The main attraction of the capital of Macedonia

Stone Bridge in Skopje capital of Macedonia, Skopje is located on the banks of the Vardar River. Across the river are built nine bridges, they unite the northern and southern parts of the city. The oldest and most historically important bridge is the stone bridge. This bridge is a symbol of the Macedonian capital, he also portrayed as an emblem on the city flag. The famous bridge over the Vardar bridge connects the old part of town in the Old Bazaar and the new, coming out in the Macedonian area. Stone Bridge is one of the main attractions of the capital. It is built of solid blocks of stone and stands on the pillars that form an arch. Of semicircular arches of 12. The bridge is 214 meters, height - 6 feet. Arch Bridge There are two versions of construction of the bridge. One of them, it contains more fiction than truth, the existence of the bridge connects the beginning with Roman times, when this building built by Emperor Justinian I, after a large earthquake. Slab bridge skillfully adjusted to each other, using construction techniques, known since ancient times. Some of the central pillars are decorated with niches, while others left for a significant deepening of loopholes. The second version is based on historical sources and argues that the bridge was constructed during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, who ruled between 1451 and 1469 years. The bridge was heavily damaged during an earthquake in 1555. The famous Turkish traveler, poet and historian Evliya Celebi was in Skopje during the period from 1660 to 1661 he copied the inscription engraved on the Stone Bridge, after its restoration in 1579. The inscription on the marble plaque was placed on the bridge and said: "It is better than before." Symbol of Skopje in the early XIX century, from 1817 to 1818., The bridge has been thoroughly renovated. According to historical documents, it had cost 28,816 pennies. At the end of XIX century, after the next flood, were built defensive walls. Then, arches and niches northern part of the bridge were supplemented with stone blocks and arches at the bottom of the supports. At the beginning of XX century by order of Sultan Mehmed V bridge was expanded on both sides of the sidewalks were constructed. At the end of World War II Stone Bridge narrowly escaped destruction when the German forces had mined it, but did not manage to blow it up. During the last restoration architects abandoned the separation of the bridge on the roadway and sidewalks, with the result that the bridge was returned to its original appearance. Since then, he is a pedestrian bridge. See also other materials about the original bridges: the famous ghost town of Hemingway survived the accident on the bridge, the longest bridge in the world as we conquered Europe with Sea