Skopje Fortress
| Skopje Fortress Skopsko Kale / Скопско Кале |
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| Skopje, Republic of Macedonia | |
Kale Fortress
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 Skopje Fortress
Skopsko Kale / Скопско Кале |
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| Coordinates | 42°00′00″N 21°26′04″E / 42°N 21.4344°E |
| Type | Fortress |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 6th century |
| Materials | Limestone |
The Skopje Fortress (Macedonian: Скопско Кале, transliterated Skopsko Kale), commonly referred to as Kale (from , the Turkish word for 'fortress'), is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. It is 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.
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, such as that 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.
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