Skopje is the capital and the largest city of Macedonia. The city has a population of 700,000 inhabitants. Skopje is located in the northern part of the country, beautifully situated on the banks of the Vardar River. During the reign of the Roman Empire, its name was Scupi. In the Middle Ages a variety of entities governed Skopje. After the World War I it became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Kingdom of Yugoslavia). In 1944, Skopje became the capital of Democratic Federative Macedonia (later the Socialist Republic of Macedonia), part of Democratic Federative Yugoslavia (later the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia).After the World War II, Skopje became a cultural and economic center. In 1963 a massive earthquake completely destroyed the city and caused the death of many people. Since 1991, Skopje has become the capital of the still independent Republic of Macedonia. Some of the most famous landmarks in Skopje are the Stone Bridge - symbol of Skopje; Skopje Fortress; The Old Bazaar as well as many monasteries and historical sights.