Makedonium, a photo from Krusevo, West

Photographer's Note

‘Kruševo - Makedonium’

When hearing about Kruševo many Macedonians will immediately think of the Ilinden Uprising.
This uprising is also well known in some other Balkan countries.

The Ilinden Uprising of 1903 was an organized revolt against the Ottoman Empire and lasted from the beginning of August to the end of October and covered a vast territory from the eastern Black Sea coast to the shores of Lake Ohrid on the western border of North Macedonia.

In my very first photo of Kruševo (taken from the forest) you could see a strangely large white building in the distance.
That is the Makedonium or the Ilinden Memorial Complex, a rather unusual building in terms of design.
Today I show you two pictures from closer and also one of its interior that has remained quite sober.

The monument was established on August 2, 1974. It symbolizes the invincibility, the struggle and the eternal aspiration of the Macedonian people for freedom and an independent state.
The building has a rounded shape with protruding oval windows. The upper windows are made of stained glass.

Inside the building you find the tomb of Nikola Karev, president of the Kruševo Republic (the republic proclaimed by the rebels in 1903 after their victory over the Ottomans but that republic didn’t last long).
Also a bust of the singer Toše Proeski, the Macedonian singer who was very popular in all countries of the former Yugoslavia but who died at the age of 26 in a car accident. Remember Chris Jules's recent question about the memorial he found in the centre of Prilep.
Toše Proeski was born in Prilep but his family came from nearby Kruševo.

I couldn't find any information about the curious foreground of my main photo. Only that it's called the amphitheatre.

holmertz, Fis2, pierrefonds, macjake, pajaran, jemaflor, jhm, worldcitizen, ChrisJ, adramad, COSTANTINO, Royaldevon, mcmtanyel ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (102050) 2022-01-06 11:46

Hello Paul,
This must count among the strangest memorials I have seen. I could not possibly figure out what the white things in the foreground would symbolize, but on the sides I see what looks like quite talented graffiti paintings. The white building could be a stranded UFO, or a super large copy of an adapter to use when travelling in countries with different kinds of electricity plugs. I have one like that, but it's smaller and black.
What did the courageous people fighting the Ottomans do to deserve this?
The WS show this site from more modest angles, but the main photo gives us the full monty, and a lot of colours, so I really like it, but I can't understand it as a monument to fallen heroes.
Best regards,
Gert

lousat (138669) 2022-01-06 11:47

Hi Paul,it is really curious, a celebratory mausoleum of the Macedonian battles of the last century built in the seventies with a unique architecture, very sober the interior as seen in the WS, perhaps the architect was inspired by the Atomium in Brussels but did not have the budget needed to do better ... ehehe ... Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

Fis2 (169821) 2022-01-06 12:02

Witaj Paul!
A very interesting set of photos.
Curious object, view makes impression.
Good frames, colors and light.
I like the stained glass windows!
Nice presentation.
I like it.
Good evening.
Krzysztof

Silvio1953 (220697) 2022-01-06 12:09

Ciao Paul, great view of fantastic monument, wonderful colors, splendid light, fine details and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pierrefonds (113656) 2022-01-06 16:50

Bonsoir Paul,

Cet endroit est impressionnant. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails du Makedonium qui a été construit à la mémoire des combattants de 1903. La lumière fait ressortir la beauté des couleurs. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

ifege (47043) 2022-01-06 19:36

Hi Paul
A good photo of this most unusual and interesting building.
cheers
Ian

macjake (98262) 2022-01-06 21:40

Hi Paul
I read your note, but there's nothing there about the architects choice or explanation of the design. I understand the history you spoke of, but I wonder why the architect chose this weird shape - any idea? It looks like how a molecule or a virus would be if it were 40 feet tall. Very odd. but obviously a great photo as its so striking and unusual. cheers
Craig

jemaflor (146360) 2022-01-06 23:03

Salut Paul,
Une vue bien composée avec cet avant-plan qui accentue la perspective, bon effet 3D, intéressant monument bien photographié avec ces conditions de lumière et de couleurs et avec cette note instructive, merci du partage.

ikeharel (112497) 2022-01-07 1:14

Hello Paul,
A unique style for a monument, yet attractive as you managed to show with its surrounding.
Colors cast works well with the different objects on the place.
Have a nice friday,
Ike

mkamionka (73470) 2022-01-07 1:26

Hi Paul,
Quite an extraordinary structure indeed. I think I like more the one with the lone tree nearby.
This main view shows the monument in such a different way.
All of them have great colors and together allow us to better imagine and appreciate the place.
Great reportage,
M

pajaran (114995) 2022-01-07 2:50

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepo mesto i arhitektura, dobro pokaznao sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i perspektivom.
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici.
Ziveo sam u Makedoniji gde sam zavrsio osnovnu skolu i dobro poznajem istoriju.
Lep kompleks Makedonium.

Zelim vam lepo popodne, sve najbolje za vikend.
Paja

Gerrit (62042) 2022-01-07 3:16

Dag Paul,
Mooie foto van dit curieuze monument. De samenstelling met al deze paaltjes op de voorgrond en het wonderlijke futuristische hoofdgebouw outcentered is erg goed.
groet, Gerrit

jhm (211734) 2022-01-07 9:14

Goedenavond Paul,

Ik had ooit iets gelezen van de opstanden, maar van het monument wist ik helemaal niets, dus weer iets bijgeleerd.
Vermoedelijk zullen de ronde palen, wel iets te maken hebben met het zogezegde monument, waar we de zelfde vormen zowat terug vinden.
Uw extra foto vullen uw hoofd foto perfect aan.
Zeer goed foto werk, bedankt.

Prettig weekend,
John.

worldcitizen (15960) 2022-01-07 15:09

Hello Paul,
Great photo! It looks like you landed on another planet. :-) The unique architecture and funky foreground create a very interesting scene. I've never seen anything shaped like this before. The interior view of the stained glass windows is also great. Take care!

Periko (9105) 2022-01-07 15:39

Hi Paul
Great sun light. The Makedonium is a slightly unusual structure.
Beautiful stained glass in the ws.

Regards

emka (157280) 2022-01-07 19:51

Hello Paul, Indeed, one can see this strange monument in your another photo, on the hill. I saw on the page of krusevo that it was also shown on TE before.I wonder what it symbolize. weird. Looks a bit like coronavirus. Maybe there are performances there and these white items are for sitting? Nice colourful picture.

Best regards MAlgo

kasianowak (17672) 2022-01-08 5:39

This is a really strange monument indeed. I wonder what the participants of the revolt would have thought about it over a hundred years ago.
I wonder if those things in the foreground are maybe seats? Although, it's more probable they are there for decorative purposes only.

GyurMaster (24672) 2022-01-08 9:03

Hello Paul,

You presented an interesting piece of socialist architecture. The white seats and the vivid colours complement the monument well.

Best Wishes,
Gy

ChrisJ (171302) 2022-01-09 5:56

Hello Paul,

Nice repetition of the neatly arranged white, cylindrical seats. Good colour, sharpness and framing with nice warm cold color contrasts between red and blue. Tfs!

adramad (72590) 2022-01-11 9:31

Hi Paul.
Undoubtedly a curious and novel composition, at least for me, since I never saw a more strange construction and above all as a memorial, all this kind of stone seats that I suppose, will be for shows or lectures given against the background of the building.
A magnificent range of colors, which gives an attractive chromatism.
Very good management of the brightness, as well as the sharpness of the image.
Good work, which we enjoy. I love it.
Have a great day.
Very best regards.
Luis.

P.S. Thank you very much for your kind words.

COSTANTINO (115605) 2022-01-13 22:39

Hello dear friend
have a nice new week
impressive capture with
great originality
regards
Costantino

Royaldevon (85640) 2022-01-14 6:31

Hello Paul,

There is no doubt that reading your notes is essential to fully understand the photographs.
Though we can't quite understand the amphitheatre, it does create immediate interest and a fine guide to the enigmatic focal point.
I stared with interest! Before reading your notes, it could be a space ship!
After studying your w/s, I became convinced that it looked like a vertebra, a bone which holds a body erect!

Your photographs are each beautifully exposed, with the crispest details for us to study!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

jmdias (114340) 2022-01-16 7:34

paul

a surprising building and monument I never had seen or heard about. Thank you for that.
curious shapes, looks like a giant white virus.in the next weeks I will become to post modernist buildings of brasilia city.

take care

jorge

mcmtanyel (67731) 2022-01-27 19:33

Hello Paul,
Quite a monument! I like the other view because of the contrast between the monument and nature around it. The inside view is splendid, too.
Regards,
MT