Building a strong bridge from stone was a remarkable achievement long ago, when there were no cranes or machines — everything was done by hand. The Stone Bridge has 13 arches to carry it over the river, and each arch is shaped carefully so that the weight pushes outwards and downwards into the ground rather than cracking apart. This clever shape, called a round arch, was used by builders across Europe and the Middle East for thousands of years.
The Vardar River below the bridge flows all the way through North Macedonia and into the sea in Greece. In spring, when snow melts in the mountains, the river can run very fast and high — but the solid stone bridge has stood firm through every flood for centuries.
Today the Stone Bridge is for pedestrians only, which means you can walk across it and look down at the river without any traffic. Both sides of the bridge offer a lovely view: on one side the modern fountains and squares of central Skopje, and on the other the old red-roofed buildings of the bazaar. It is one of the best spots in the city to take a photograph.