ACTA GEOBALCANICA 5-2, 2019, pp. 57-73 57 CHRONOLOGY OF THE URBAN EXPANSION OF SKOPJE DOI: UDC: https://doi.org/10.18509/AGB.2019.08 711.451:711.122(497.711) Maja Lazarevska 1 , Blagoja Markoski 2 Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Macedonia University of “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” - Skopje, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Institute of Geography, Macedonia corresponding author: majamateska@hotmail.com submitted: accepted: published: 15.04.2018 25.06.2018 18.01.2019 Abstract The phenomenon of spatial expansion and sprawling of cities in one particular territory is a condition that has greatly influenced the contemporary city and society. The topic of this study is the genesis and the matrix of the spatial development of Skopje and determining the cause- effect factors and results. The main thesis of the study suggests necessity for introducing a program-spatial matrix/paradigm in the development, so as to regulate the spatial expansion of the urban web. The program-spatial matrix is associated with the segment of planning, or the introduction of the normative structure. The work methodology is based on comparative analysis of the changes from a spatial-physical and a planning point of view. Due to the specifications of the region concerned, this study, in methodological sense, starts with providing documentary grounds, based on methods of collecting, documenting and analyzing the information found. The conclusion of this study encourages the need for introducing a normative structure in the spatial development planning of cities in order to improve the spatial quality, the economic dynamics and the social cohesion. The results of the study analyses ought to provide a clearer representation of the relations between the urban planning (spatial and general) and the space as well as the consequences of their implementation, or non-implementation. Key words: The City of Skopje, Skopje Valley, spatial development, spatial expansion, urban development INTRODUCTION The topic of this study is the City of Skopje, the conglomerate and the center of development, a pole with great influence in the region and the country itself, its geographical position in the region, or the spatial-physical context in the geographical surroundings, as a phenomenon with its own specific individual development. For better understanding of the issue, an analysis of the natural-geographic, socio-geographic and economic-geographic features of the space has been made. The spatial and urban city planning has been observed as a special segment. Skopje is marked by more than hundred years of history of spatial planning. The spontaneous and non-regulated development (taking place until 1914) from 1914 is replaced by a process of urban planning of the city space. The planning documents are products of the social-political conditions that existed in that particular moment as well as of the position and the significance of Skopje in that particular territory. From 1914 until today seven urban plans have been adopted, each of them covers the city integrally and define its development as such. The plans have different content and qualitative characteristics. They represent the contemporary surrounding and input at the moment, the atmosphere, the aspirations of the officials in charge and the actual relevant legislation, and their addition to the previous does not present continuity in the planning development related to the present condition. In this study, different planning treatments are separately discussed in relation to the adopted plans, their decision on the borders of the urban- planning area as well as the city borders. The goal is to obtain more persistent analysis of the process of spatial and urban expansion of the City of Skopje.