Skopje 2014
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Skopje 2014 ( mk, Скопје 2014) was a project financed by the
Macedonian government Politics in North Macedonia occur within the framework of a parliamentary system, parliamentary representative democracy, representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Prime Minister is the head of ...
of the then-ruling nationalist party
VMRO-DPMNE Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity ( mk, Внатрешна македонска револуционерна организација – Демократска партија за ...
, with the official purpose of giving the capital
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 ...
a more classical appeal. The project, officially announced in 2010, consisted mainly of the construction of colleges, museums and government buildings, as well as the erection of monuments depicting historical figures from the
region of Macedonia Macedonia () is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time; however, it came to be defined as the modern geographical region by the mid 19th century. T ...
. Around 20 buildings and over 40 monuments were to be constructed as part of the project. The project was seen as politically controversial in its nature and as a
nation-building Nation-building is constructing or structuring a national identity using the power of the state. Nation-building aims at the unification of the people within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run. According to ...
endeavour, as it tried to further impose
Macedonian historiography Historiography in North Macedonia is the methodology of historical studies used by the historians of that country. It has been developed since 1945 when SR Macedonia became part of Yugoslavia. According to the German historian it has preserve ...
, promoting a Macedonian identity with unbroken continuity from antiquity over the Middle Ages to the modern times. It was one of the several major initiatives taken by the VMRO-DPMNE government in accordance with the policy of
antiquization Antiquization ( mk, антиквизација), otherwise known as ancient Macedonism ( mk, links=no, антички македонизам), is a term used mainly to critically describe the identity policies conducted by the nationalist VMRO- ...
. Skopje 2014 has also generated controversy for its cost, for which estimates range from 80 to 500 million euros. The Skopje 2014 project encompassed the construction, from 2010 to 2014, of 136 structures built at a cost of more than US$700 million.


Background

The
1963 Skopje earthquake The 1963 Skopje earthquake ( mk, Скопски земјотрес од 1963 година, Skopski zemjotres od 1963 godina) was a 6.1 moment magnitude earthquake which occurred in Skopje, SR Macedonia (present-day North Macedonia), then part of ...
destroyed approximately 80% of the city, including most of the neoclassical buildings in the central part of Skopje.Marking the 44th anniversary of the catastrophic 1963 Skopje earthquake
MRT MRT may refer to: Transport Rapid Transit Systems * Mass Rapid Transit (disambiguation) * MRT (Singapore) or Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore * MRT (Bangkok) or Metropolitan Rapid Transit, Thailand * Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Philippine ...
, Thursday, 26 July 2007
The rebuilding that followed saw the construction of mostly plain
modernist architecture Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form ...
. This is one of the reasons given by the VMRO-DPMNE government for the necessity of the project, to give Skopje a more monumental and visually pleasing image. Another reason is to restore the missing sense of national pride and create a more metropolitan atmosphere. In a speech at the opening of
Porta Macedonia Porta Macedonia ( Macedonian: ''Порта Македонија'') is a memorial arch located on Pella Square in Skopje, North Macedonia. Construction started in 2011 and was completed in January 2012. The arch is 21 meters in height, and cost ...
in January 2012, then Prime Minister
Nikola Gruevski Nikola Gruevski ( mk, Никола Груевски, pronounced ; hu, Nikola Gruevszki; born 31 August 1970) is a Macedonian politician who served as Prime Minister of Macedonia from 2006 until his resignation, which was caused by the 2016 Mac ...
stated that Skopje 2014 was his idea.


Criticism

The Skopje 2014 project has been criticized by various groups since the time it was first announced. The cost of the project is estimated at anywhere from 80 to more than 500 million euros and is seen by many as a waste of resources in a country with high unemployment and poverty. The project is also believed by critics to be a distraction from these problems. The
Social Democratic Union of Macedonia The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia ( mk, Социјалдемократски сојуз на Македонија – СДСМ, ''Socijaldemokratski Sojuz na Makedonija'' – SDSM, sq, Lidhja socialdemokrate e Maqedonisë – LSDM) is a ...
, the main opposition party, opposes the project and has alleged that the monuments could have cost six to ten times less than what the government paid. The project is seen as a part of the government's "antiquisation" policy, in which the country seeks to claim ancient Macedonian figures like
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
and
Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 382 – 21 October 336 BC) was the king ('' basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
for itself. The timing of the project, following the country's non-invitation to NATO due to its continued naming dispute with
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, has led to speculation that it is retaliation or an attempt to put pressure on Greece.''Ghosts of the past endanger Macedonia's future''. Boris Georgievski, BalkanInsight, October 27, 200

Some residents see the scheme as the embodiment of nationalism by a conservative government focused as much on giving the metropolis a facelift as changing the nation's history and have described it as a mini-
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
while others appreciate its classical nod to the past.
Sam Vaknin Shmuel "Sam" Vaknin (born April 21, 1961) is an Israeli writer and professor of psychology.Vaknin, Sam"Curriculum Vitae" samvak.tripod.com, accessed October 27, 2021 He is the author of ''Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited'' (1999), was t ...
, a former adviser to Nikola Gruevski, has stated that the project is not anti-Greek or anti-Bulgarian, but anti-Albanian. In an interview, he said "Antiquisation has a double goal, which is to marginalise the Albanians and create an identity that will not allow Albanians to become Macedonians." To shift attention from Albanians being absent from the Skopje 2014 project, the Macedonian government agreed to fund
Skanderbeg Square The Skanderbeg Square () is the main plaza in the centre of Tirana, Albania. The square is named after the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu. The total area is about 40,000 square metres. The Skanderbeg Monument dominates the ...
built around the existing Skanderbeg monument in the part of Skopje with a majority Albanian population. Later additions to the Skopje 2014 project were made that included depictions of ethnic Albanians in the monuments such as
Nexhat Agolli Nexhat Agolli ( al, Nexhat Agolli; Serbo-Croatian: Неџат Аголи, Nedžat Agoli) (1914–1949) was a Yugoslav Albanian jurist and politician. He served as Deputy President of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the People's Liberation of ...
,
Josif Bageri Josif Jovan Bageri (15 August 186815 June 1915) was an educator, poet and Albanian nationalist figure. Biography Early life Josif Bageri was born in Nistrovo in the Upper Reka region, Kosovo Vilayet, Ottoman Empire, to an Albanian Orthodox fam ...
, and
Pjetër Bogdani Pjetër Bogdani (1627 – 6 December 1689), known in Italian as ''Pietro Bogdano'', was the most original writer of early literature in Albania. He was author of the Cuneus Prophetarum (''The Band of the Prophets''), 1685, the first prose work ...
, as well as others on the
Art Bridge The Art Bridge ( mk, Мост на уметноста; ) is a pedestrian bridge across the Vardar River in the centre of Skopje, the capital city of North Macedonia. The bridge features many statues of noted Macedonian artists and musicians. It ...
. Architects have criticized the aesthetics of the project and believe the money could have been spent on constructing modern buildings. It has also been described as nationalist
kitsch Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...
which "brings unknown history" to the citizens and former prime minister
Zoran Zaev Zoran Zaev ( mk, Зоран Заев, ; born 8 October 1974) is a Macedonian economist and politician who served as prime minister of North Macedonia from May 2017 to January 2020, and again from August 2020 to January 2022. Prior to entering ...
has labeled it an "idiotic project".


2018

In late February 2018, the government and institutions of the Republic of Macedonia announced the halt of the Skopje 2014 program and began removing its
controversial Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin ''controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an opposite ...
monuments and statues. The Macedonian Ministry of Culture also has set up a Commission to envisage the possibility of removing the rest of them, such as the monuments of
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
and
Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 382 – 21 October 336 BC) was the king ('' basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
. As a first step, the monument of
Andon Kyoseto Andon Lazov Yanev ( bg, Андон Лазов Янев), nicknamed Kyoseto, was a Bulgarian revolutionary and a freedom fighter of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO ...
, which was one of the mostly disputed monuments of the project, was dismantled. In June 2018, the Macedonian Government announced that the monuments would be renamed and marked with inscriptions honouring Greek-Macedonian friendship. The monument of Boris Sarafov was also dismantled without explanation in 2018 by municipal authorities.


Condition of monuments

As of July 13, 2021, some of the monuments of the “Skopje 2014” revamp are already crumbling. Cracks and crevices are visible in many of them, and others started crumbling away, exposing use of poor building materials.


Plans


Bridges


New bridge constructions


=Art Bridge

= The Skopje 2014 project calls for two new pedestrian bridges to be built across the
Vardar 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 the centre of the city. One is the Art Bridge, which is being constructed between the Freedom Bridge and the also under-construction Eye Bridge. It is expected to cost 2.5 million euros. The bridge will include 29 sculptures, with 14 at each end and one in the centre. It will be 83 metres (272.3 feet) in length and 9.2 m (30.2 ft) in width, while the central part of the bridge will be 12 m (39.4 ft) wide.


=Eye Bridge

= The other bridge being constructed as part of the project is the Eye Bridge. Situated between the Stone Bridge and the under-construction Art Bridge, it began construction in 2011. The pedestrian bridge will include 28 sculptures and will cost around 1.5 million euros.


Existing bridge renovations


=Freedom Bridge

= The project also includes plans to renovate existing bridges in central Skopje, one of which is the Freedom Bridge, which connects Vojvoda Vasil Adžilarski Street in Centar Municipality to Stiv Naumov Street in
Čair Municipality Čair ( mk, , sq, Komuna e Çairit) is one of the ten municipalities that make up the Skopje, the capital of the North Macedonia. The municipal administration consists of a council and mayor. Skopje's old town is located in Čair. The municip ...
. First constructed in 1936, the renovation began in 2011 and is expected to be completed in May, 2014. The total cost will be roughly 1.15 million euros.


=Goce Delčev Bridge

= The renovation of the Goce Delčev Bridge, which connects Ilinden Boulevard in Centar to Goce Delčev Boulevard in Čair across the Vardar, began on April 11, 2011 and finished later in the year. The renovation included new gold-coloured fencing and 26 lampposts. The project cost roughly 500,000 euros, including 60,000 euros for the new lighting. Four statues depicting lions, two at each end, were also placed on the bridge in 2010. The ones on the western side were cast in
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
and cost 1.5 million euros.


=Revolution Bridge

= The Revolution Bridge, first built in 1963 across the Vardar connecting Kočo Racin Boulevard in Centar to Krste Misirkov Boulevard in Čair, was also renovated as part of the Skopje 2014 project. It began on December 9, 2010 and was completed in May, 2011. The renovation included basic repairs as well as the installation of 22 lampposts and iron-wrought fencing. The renovation cost 450,000 euros.


Cultural buildings


Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra hall

Notable in Skopje 2014 for its bold modern architecture as opposed to the usual neoclassical style seen in the project, the under-construction concert hall to house the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the first buildings to begin construction in the project, with the cornerstone having been laid in June 2009. The exterior of the building is nearing completion. The concert hall is planned to have excellent acoustics and will have a capacity of 900 seats.


Museum of Archaeology

The Museum of Archaeology began construction in 2009 and opened in September, 2014. Although the building primarily serves as a museum, it also houses the Constitutional Court and the National Archive of the Republic of Macedonia. It is situated on the eastern bank of the
Vardar 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 ...
, across the river from Macedonia Square. The exterior of the museum is among the more monumental buildings of the project, with its
Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...
architecture.
VMRO-DPMNE Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity ( mk, Внатрешна македонска револуционерна организација – Демократска партија за ...
, the ruling party, states the budget for the construction as 436,000,000 denars.


Museum of the Macedonian Struggle

The Museum of the Macedonian Struggle for Statehood and Independence − Museum of VMRO and Museum of the Victims of the Communist Regime exhibits the strive for an independent Macedonian nation from the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and later
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. It is divided into 16 departments and includes over 100 wax figures of historical individuals. The museum lies on the eastern bank of the Vardar River just northwest of the Museum of Archaeology, opposite Macedonia Square. Construction began in June 2008 and it formally opened on September 10, 2011. The total cost of the museum, which covers 2,500 m2 (26,909.8 ft2), was roughly 10 million euros.


National Theatre

The former National Theatre destroyed in the
1963 Skopje earthquake The 1963 Skopje earthquake ( mk, Скопски земјотрес од 1963 година, Skopski zemjotres od 1963 godina) was a 6.1 moment magnitude earthquake which occurred in Skopje, SR Macedonia (present-day North Macedonia), then part of ...
will be completely reconstructed, as part of the Skopje 2014 project. Construction of the building, however, began in December 2007, three years before the official announcing of Skopje 2014. Construction was originally planned to be completed in 2009, though it ended up being completed a few years after. The theatre stands on its original location on the eastern bank of the Vardar. The cost is estimated to be at least 6 million euros and may be as high as 30 million euros.


Façade reconstructions

The Skopje 2014 project also includes plans to transform the façades of existing buildings in central Skopje into the neoclassical style. This includes the following buildings: *Buildings along Dimitrija Čupovski Street *Buildings along Macedonia Street *Buildings along Nikola Vapcarov Street *Buildings around Macedonia Square *City Trade Center *Department of Transport and Communications Building, located on Karpoš's Rebellion Square. *
Government of the Republic of Macedonia Politics in North Macedonia occur within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Leg ...
building. The new façade appearance choice for this building was made by the Macedonian public through online votes on the government's website. There were five choices and the neoclassical choice won a plurality. *MEPSO Building, located north of Macedonia Square. *Ministry of Justice building *
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
building. The renovation of the Parliament also includes the construction of cupolas atop the building.


Government buildings

The following are new buildings being constructed to house various governmental functions.


Agency for Electronic Communications

The cornerstone for the new building to house the Agency for Electronic Communications was laid on 30 March 2011. It is being constructed on the eastern bank of the Vardar in between two other Skopje 2014 buildings, the Museum of Archaeology and the Financial Police Building. The total cost of the building's construction is around 8.5 million euros, which the government claims will be fully funded by the Agency's budget. It is expected to be completed in 15 months or by the late summer of 2012.


Criminal Court Building

A new Criminal Court Building is being constructed as part of the project. The cornerstone for the building was laid on 25 May 2010. The building, 10 stories tall, has been topped out. In it will be 74 judicial offices, 22 high courts, and 2 large courtrooms. The 2-story basement will contain parking. The building, reported to cost 8.3 million euros, was planned to be completed after 18 months of construction.


Financial Police Building

On 11 October 2010 the cornerstone for the new building to house the Financial Police of the Republic of Macedonia was laid. The site is located between the new Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the new Agency for Electronic Communications. The building, currently several months from completion, is cylindrical in shape and is capped by a dome-shaped roof. The total cost of construction will be roughly 13 million euros.


Ministry of Finance

The government, in March 2011, invested 8.9 million euros into transforming an abandoned uncompleted building in central Skopje into a new home for the Ministry of Finance. Like the other governmental buildings in Skopje 2014, it will have a neoclassical appearance. Though it was scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2012, the building remains far from completion.


Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Construction of the new Ministry of Foreign Affairs building began in January 2010. It is located on the eastern bank of the Vardar between the Financial Police Building and Stiv Naumov Street. It will have two basement levels, seven above-ground levels, and a terrace atop the building. The building, which is nearly complete on the exterior, stands at a height of 27 m (88.6 ft) and will have costed 13.5 million euros when completed.


New City Hall

A new city hall for Skopje is being constructed below the
Kale Fortress The Skopje Fortress ( mk, Скопско кале, translit=Skopsko kale; ; tr, Üsküp Kalesi), commonly referred to as Kale (from '' kale'', the Turkish word for 'fortress'), is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capit ...
, on the eastern bank of the Vardar. It is being constructed, as most other buildings in the project, in the neoclassical style and will cost roughly 15 million euros. It will be 21 m (68.9 ft) tall, with six above-ground floors.


Old City Hall

Although a new city hall for Skopje is being constructed, the former one destroyed in the
1963 Skopje earthquake The 1963 Skopje earthquake ( mk, Скопски земјотрес од 1963 година, Skopski zemjotres od 1963 godina) was a 6.1 moment magnitude earthquake which occurred in Skopje, SR Macedonia (present-day North Macedonia), then part of ...
will be fully reconstructed, as part of the Skopje 2014 project. It will be built on its original location at the north side of Macedonia Square, to the west of the Vardar Quay. A Greek investor will be building the Old City Hall, as well as a Marriott Hotel to the immediate left of the building, after purchasing the land in March 2011.


Water Management Building

Among the buildings being constructed below the
Kale Fortress The Skopje Fortress ( mk, Скопско кале, translit=Skopsko kale; ; tr, Üsküp Kalesi), commonly referred to as Kale (from '' kale'', the Turkish word for 'fortress'), is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capit ...
on the eastern bank of the Vardar is the Water Management Building. Construction of the building began in December 2011. It is expected to be completed in 3 years at a cost of 10 million euros.


Monuments


Justinian I

The monument of
Justinian I Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovat ...
, born in
Tauresium Tauresium (Latin; mk, Тауресиум), today as Gradište ( mk, Градиште), is an archaeological site in North Macedonia, approximately southeast of the capital Skopje. Tauresium is the birthplace of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (ca. ...
just outside modern Skopje, arrived at Macedonia Square on June 16, 2011. Similar to the monument of Tsar Samuil, also on Macedonia Square, it consists of Justinian I sitting on a throne, which is placed on a pedestal. The monument is made of white marble with the exception of the bronze reliefs on the pedestal, also characteristics it shares with the Tsar Samuil monument. The pedestal is 3.5 m (11.5 ft) tall, while Justinian upon his throne measures a further 5 m (16.4 ft) in height. The monument sits just north of the Stone Bridge, at the western bank of the Vardar River. It was made in Florence and cost over 1 million euros. Sculpted by hand in the Bazzanti Art Gallery marble Studio of
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
.


Mother Teresa

The construction of a monument consisting of a statue of Skopje native
Mother Teresa Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, MC (; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa ( sq, Nënë Tereza), was an Indian-Albanian Catholic nun who, in 1950, founded the Missionaries of Charity. Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu () was bo ...
and a fountain is planned. The monument will be located near the MEPSO building, which is north of Macedonia Square near the Vardar Quay, though location on the roundabout near the Goce Delčev Bridge is also a possibility. It is planned to stand around 30 m (98.4 ft) in height, even taller than the Warrior on a Horse monument. It has been reported that a donation from India will fund the construction of the new Mother Teresa monument, who is already memorialized in the city with the Memorial House of Mother Teresa and a plaque marking the spot of her birth.


Pavilion at Macedonia Square

The Pavilion at Macedonia Square is situated on the north side of Macedonia Square. Construction began in early 2011 and was completed later that year at a cost of 350,000 euros. The pavilion consists of a dome supported by several columns, covering a statue of a romantic couple.


Porta Macedonia

One of the main symbols of the project is Porta Macedonia, a
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...
situated on 11 October Street, near Macedonia Square. The arch is meant to commemorate the long struggle for Macedonian independence. It is 21 m (68.9 ft) tall and contains 32 reliefs carved on the outside, depicting events from pre-history to the independence of the Republic of Macedonia. The inside of the arch consists of two levels, in which a souvenir shop and a gallery are located, and a rooftop observation deck. It formally opened to the public on Christmas Eve, January 6, 2012. The construction of Porta Macedonia is estimated at 4.5 million euros.


Tsar Samuil

The monument to
Samuel of Bulgaria Samuel (also Samuil; bg, Самуил, ; mk, Самоил/Самуил, ; Old Church Slavonic: Самоилъ; died October 6, 1014) was the Tsar (''Emperor'') of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. From 977 to 997, he was a ...
is among the new focal points of Macedonia Square. Officially unveiled on 28 June 2011, it is situated in front of the Pelister building, to the right of where Macedonia Street meets Macedonia Square. The monument, mostly in white marble, consists of a depiction of Tsar Samuil sitting on a throne, totaling 5 m (16.4 ft) in height, and is placed on a pedestal which itself is a further 3.5 m (11.5 ft) tall. The reliefs on the sides of the pedestal are bronze. Tsar Samuil, in the monument, holds a scepter. Made in
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
, sculpted by hand in the Bazzanti Art Gallery marble Studio, the total cost of the Tsar Samuil monument was roughly 3.5 million euros. Samuil's empire was centred within the territories of today's North Macedonia with
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 ...
and later
Ohrid Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...
being the empire's capital. The
fringe theory A fringe theory is an idea or a viewpoint which differs from the accepted scholarship of the time within its field. Fringe theories include the models and proposals of fringe science, as well as similar ideas in other areas of scholarship, such a ...
Samuil being the first Tsar of the Macedonian Slavs is held mainly in North Macedonia. This view is ahistorical, as it projects modern ethnic distinctions into the past.


Warrior monument

On the opposite side of the Stone Bridge from Macedonia Square is Karpoš's Rebellion Square, which serves as a main entrance 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 ...
. It is undergoing a major reconstruction, as part of Skopje 2014, and its new centerpiece will be the statue and fountain officially named "Warrior," though it is widely believed that the statue is a depiction of
Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 382 – 21 October 336 BC) was the king ('' basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
, not to be confused with the equestrian statue of Philip II in Skopje's Avtokomanda neighborhood. The statue was placed onto the square on 22 May 2012. Made in Vicenza, the statue is 15 m (49.2 ft) tall and is placed on a 13 m (42.7 ft) tall pedestal. The entire monument will cost roughly 2 million euros.


Warrior on a Horse monument

Perhaps the main symbol of the Skopje 2014 project is the Warrior on a Horse ( mk, Воин на коњ) statue and fountain in the centre of Macedonia Square. It was typically thought to depict
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
, though it was not officially named for him. A plaque was later added to the statue which confirmed that the statue was dedicated to Alexander the Great. The statue was sculpted by Valentina Stevanovska and cast in bronze with lost wax casting technique in the
Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry The Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry (Fonderia Artistica Ferdinando Marinelli also known as FAFM) is one of the last remaining Florentine foundries, producing works in bronze utilizing the Renaissance technique of lost-wax. A large number o ...
of
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
. "Alexander" was officially completed on September 8, 2011 to commemorate 20 years of the independence of the Republic of Macedonia. It is 14.5 m (47.6 ft) tall and it sits on a cylindrical column, which itself is 10 m (32.8 ft) in height. The column consists of three large ivory sections, each separated by a thinner bronze ring. Each section contains reliefs. The column stands in a fountain. At the base of the column are 8 bronze soldiers, each 3 m (9.8 ft) tall. There are also 8 bronze lions, each 2.5 m (8.3 ft) tall, around the edges of the fountain pool, four of which act as part of the fountain, releasing water from their mouths. The fountain also plays music. The total cost of the Warrior on a Horse monument is roughly 7.5 million euros.


Other monuments

Aside from the major monuments in the Skopje 2014 above, many other ones have been erected, or are planned to be erected in the city. These include the following:


Miscellaneous


Docked boats in Vardar River

The first of four building-boats as restaurants and cafes just in the Vardar River opened in July 2014. The boats are erected into the riverbed and, thus, will remain in their planned spots permanently. The boats, all to be situated in central Skopje, were intended to be in the Baroque style.


Ferris wheel

The erection of a Ferris wheel is foreseen on the Vardar River. It will require the construction of a new pedestrian bridge, to run from the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle to the MEPSO Building, upon which it will stand. No final plan for the project has been approved. In 2020, following the cancellation of construction on the Ferris wheel, the completed bridge was opened to pedestrians.


Fountains in Vardar River

The addition of fountains on the Vardar River was planned early on in the project. They were completed in 2010. The fountains have been criticized for reportedly releasing mud, as well as for acting as a filter for trash flowing down the river.


Kale Fortress reconstruction

Director of Cultural Heritage and archaeologist Pasko Kuzman has announced a plan to restore and reconstruct the
Kale Fortress The Skopje Fortress ( mk, Скопско кале, translit=Skopsko kale; ; tr, Üsküp Kalesi), commonly referred to as Kale (from '' kale'', the Turkish word for 'fortress'), is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capit ...
. The plan also includes the construction of a museum to house Byzantine archaeological finds from the fortress, as well as reconstructions of a prehistoric house and an Ottoman guard tower to be built on the place of their ruins. Souvenir shops and cafes are also foreseen additions. The most controversial part of the restoration of the fortress is the construction of a church, which has been protested by ethnic Albanians.


Karpoš's Rebellion Square reconstruction

Karpoš's Rebellion Square is situated opposite the Vardar River of Macedonia Square and is undergoing a significant reconstruction. Plans include the erection of a statue and fountain depicting Philip II of Macedon, though officially named "Warrior," at the far northeast side of the square. Another monument consisting of a fountain and statues representing the Mothers of Macedonia is being constructed in front of the Warrior monument. In front of this will be two monuments, also consisting of a fountain and statues, depicting horses. The two will be situated on either side of the entrance to the square from the Stone Bridge.


Office building on Macedonia Square

A new office building was constructed on the south side of Macedonia Square, on the Vardar Quay. It stands on the same place as the former headquarters of the National Bank, which was destroyed in the
1963 Skopje earthquake The 1963 Skopje earthquake ( mk, Скопски земјотрес од 1963 година, Skopski zemjotres od 1963 godina) was a 6.1 moment magnitude earthquake which occurred in Skopje, SR Macedonia (present-day North Macedonia), then part of ...
. The new office building is similar in shape to the former bank building, though it is not in the neoclassical style, which also makes it somewhat unusual in the Skopje 2014 project.


Skanderbeg Square

An existing statue of
Skanderbeg , reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468 , predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti , successor = Gjon Kastrioti II , spouse = Donika Arianiti , issue = Gjon Kastrioti II , royal house = Kastrioti , father ...
, an important historical figure to ethnic Albanians, is the main fixture of a square that bears his name in Skopje's
Čair Municipality Čair ( mk, , sq, Komuna e Çairit) is one of the ten municipalities that make up the Skopje, the capital of the North Macedonia. The municipal administration consists of a council and mayor. Skopje's old town is located in Čair. The municip ...
. The square's total cost is estimated at around 10 million euros and was completed in 2018. The square covers 28,000 m2 (301,389 ft2) and extends from the Macedonian Philharmonic and Macedonian Opera 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 ...
. To accommodate construction a portion of the square was built on top of Goce Delčev Boulevard. Aside from plenty open space, the square contains an amphitheatre, a fountain, and underground parking.


Other

Other components of Skopje 2014 include the following: *202 double-decker city buses, like London, in city's routes. *Three willow trees planted in the Vardar River in central Skopje. *The restoration of buildings in the historic
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 ...
. *Hotels, including a
Marriott Hotel Marriott Hotels & Resorts is Marriott International's brand of full-service hotels and resorts based in Bethesda, Maryland. As of June 30, 2020, there were 582 hotels and resorts with 205,053 rooms operating under the brand, in addition to 160 ...
constructed in May 2016 on Macedonia Square. *Parking garages.


See also

*
Macedonian nationalism Macedonian nationalism (, ) is a general grouping of nationalist ideas and concepts among ethnic Macedonians that were first formed in the late 19th century among separatists seeking the autonomy of the region of Macedonia from the Ottoman Emp ...
*
VMRO-DPMNE Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity ( mk, Внатрешна македонска револуционерна организација – Демократска партија за ...


References

{{reflist


External links


Map of projects in and around SkopjeSkopje 2014 - Photo GallerySkopje 2014 uncovered - Complete database for the project
* Macedonian culture Neoclassical architecture Baroque architecture Propaganda art Political art Historical controversies 2010s in Skopje Politics of North Macedonia Monuments and memorials in North Macedonia Proposed buildings and structures in North Macedonia Macedonian nationalism 21st-century controversies 2014 in the Republic of Macedonia Propaganda in North Macedonia