Skopje 6th Century Fortress VR Macedonia

2C2M+736, Samoilova, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia

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.

Not much is known about the Medieval fortress apart from a few documents which outline minor characteristics in the fortress appearance.

Link Location Gps 42.000971

Gps Coordinates / 42.000971,21.432474

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.

Link Location Gps / Gps Link 42.0008782 / Gps Link 42.0010039 / Gps Link 42.001198

Gps Coordinates / 42.0008782,21.4325902 / 42.0010039,21.4325266 / 42.001198,21.4319921

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.

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.

Link Location Gps / Gps Link 42.0007315 / Gps Link 42.0004057 / Gps Link 42.0005569

Gps Coordinates / 42.0007315,21.4321878 / 42.0004057,21.4326885 / 42.0005569,21.4319439

The fortress was partially destroyed yet again by an earthquake in 1963 but was not reconstructed until recently. Material for the fortress originated from the Roman city of Skupi, which was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 518.