Kriva Palanka

Kriva Palanka and the Kriva River

Osogovo Monastery in the mountains above the town

Fresco depicting the Paskačić noble family at Psača Monastery

Kriva Palanka (Macedonian:Крива Паланка) is a small mountain town in the very northeastern part of Macedonia. It has nearly 15,000 residents while the larger Krivia Palanka Municipality contains a further 5,000 residents in the neighboring villages. Along with Rankovce Municipality to the west, this area makes up the historical region of Slavište.

Get in

The Deve Bair border crossing with Bulgaria is 22 km (13.6 mi) east of Kriva Palanka.

See

• 1 Osogovo Monastery (Осоговски Манастир). Established in the 12th century, the oldest parts of the monastery today date from the 14th century, including the smaller of its two churches, dedicated to the Holy Mother of God. This church features one main dome and a couple smaller ones above the sides. During Ottoman rule, the church was briefly converted to mosque, though it soon became a church again. During the Austro-Ottoman War of 1690, the monastery was to be destroyed by the Ottomans as punishment to the locals for siding with the Austrians during the war. Legend claims that the Ottomans spared the church after becoming overpowered by some spiritual force. The larger, three-nave church, was built in 1851 by noted builder Andrej Damjanov. It has 12 cupolas, which represent the 12 apostles, and porches on its southern and western sides. Most of the church's interior and cupolas were painted by Dimitar Andonov Papradiški. In addition to its history and architecture, the monastery is also a popular tourist destination for its position on Osogovo Mountain.  
• 2 Church of Saint Demetrius (Црква „Св. Димитриј“). This church, built in 1833, is the main church within the town of Kriva Palanka. It is a three-nave church with an attached bell tower and a long porch. It contains a rich iconostasis and its frescoes were done by noted artist Dimitar Papradiški in 1887. (updated May 2019)

Neighboring villages

• 3 Psača Monastery (Псачки манастир), village of Psača. Established in the 14th century, this monastery is dedicated to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. The church is the only part of the complex original to its first construction around 1354 by Vlatko Paskačić and his father, nobles of the Serbian Empire. It was built with two domes but one collapsed at some point and was never rebuilt. The interior frescoes are of high quality and strong color, painted between 1366 and 1371. Among the frescoes are painting of the Paskačić family and other Serbian nobility, slightly vandalized by Bulgarian fascists during their World War I occupation of the region. (updated Sep 2019)
• 4 Stanečki Waterfalls (Станечки Водопади), village of Stanci. The largest falls of the Osogovo Mountains, Stanečki fall from a height of 11 m (36 ft). The falls are a roughly 30-minute walk from the village of Stanci in a dense beech forest. (updated May 2019)
• 5 Church of Saint Nicholas (Црква „Свети Никола“), village of Opila. Built in 1853, this church is notable for being quite tall which is rare for churches built during Ottoman rule. It has a large porch on its front facade. (updated Sep 2019)
• 6 Church of Saint Petka (Црква „Св. Петка“), village of Radibuš. This large church built in 1859 is noted for its high-quality frescoes and iconostasis. Also interesting is that the floor of the church in one spot contains a sun design that resembles the current flag of the country. The white, domed bell tower also serves as the entrance to the church courtyard. Radibuš is an old village with an important history for the Macedonian people. In 1846, a local teacher stated that he was a Slavic-speaking Macedonian, not a Greek. (updated Sep 2019)

Do

• 1 Otošničko Lake (Отошничко Езеро), village of Otošnica. An artificial lake near the village used for fishing and other recreational purposes. (updated Sep 2019)

Eat

• 1 Park Ginovci, village of Ginovci. Popular among people travelling between Skopje and Sofia, this restaurant is located on a small lake and even features seating on boats on the water. (updated Sep 2019)
• 2 Motel Ethno Restaurant Ranch, village of Radibuš, ☏ +38970338118. The restaurant serves traditional dishes and the motel provides accommodation in small studios/wooden huts. There is also a small zoo and children's playground. WiFi and private parking are available. (updated Nov 2019)

Sleep

• Makedonija, ☏ +389 375-309. 
• 1 Motel Ethno Restaurant RANCH, s.Radibush, ☏ +389 70 338 118, restoranranc@yahoo.com. (updated Dec 2019)
• 2 Hostel I restoran Trnovski vetar, s.Trnovo, ☏ +389 78 497 401. (updated Dec 2019)
• 3 Villa Ana Marija, Duracka Reka, ☏ +389 75 644 005. (updated Jan 2020)
• 4 Motel Krater Home, s.Ginovce, ☏ +389 31 383 137. (updated Jan 2020)

Go next

• In Bulgaria, to the east: Kyustendil, a province centre
• To the west: Kumanovo, the second largest city in North Macedonia
• To the south-west, in the mountains: the small towns Kratovo and Probishtip