First writings for existence of Tetova as dwelling place, date since the ancient period,with the ancient name EUNEUM.

According to some evidences that we have, the Pollog Valley once was a lake. These evidences, rely on the traces discovered in Balltepe (Kodra e Mjaltit), where is the plateau with lake rocks with an altitude of 770 m. According to Turkish documented evidences, Tetova in the XIV century was treated as a village in the Pollog Valley. In the XV century Tetova is mentioned as a center in the place of Mehmet Beu temple in 1436, where it’s been said that there were many stores and workshops in Tetova and new neighborhoods were build, as well. According to Mehmed Beqir Çelebiu (1470), Tetova started to look like a city. With the coming of the Turks in this region, Tetova was increasingly developed.

At the same time, during this period were build cultural-historical buildings as:
- Pasha Mosque (Colorful),
- Arabati Baba-Teqe,
- The orthodox Temple (sanctuary) "Sts. Cyril and Methodius",
- Old Hamam,
- Fortress of Tetova,
- Other mosques and churches,
- The Stone bridge on Pena River (Shkumbin-Artat), etc.

During that time, the architecture of the houses begun to change as well, which gradually took an oriental look. In 1689 Tetova was announced as a city. In there are many churches, which depending on the time period in they belong, they have their specific historical values.

From the time periods, it is worth mentioning the library of Teqe-Arabat (XVIII-XIX century) because there is developed the culture and education parallel Islam religion. In this library, intellectual works were copied with chosen calligraphy of that time, which later were decorated with ornaments covered with leather.

A sudden development of Tetova happened in the second half of the XIX century until Balkan Wars, when Tetova becomes trade and handicrafts center.

After Balkan Wars, the entire Ballkan was in crises, so the development of Tetova as a city was hit by stagnation. Notably, after the Second World War, follows an increased development of the entire region and of Tetova as a city as well.
Cultural-historical characteristics

Tetova is one of the oldest cities in Macedonia, in which throughout history are interlaced a large number of cultures relied upon the citizens tradition that live in these land banks.

Menada (Illyrian dancer) of Tetova in 1933, near the location called "Çeshma e Balezës", is discovered the bronze statue of the Illyrian period,VI century B.C. which represents the oldest archeological discovery in the region of Tetova.
The statue of dimensions 9 cm long and 4 cm wide is at the museum of Tetova.

The Mosque of Pasha, which is also known as Colorful Mosque is located on the right side of the river Pena (Artat), at the old part of the city where also are located other objects of the religious architecture, civil and Islamic as: Turkish Hamam of the City, the Stone Bridge, important for the esthetically and artistic values and for the historical inscriptions they contain.

The Mosque was built in 1495, and the characteristic is the colorful painting, not only in its inner part but on the outside walls as well. In the yard of the Mosque is the fountain and the octagonal tyrbe , in which are berried ms. Hurshide and Mensure, who financed the building of the Mosque.

The bektashian Complex, Arabati Tekke was built by Sersem Ali Dede from 1538 until 1548, and it represents one of the most important objects of this kind in Balkans. Tekke astonishes with the architecture installed inside it, as the fountain- an opened pavilion of wood construction, the remarkable blue object "Konaku i Grave" etc.

The church of st. Cyril and Methodius on the older part of Tetova, represents one of the most beautiful orthodox temples not only in the Pollog region but wider.
It is built in the newest period, actually,in the vigil of the famous Ilinden in 1903, which gives a specific importance as an orthodox temple. The initiator of this church was the most efficient parson in Tetova, Mihail Martinovski. In 21 November 1902 in Istanbul he managed to obtain an approval from the sultan Abdul Hamidi to built this temple. The building of this church started in 1903 and has finished in 1918, and it was opened in June 12,1925 on Petrov Day.

In the city of Tetova there are other orthodox temples as: the oldest orthodox temple Saint Nikola, built during 1842-1847, the church of Saint Bogorodica built in 1912, sanctified in 28.08.1918, San Demetrious, built in 1912 and sanctified in 1915.

The fortress of Tetova (Voca) is on top of Balltepe above Tetova. It is built by Abdurrahman Pasha in 1820. This cultural monument represents a rare beauty from the past.

It’s composition is complex:
- The inner part has five saray’s,
- Great kitchens,
- Bathrooms,
- One shadow in the center and
- Three exit tunnels .

It’s also represents the great influence of the ottoman architecture, but unfortunately great damages happened during the world wars.

On the right side of the river Rakita, before its pouring into the river of Vardar(Aksium) near the village Lower Orashe, its is the Illyrian fortress of the antique period, known as "Nice Fortress" or of Sobri.

The strategic position of the fortress in the antic period had a great role in several time periods, especially for the control and the defense of the road which connects the Pollog valleys with the fields of Shkupi and Kosova. Unfortunately, till now there were no essential archeological researches or neither appropriate reconstruction.