Kale Fortress - Skopje, North Macedonia
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member PISA-caching
N 42° 00.110 E 021° 25.951
34T E 535819 N 4650069
Historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia
Waymark Code: WM13B3Y
Location: North Macedonia
Date Posted: 10/30/2020
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Alfouine
Views: 1

 

On the list of 44 sights in Skopje of skopje.mk/ this fortress is number 43. But this number is not a ranking. The fortress is best viewed from the city, but when you go up the hill to have a closer look at the ruins, you are also rewarded by a great view over the city of Skopje and the Vardar River. The entrance is free and although some places are not reachable, it is still worthwhile to see it. There's a parking lot on the hill and from there you can walk to the ruins without climbing the hill.

"The Skopje Fortress, commonly referred to as Kale (from kale, the Turkish word for 'fortress'), is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. It is located in Centar municipality and situated on the highest point in the city overlooking the Vardar River. The fortress is depicted on the coat of arms of Skopje, which in turn is incorporated in the city's flag.

History

The first fortress was built in 6th century AD on a land that was inhabited during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages (roughly 4000 BC onwards). It was constructed with yellow limestone and travertine, along with fragments of Latin inscriptions. Material for the fortress originated from the Roman city of Skupi, which was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 518.

The fortress is thought to have been built during the rule of emperor Justinian I and constructed further during the 10th and 11th centuries over the remains of emperor Justinian's Byzantine fortress which may have been destroyed due to a number of wars and battles in the region. The city was capital of the First Bulgarian Empire between 992 and 1015, and was center of the uprising of the Bulgarian Empire against the Byzantine Empire under the rule of Peter Delyan. Not much is known about the Medieval fortress apart from a few documents which outline minor characteristics in the fortress' appearance.

In 1346 at the Skopje Fortress, Stefan Dušan adopted the title of Emperor at his coronation and he had transferred the capital of Serbian Empire to Skopje.

The fortress was partially destroyed yet again by an earthquake in 1963 but was not reconstructed until recently."

Source and further information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skopje_Fortress

The "Official Tourism" URL link to the attraction: [Web Link]

Hours of Operation:
7*24?


Admission Prices:
Free


Approximate amount of time needed to fully experience the attraction: Up to 1 hour

Transportation options to the attraction: Personal Vehicle Only

The attraction’s own URL: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

As a suggestion for your visit log, please make every effort to supply a brief-to-detailed note about your experience at the Waymark. If possible also include an image that was taken when you visited the Waymark. Images can be of yourself, a personal Waymarking signature item or just one of general interest that would be of value to others. Sharing your experience helps promote Waymarking and provides a dynamic history of your adventures.

Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Official Local Tourism Attractions
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet.