These structures were commissioned by former Yugoslavian president Josip Broz Tito in the 1960s and 70s to commemorate sites where WWII battles took place (like Tjentište, Kozara and Kadinjača), or where concentration camps stood (like Jasenovac and Niš). They were designed by different sculptors (Dušan Džamonja, Vojin Bakić, Miodrag Živković, Jordan and Iskra Grabul, to name a few) and architects (Bogdan Bogdanović, Gradimir Medaković…), conveying powerful visual impact to show the confidence and strength of the Socialist Republic. In the 1980s, these monuments attracted millions of visitors per year, especially young pioneers for their “patriotic education.” After the Republic dissolved in early 1990s, they were completely abandoned.
For more images and information on these monuments, check out ArchDaily.
Cool! I'm from ex-Yugoslavia (from Slovenia) and I've never seen those. Some have a sci-fi look. It's also interesting how they look intact, considering the fact that the war raged all over Yugoslavia.
equally amazing that they could be “abandoned” and “forgotten about”; although the Republic is dissolved their historical importance remains, wouldn't it?
We who have lived through the last ten years of Yugoslavia, we remember with regret its destruction with a lot of blood and suffering. The peoples of Yugoslavia have not learned anything from its tumultuous history – the history of the people in whose name speak these monuments … To take this comment and point attention on two strong artists from the time of Yugoslavia: Petar Lubarda and powerful anti-regime artist Mica Popovic… Best regards from ex-yu republic Serbia!
The Krusevo one looks like a perfect house for Wordy from 'Look and Read' (and if you get that reference you almost certainly grew up in the UK and are not as young as you once were…) Some of the others look more like things out of Starwars or Lord of the Rings, as has been noted. Kosmaj looks like a Nazgul crown, Podgaric looks like a mothership for imperial tie fighters. Jasenovac is the least impressive, it looks an overblown base for a coffee table.
These are great shapes to draw inspiration out of. Although they were built for a socialist republic and that Yugoslavia is not that anymore, it's a shame that they aren't as popular as they once were just as works of art, no politics involved…
Arnie FenneronReality BitesThat's another tough part of being an artist, freelance or otherwise: how to avoid feeling burned out. I felt it at different points in my career and…
Cool! I'm from ex-Yugoslavia (from Slovenia) and I've never seen those. Some have a sci-fi look. It's also interesting how they look intact, considering the fact that the war raged all over Yugoslavia.
Awesome. Quite literally awesome.
equally amazing that they could be “abandoned” and “forgotten about”; although the Republic is dissolved their historical importance remains, wouldn't it?
I grew up in that country and yes, these monuments display the decay of what used to be a great place to live.
Thanks for these.
We who have lived through the last ten years of Yugoslavia, we remember with regret its destruction with a lot of blood and suffering. The peoples of Yugoslavia have not learned anything from its tumultuous history – the history of the people in whose name speak these monuments … To take this comment and point attention on two strong artists from the time of Yugoslavia: Petar Lubarda and powerful anti-regime artist Mica Popovic…
Best regards from ex-yu republic Serbia!
These are really interesting monuments- the one, Sisak, kind of looks like the tower of Sauruman from Lord of the Rings. Thanks for sharing.
The Krusevo one looks like a perfect house for Wordy from 'Look and Read' (and if you get that reference you almost certainly grew up in the UK and are not as young as you once were…) Some of the others look more like things out of Starwars or Lord of the Rings, as has been noted. Kosmaj looks like a Nazgul crown, Podgaric looks like a mothership for imperial tie fighters. Jasenovac is the least impressive, it looks an overblown base for a coffee table.
I also see the resemblace to Isengard in the Sisak one. Pretty sweet.
These are amazing – thanks for sharing!
These are great shapes to draw inspiration out of. Although they were built for a socialist republic and that Yugoslavia is not that anymore, it's a shame that they aren't as popular as they once were just as works of art, no politics involved…