Macedonia: Third "Skopje 2014" Statue Erected

The marble bust of the first president of the Anti-Fascist Assembly of the National Liberation of Macedonia, Metodija Andonov Cento, together with its stand, is some 7,5 meters tall.

Last month two bronze statues of the early 20th century Macedonian revolutionaries Goce Delcev and Dame Gruev mounted on horses were also erected in the central square.

Presented in February as an endeavor to bring back the old glitter to a city full of its fair share of gray architecture from the communist era, the revamp project includes plans for at least 17 tall statues and about 15 buildings that should depict classical architecture styles.

The entire project has been kept largely under wraps since it began, which stirred controversy right from the start. Many objected to its high cost, estimated by some at over €200 million, and the authorities’ reluctance to disclose precise figures. Others were offended by the lack of public debate while some disputed its architectural value.

Architecture students who formed the citizens association dubbed “First Archi-Brigade”, said that the suggested solutions were far from being in good taste and made unnatural combinations of style. They claim that the project brings back dead architectural styles in the wrong time and place.

Several elements attracted significant controversy from the public, including the giant 22 metre tall horse statue of the ancient warrior king Alexander the Great, who many considered to be oversized.

The Orthodox church in the city’s central square, which was envisaged as part of the revamp project, has been the source of a degree of ethnic and religious tension between the state and the ethnic Albanian, predominantly Muslim, community. The controversy was largely due to questions about the state's involvement in its funding.

The Archeology Museum, whose location and size shocked many, was also the subject of heated discussion.