Forgotten Monuments of Yugoslavia

After the second World War, the leaders of Yugoslavia were tasked with uniting many disparate groups of people with different religious backgrounds and different ideals. Josip Broz (more often known as Tito) sought to unite the people of his country with a strict authoritarian socialist government that pushed the similarities and common bonds between its people. Dozens of monuments to the victims of fascism were constructed across the country to glorify and unite the citizens and remind them that they had fought a common enemy. A new language and aesthetic was used, eschewing any forms that might too heavily rely on existing cultural paradigms so as not to alienate any group of people within the country.

The monuments were to be for all Yugoslavians and were not to give any strong reference to a specific group. There were no moments directly featuring people or familiar forms. They were to represent an unknown but hopeful future. Now most are forgotten and decaying since the collapse and break up of the country; modern ruins of a short lived state. 

Architect Arna Mackic has documented the history and impact of the former Yugoslavia's architecture. More information about her work and book can be found here. 

All photos sourced from Arna Mackic.