Cartographic Explorations into (Ex)Military Landscapes of Skopje and Bitola

8/13/2019 Cartographic Explorations into (Ex)Military Landscapes of Skopje and Bitola

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The development of Skopje and Bitola, situated in the Western Balkans, hasbeen characterised by consequent periods of war and strong army presence.Frequent and often abrupt changes of occupying military power combinedwith the local effects of ever-evolving military strategy had a dramatical im-pact on these two cities, leading to discontinuities and obliterations of ur-ban patterns and structures. Only recently, the military abandoned its local

domains, releasing their grounds for reclamation. Notwithstanding this un-precedented absence of barracks, the urban spaces and overall territorialsettings of Skopje and Bitola continue to bear witness of former interactionsbetween military and civil society.The interactions between the military and the civil society in the two inter-related cases of Skopje and Bitola are explored by cartographic exploration.The exploration includes reading archival maps as well as constructing newinterpretative maps. The former is done through a critical analysis of vari-

ous cartographic sources, taking into account the specific agency of mappingand its embedded narratives. As for the later, the existing maps and plansare combined with other elements such as representations of existing andplanned infrastructures and elements of urban structure, locations of im-portant military and/or civil institutions, events that are of interest to thistopic etc.

Through the simultaneous deconstruction of archival maps and construc-tion of interpretative maps, the research looks at the interaction of the mil-

itary and the city in a twofold way: on the one hand revealing process ofappropriation through the act of mapping - in which the specific agency ofthe military plays a significant role, on the other hand constructing Skopjesand Bitolas urban and territorial army-related narratives. Here, the empha-sis is placed upon the acts of erasure, transformation and most importantlyproduction of specific urban elements which may differ in form and scale.

Ca r t o g r a p h i c Ex p l o r a t i o n s i n t o

( Ex )M i l i t a r y L a n d sca p es

o f Sk o p j e a n d B i t o l a

M l a d en St i l i n o v i c,

B r u n o De M eu l d er , B i e k e Ca t t o o r

10 t h U r b a n a n d L a n d sca p e D a y s :

B et w een A r ch i t e ct u r e of W a r

a n d M i l i t a r y U r b a n i sm ;

Ap r i l 2 5 - 28 20 13 , Ta l l i n n , Est o n i a

2case s tu i des 4t i m e p er i o d s m a p p i n g a t 2 scales :u r b a n a n d t er r i t or i a l

Bitola Skopje

1850-1910

1910-1945

1945-1991

1991-2013

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4i l l u st r a t i o n s pe r t i m e p er i o d

ca r t o g r a p h y o f t h e

d om a i n s


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M laden St i l i n o v i c , B r uno De Meu l de r , B i e ke Ca t t o o r : Ca r t o g r aph i c Exp l o r a t i o n s i n t o (Ex )M i l i t a r y Lan ds capes o f Skop j e and B i t o l a

10 t h U r b a n a n d L a n d s ca p e Da y s : B et w een A r c h i t ec t u r e o f Wa r a n d M i l i t a r y U r b a n i sm ; A p r i l 2 5 -2 8 2 0 13 , Ta l l i n n , E st o n i a

Case st u dy : B i t o l a

Bitola, then Monastir around1850, painting by David Lear

The main boulevard in Monastiraround 1860, old postcard

Part of the market in Monastir,19th century, source unknown

The domain in Monastir, around1900, from French archives

1850 -1910 : The m ode r n cap i t a l o f

t h e l a t e O t t om a n Em p i r e

Towards the middle of 19th century, remains of the

Ottoman Empire experienced a wave of moderni-sation. Bitola, back then known as Monastir, wasdesignated an administrative capital, in an attemptfor better governance over the inland areas.

The domain becomes a new part of thecity. Opposed to it are structures of close-knit traditional, yet segregated neigh-

borhoods, surrounded by checkpoints.

By replacing the medieval fortress,the new domain performs a rupture inthe hinterland, thereby truncating thepre-existing network of settlements.

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The ( d i s) ap pea r an ce o f

t h e m i l i t a r y d om a i n

At first the domain is represent-ed as a part of the city , though ina way that single structures areopposed to the urban tissue

Fragment of Austro-Hungarian plan of Mo-nastir (1905), Kriegsarchiv, Vienna

Fragment from the map ofBitola and its surroundings (1915), made

by the Service topographique de l Armefranaise dOrient21-11 35 Monastir (30cm x 40cm) 1:20 000,Ecole Francaise dAthenes


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French army reconnaissance pho-to of Bitola during WWI

Photo of Bitola during WWI, fromFrench army archives

Photo of the destroyed barracksin Bitola, during WWI

Russian troops marching into

Bitola, during WWI

1910 - 1945 : T im es o f w a r an d t he

t o - b e-a f t er m a t h

The end of the Ottoman rule in Bitola was only

abeginning of long period of warfare. In the courseof the First World War the city stood on the veryfrontline and fierce battles and artillery shellingtook place in the very urban tissue.

In the ambitious post-war plans, the mil-itary connects to the city through sym-bols of youth. WWI military graveyards

replicate certain spatial patterns.

During WWI, the surrounding territoryis transformed through the rules of ar-tillery fire and trenches. Lines and divi-sions appear, yielding patterns.

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Regulation plan of Bitola (1929),made by Dusan Mirosavjevic (?),

Archive of Macedonia, Skopje

Directional plan for the city of Bitola (1952),made by Urban Planning Institute Zagreb,from private collection

A fragment of Yugoslavian topographic map,(1979), made by VGI-Belgrade

Later on, the domain becomes anarea in which different activities,either defined or not, would takeplace.

In large scale topographic maps- considered as confidental, thedomain remains visible, withoutany specified use.


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1945 - 1991: Th e om n ip r esen t

A r m y i n t h e b or d er t o w n

Partisans marching into Bitola,on 04.11.1945

Buildings in one of the officersdistrict in Bitola, around 1960

An aerial view of the centre ofBitola, around 1960

One of the remaining Ottoman

barracks, around 1990

In the years after WWII, Bitola became a second-

ary town and a centre of a rather backward andisolated region - despite of the significant role asa garrison city. Within such local society, PeoplesArmy was seen as a prestigious institution.

Besides the domain itself, the militaryinstitutions occupy key positions in theurban structure. Officers and their fami-

lies have designated housing areas.

As the area towards the border becomesheavily controlled and the army is ev-er-prepared to move back into the moun-tains, new connections emerge.

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General Urban Plan of Bitola (1999), madeby Town Planning Institute - Bitola

a fragment from the Cadastral Survey for Bi-tola - the coverage in sheets of 1:1000 (1999)

At the same time, the domaindissapears from the city plans,becoming a tabula rasa, a blanksurface with restricted use


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1991 - 2013 : Th e her ea f t er o f t he

m i l i t a r y u r b a n i sm

Sight from the abandoned mili-tary domain, 2011

Former training grounds in themilitary domain, 2011

Former training grounds in themilitary domain, 2011

Former Ottoman fortress in Bito-

la, 2011

After the withdrawal of the Peoples Army, the mil-

itary domain continued to function in a rather in-ertial way - eventually becoming an area of slowdecay. Only recently, new plans have been drawnup - mostly guided by a real-estate speculation.

The new urban development plans aimat creating new ellite settlement, ratherthan integrating the area into the exist-

ing urban structure.

The absence of the military provides newpossibilities for the cross border region.The mountain passes are now being usedfor tourism and tracking.

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a fragment from Google Maps (2013), pro-duced by users according to sattelite images

The Detailed Urban Plan for the area of the

former military domain, as proposed by theMunicipality of Bitola (2011)

Gradually, the domain is redis-covered both as a brownfield,a terra incognita, and is settledupon using new spatial patterns.


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Case st u dy : Sko p j e

The marketplace beneath the for-tress, around 1900

The marketplace beneath the for-tress, around 1900

An aerial view of the fortress,around 1910

A view of the fortress and a check-point, around 1900

1850 - 1910 : The w a t ch t ow er

a n d t h e O t t om a n t o w n

Skopje, known as Uskub at the time, resembled a

traditional Ottoman town whose urban appearancewas not significantly altered despite being reachedby the railway and other advances of the age, whilethe military oversees everyday life.

The fortress uses the setting to controlboth the bridge and the road towardsnorth. Neigborhoods are mostly situat-

ed in-between the hills.

Different communication lines arepushed towards the fortress, despite ofthe outdated concept of such point ofcontrol.

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A b a n d o n i n g a n d

con t est i n g o f t h e f o r t r ess

In earlier maps, the fortress isrepresented as an open spacealong the main road, attached tothe urban tissue.

Fragment of Austro-Hungarian plan ofSkopje (1905), Kriegsarchiv, Vienna

Fragment of situational plan of Skopje

(1932), made by State Cadastre, National Ar-chive of Macedonia


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New disricts on the right bank ofthe river, around 1930

The fortress in Skope, around1930

The Officers House, around 1930

A view of Skopje and the fortress,around 1930

1910 - 1945 : Le g r an d t r a va ux

a n d t h e R oy a l A r m y

Once the kingdom of Serbia took control of Sko-

pje, the town grew and became an administrativecapital of a wider territory. The national historicrevival renounced Ottoman urban appearance byimplementing some imported urban elements.

The city crosses the river: officers dis-trict on the right river bank becomes anellite neighborhood and military institu-

tions are present in all public spaces.

The spatial setting of the enlarged cityis redefined by newly established settle-ments and additional military domains(airport, motorised units etc.)

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Different plans are both trans-forming the fortress, as well asintroducing lines of separationfrom the rest of the city.

Fragment of the regulation plan of Skopje(1914), made by D. Leka, National Archive of

Macedonia

Fragment of the regulation plan of Skopje

(1948), made by L.Kubesh, National Archiveof Macedonia


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The proposed replica of the old

Officers House in Skopje

Image from the civil unrests thatled to closure of the fortress in

Skopje, 2011

Police troops being deployed inthe vicinity of Skopje, 2001

The new compound of the Ameri-can embassy in Skopje, 2005

After the independence of Macedonia and the

withdrawal of the Yugoslav Army, Skopje becamea capital city of an independent country. In 2001,an armed conflict in the hinterland has renderedPeoples Army partisan concept obsolete.

In the new context, former military ar-eas are now sites of spatial contestationbetween different entities, revealing new

patterns of segregation.

As military reduces its presence, hintre-land becomes a stage of conflicts, parral-lel usage of infrastructures and urbansprawl possibilities.

1991 -2013 : Th e cap i t a l c i t y

a n d t h e t r a n s fo r m i n g A r m y

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The undefined urban fragmentthen becomes an isolated do-main in itself, unable to relate tothe surrounding tissue.

a fragment from Google Maps (2013), pro-duced according to sattelite images

Fragment from the US Government map ofSkopje (1997), 1:20000, edition 3-NIMA,series M903 ,made by the National imagery

and mapping agency, from http://www.lib.utexas.edu


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Abo u t t h e a u t h o r s

M l a d en St i l i n o v i c is a graduated architect-engineer from theSS. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia anda Master of Human Settlements from the Catholic University ofLeuven. Currently living and working in Brussels, his researchinterests are in thefield of Urbanism and Cartography.

B r u n o D e M eu l d er is Professor of Urbanism at the Universi-ty of Technology Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and the CatholicUniversity of Leuven, Belgium.

B i e k e Ca t t o o r is an urbanist and researcher at the CatholicUniversity of Leuven, Belgium. She is preparing a dissertationon the potential of cartography to inform and to shape territori-

al urbanisms.

Al so see:

B i ek e Ca t t o o r , B r u n o D e M eu l d e r

F i g u r es, I n f r a s t r u ct u r es

A n A t l a s o f R o a d s a n d R a i l w a y s

This cartographic book shows the impact of infrastructure onthe development of a region in a unique way. The cartographyproves to be a valuable instrument for urban research.

published by SUN Architecture, Amsterdam

Cartographic Explorations into (Ex)Military Landscapes of Skopje and Bitola

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