Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Warrior on Horseback

Warrior on Horseback is a monument in Macedonia Square in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. It consists of a 12-metre bronze statue placed on a 10-metre pedestal that includes a fountain. The monument was installed as part of the Skopje 2014 infrastructure project and was sculpted by Valentina Stevanovska. It was cast by the Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry in Florence, Italy, and inaugurated on 8 September 2011, marking 20 years since the 1991 Macedonian independence referendum. The statue drew controversy over its possible association with Alexander the Great, and after the Prespa Agreement a plaque was added stating that Alexander belonged to Hellenic civilisation.

Bronze Warrior on Horseback statue on a tall pedestal with a fountain at its base.
The Warrior on Horseback monument rises above a circular fountain on a tall pedestal.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Warrior on Horseback equestrian statue silhouetted against a cloudy sky, standing on a tall pedestal with a fountain below.
Warrior on Horseback rises above a fountain in the center of a city square.
September 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Warrior on a Horse statue lit in blue and purple above a brightly illuminated fountain with lion sculptures at night.
The Warrior on a Horse monument glows above its fountain in Skopje at night.
April 2014 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bronze Warrior on Horseback statue partially visible beside a large red flag with a yellow sun emblem.
The Warrior on Horseback statue appears beside a large red flag with a yellow sun emblem.
September 2013 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bronze base of the Warrior on Horseback monument with armored warriors, spears, shields, and surrounding fountain jets.
The bronze base of the Warrior on Horseback monument is shown with surrounding fountain jets.
September 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleWarrior on Horseback
Alternative titleВершник на коні
Typemonumental statue
Original titleСпоменик „Воин на коњ“

Historical context

ProjectSkopje 2014 cultural redevelopment project
Project purposecity revitalization after the 1963 earthquake damage to Skopje's city center

Creator

SculptorValentina Stevanovska
FoundryFerdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry, Florence, Italy

Discovery and provenance

Purpose of unveilingto mark 20 years since the 1991 Macedonian independence referendum
Financingfunded by Macedonia
Cost estimateabout €6 million; other sources estimate €5.3 million or €9.4 million
Installation date14 June 2011
Unveiling occasionone of the events marking the twentieth anniversary of Macedonia's declaration of independence
Unveiling date8 September 2011
Decision to finance2007
Construction dates2010–2011

Physical characteristics

Height28 m total; statue 12 m; pedestal 10 m
Weight35 tons
Pedestalancient-column-style pedestal with a platform at the summit, set in a basin
Pedestal featuresincludes a fountain with lighting, musical devices, and small water jets
Surrounding elementseight bronze soldiers, each 3 m tall, and eight lions, each 2.5 m tall; four of the lions are in the fountain

Materials

Surrounding elements materialbronze
Main materialbronze

Appearance

Depicted figurea warrior on horseback, seated on a rearing horse, in ancient clothing, with an unsheathed sword raised in one hand
Visual referenceclosely resembles Alexander the Great on Bucephalus
Pedestal decorationwarrior sculptures at the base, bas-reliefs, and chased battle scenes
Lion orientationhalf of the lions face the monument with water flowing from their mouths; the others face away from the monument

Iconography and meaning

Supportpraised by Professor Blaže Ristovski as part of nation-building
Criticismcriticized as populism, nationalism, antiquization, and a waste of money during economic hardship; some residents in Macedonia also opposed it as a waste of public money
Political impactthe monument increased tensions between Greece and Macedonia; Greece regarded it as a provocation and as appropriation of Greek history and heritage, and threatened to delay Macedonia's EU accession
Associated agreementPrespa Agreement (2018)
Prespa Agreement plaquein 2018 a plaque was added stating that Alexander belonged to Hellenic civilisation
Naming dispute contextrelated to Greece–North Macedonia disputes over the identity of the ancient Macedonians and the cultural and historical heritage of ancient Macedonia
Alternative neutral namesHorse Rider; Rider on Horseback
Government namingin 2011 the government of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski referred to the statue as a generic warrior
Indirect naming reasonthe figure was not named directly because Alexander the Great was from Pella in Greek Macedonia, and the name was used to avoid controversy with Greece
Actual subjectAlexander the Great
Officially stated subjecta warrior on horseback

Location and ownership

LocationMacedonia Square, Skopje, North Macedonia
Placed inthe center of the capital, on Macedonia Square

History and restoration

Installation statusinstalled
Placement on pedestalplaced on its pedestal
Fountain service startput into service on the day of the country's 20th independence anniversary

Significance

Associated project descriptiona city revitalization project regarded by some as kitsch in present-day North Macedonia

Other

Related nearby monumentPhilip II of Macedon has a separate nearby monument officially titled "Warrior"