Skopje, a capial full of statues and Kitch

When a new country tries to break through and compete for international tourism, why not make it Kitch? In Skopje, they did just that! Apart from Rome, I do not think I have seen that many sculptures in such a small area. And pillars—my goodness, there are so many pillars. I have read that the city was full of rather dull concrete buildings earlier, so it was ready for a facelift. The Opera House may be a good example of Skopje’s older architecture.

One week in Macedonia

During my week in Macedonia, I flew into Skopje and spent some time there before seeing other parts of the country. Macedonia has been an independent country since 1991. Skopje may not be the highest-profile European capital, but until 1991, it was not a capital but just a large provincial city in Yugoslavia. Now that it houses the Macedonian seat of government, they try to make a brand out of the city.

Pillars and collonades

Skopje uses eye-catching architecture, and the project was called Skopje 2014. The city centre now boasts new museums, government buildings, and a reconstructed National Theatre. All of them have been built neoclassical or baroque. As you can see in the Government building above, it has all-inclusive Corinthian pillars and a Pedament with sculptures.

And then, the sculptures

On the newly constructed Bridge of Art, 29 sculptures represent significant Macedonian figures in music, literature, and visual arts. These kitch bronze-cast figures are brand new but made to look old, and you get the feeling they have dug deep to find all kinds of artists who can be used to make Macedonia look like a proud nation.

I have read that the sculptures were a result of corruption and that there were big discussions of public spending on these decorations. However, the one that might or might not be Alexander (the Great) in the main square takes the cake. There are statues, small and large, almost everywhere you turn in the centre of Skopje.

Mother Theresa

There is a small Memorial House and a statue of a small woman in front, namely the Nobel Prize winner Mother Theresa; she was from Skopje. So, even though her excellent work was not in this country, it was mainly in Calcutta, India. This was the city where she was born, and they can be proud of her.

Still, some charme

Even if this post has sounded negative so far, this city has some charms. You enter a large pedestrian area when you pass the large newly built Arch of Triumph. Here, you have shops for your needs, street cafes, and restaurants. When I was there, the weather was not so warm, but I am sure it will bustle with life in the summer. When you cross the river Vardar on one of the pedestrian bridges, preferably the old Stone bridge, you will reach the Turkish quarter of the city.

Here, you find the bazaars, the gold and souvenir shops, and several restaurants. The first morning, I went out early and walked through these streets before all the tourists had gotten up. I mingled with them on the last day and had a Turkish kebab for dinner. Even if the city seems to struggle with finding its place in the hierarchy of the capital “one has to visit” in Europe, it has some potential. Personally, I would have tried a bit more modern approach.