The Stone Bridge ( mk, , , tr, Taşköprü) is a bridge across the
Vardar River
The Vardar (; mk, , , ) or Axios () is the longest river in North Macedonia and the second longest river in Greece, in which it reaches the Aegean Sea at Thessaloniki. It is long, out of which are in Greece, and drains an area of around . Th ...
in
Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
, the capital of the
Republic of North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
. The bridge is also less frequently known as the Dušan Bridge (
Macedonian
Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia.
Macedonian(s) may specifically refer to:
People Modern
* Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North M ...
and
Serbian
Serbian may refer to:
* someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe
* someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people
* Serbian language
* Serbian names
See also
*
*
* Old Serbian (disambiguat ...
: Душанов мост) after
Stephen Dušan
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; h ...
,
Emperor of Serbia
Between 1345 and 1371, the Serbian monarch was self-titled emperor (tsar). The full title was initially Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks, later Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks and Bulgarians in Serbian language, Serbian and ''basileus'' and ''au ...
.
The bridge is considered a symbol of Skopje and is the main element of the
coat of arms of the city, which in turn is incorporated in the
city's flag. It is located in
Centar municipality and it connects
Macedonia Square
Macedonia Square ( Macedonian: Плоштад Македонија, ''Ploštad Makedonija'') is the main square of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. The square is the biggest in North Macedonia with total 18.500 m2. It is located in the ce ...
to the
Old Bazaar
The Old Bazaar ( mk, Стара чаршија, ''Stara čaršija''; ; tr, Eski Çarşı or Üsküp Türk Çarşısı) is a bazaar located in Skopje, North Macedonia, situated on the eastern bank of the Vardar River, stretching from the Stone Br ...
.
Architecture
![Puente de Piedra, Skopie, Macedonia, 2014-04-17, DD 96](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Puente_de_Piedra%2C_Skopie%2C_Macedonia%2C_2014-04-17%2C_DD_96.JPG)
The Stone Bridge is built of solid stone blocks and is supported by firm columns that are connected with 12 semicircular arcs. The bridge is long and wide. The guardhouse has recently been reconstructed.
History
The current Stone Bridge was built on Roman foundations under the patronage of Sultan
Mehmed II
Mehmed II ( ota, محمد ثانى, translit=Meḥmed-i s̱ānī; tr, II. Mehmed, ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror ( ota, ابو الفتح, Ebū'l-fetḥ, lit=the Father of Conquest, links=no; tr, Fâtih Su ...
the Conqueror between 1451 and 1469.
Macedonia, Jovan Popovski, Turistička štampa, 1969, p. 66.
/ref> Most of the Stone Bridge originates from the Ottoman period and throughout the centuries, the Stone Bridge was often damaged and then repaired. There is historical evidence that it once suffered during the great earthquake of 1555 which heavily damaged or destroyed four pillars. Renovations were carried out the same year. Some executions have also taken place on this bridge, such as the execution of Karposh in 1689.
In 1944, explosives were placed on the bridge by Nazis. Upon a request from city notables, the Germans gave up at the last minute and the bridge was saved from destruction. The last reconstruction of the bridge began in 1994. Over seven years during the Stone Bridge refurbishment of the 1990s, people were not allowed to cross the structure and for many craftsmen from the nearby Old Bazaar it resulted in negative economic effects. The watchtower
A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...
shaped like a mihrab
Mihrab ( ar, محراب, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "qibla w ...
was reconstructed in 2008.
Two parts of Skopje that have symbolised its urban contrasts of "Ottoman" or "modern", the "historic" or "socialist", "Albanian" or "Macedonian" are split by the river Vardar and linked by the Stone Bridge. In the twenty first century, members of the majority and minority groups of the capital city view the stone bridge as representing the split between two parts of Skopje.
Gallery
File:Skopski Kameni Most stara.jpg, Stone Bridge and Macedonia Square
Macedonia Square ( Macedonian: Плоштад Македонија, ''Ploštad Makedonija'') is the main square of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. The square is the biggest in North Macedonia with total 18.500 m2. It is located in the ce ...
in the early 1920s
File:Skopje old tykish bridge on Vardar river in 1909.jpg, Stone Bridge in 1909
File:Skopje-kamen-most.jpg, Inscription on the bridge
File:Stonebridgeskopje.JPG, Stone Bridge at night
File:Karposh memory table Skopje.JPG, Memorial plaque on the site of Karposh's execution
Puente de Piedra, Skopie, Macedonia, 2014-04-17, DD 69.JPG, View from the top
Puente de Piedra, Skopie, Macedonia, 2014-04-16, DD 28.JPG, Lateral view
Kameni most.jpg, Stone Bridge, photo from the 1950s
Pogled kon Kamen most i Plostadot.tif, A view of Stone Bridge and the Square
See also
*Ottoman architecture
Ottoman architecture is the architectural style that developed under the Ottoman Empire. It first emerged in northwestern Anatolia in the late 13th century and developed from earlier Seljuk architecture, Seljuk Turkish architecture, with influen ...
References
{{Skopje
Bridges completed in 1469
Bridges in Skopje
Pedestrian bridges in North Macedonia
Ottoman bridges in North Macedonia
Stone arch bridges
Old Bazaar, Skopje