bad because nobody invested in this area.

After the catastrophic earthquake in 1931, the population of the village. Baths were moved to the area at the railway station D. Kapija. Here began a new life, several trade and craft facilities were opened, and later there was also a resort and several commercial facilities.

The entire period of the Second World War in D. Kapija abounded with major events in a military plan. Due to the good geostrategic position, a considerable number of German and Bulgarian troops were concentrated here. The fighting for the settlement became more frequent and especially expanded in 1943 and 1944, which contributed to the importance of Demir Kapija to be of life significance for the withdrawal of German units from Greece, and the settlement was turned into a real neo-fortress fortress. After the withdrawal of the Germans as well as the strong combat actions of the Macedonians in 1944, Demir Kapija was released.

After the liberation Demir Kapija rose especially in the time when the settlement was the seat of the same municipality. However, after the abolition of the municipality and conversion of D. Kapija in the usual headquarters of the Mesa office, growth is stagnant, leaving negative traces in the overall life. In 1996, D. Kapija regains the status of the municipality, with the election of the first mayor and the first multi-party municipal council, the pulse of life returned to this city again despite the extremely difficult economic situation that arose in 1990. The new municipal leadership restored the development of positive starting positions.

Today, the city and the whole municipality, slowly but surely eco-friendly, revive and develop according to the standards of the new age. And it will surely be an indication that finally Demir Kapija will get the deserved place of an urbanised and economically stable municipality in our country.