Thread by @DrAlakbarov

Thread. Photos of monuments from Yugoslavia known as spomeniks are often shared online, exoticised and wrenched from context.

The Guardian's Joshua Surtees described them as follows:

“Erected in tranquil fields in the middle of nowhere, Spomeniks – which means monuments in Serbo-Croatian – look like alien landings, crop circles or Pink Floyd album covers.”

Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito sked leading architects of the Yugoslav cultural movement, such as Dušan Džamonja, to design them.

The unique style of the Yugoslavian monuments—which looked to Western modernism for inspiration—is objectively much different from the representative art found in its Soviet neighbours.

Different symbols in public art reflect the particular style of past or current regimes, and taking notice uncovers layers of history of a place hiding in plain sight.

This creative architectural design as erected for honoring towards Battle of Kozara.

This interesting landmark was created as a monument to the revolution at Grmec.

The concept art (left) by Wayne Haag for the 2017 film Alien Covenant which depicts some nature of ancient alien temple is inspired by this gem.

Designed by Bogdan Bogdanović and unveiled in 1966, these Stone Flowers serves as a reminder of the atrocities perpetrated in the Jasenovac concentration camp.

The camp was established and operated solely by the governing Ustaše regime rather than by the Third Reich.

Located on the Smetovi mountain; the monument was built in 1968. It is dedicated to fallen fighters of Zenica Partisan Detachment – an anti-Nazi resistance movement.

This monument represents the liberty of Sanski Most in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ilirska Bistrica dedicated to the fighters of the 4th Yugoslavian Army who liberated this area during WWII.

The remains of 284 of these soldiers who died during this fight are interred in a mass tomb beneath the monument.

This spomenik at Sinj commemorates the 24 executed fighters of the 1st Split Partisan Detachment who were executed on this spot by Ustaše forces after they were captured in the process of rebelling against Axis occupation.

Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Built in 1965 to honor the local Yugoslav Partisans who died during World War II

Detailed view of the Monument Moslavina in Podgaric, Croatia.

It gives me some kind of "The Dune" vibes

This monument is dedicated to the soldiers who freed the city of Knin, Croatia from the fascists during World War II.

Photo: Jan Kempenaers

The Kadinjača Memorial Complex commemorates those who died during the Battle of Kadinjača.

Photo: Jan Kempenaers

Built in 1949, this one was designed by Vojin Bakić and is dedicated to the fallen fighters of the Yugoslav front.

Photo: Jan Kempenaers

This sculpture was built in 1973 and designed by Bogdan Bogdanovic. It is dedicated to the long mining tradition in Kosovo.

Photo: Jan Kempenaers

This monument is in Korenica, on the Croatian-Bosnian border. It commemorates Yugoslavia’s victory in World War II. It has reportedly since been torn down.

Photo: Jan Kempenaers

Yugoslavia was quick to adopt a new aesthetic, influenced by the art scene in the Slavic and Jewish diaspora communities in the US. The abstract-expressionism of David Smith and Mark Rothko soon enough became a hallmark of Yugoslavian identity.

Spomenik in Montenegro

This spomenik is a memorial to the fallen Partisan fighters from area of Vogošća, Bosnia, while also being a crypt where their remains are interred. In addition, this monument was built in remembrance of the illegal workers who, in 1943, killed Chetnik leader Spasu Tadić.

Well, Yugoslavia isn't only area where you'll get brutalist statues and monuments.

In 1868 Buludzha was the place of the final battle between Bulgarian rebels led by Hadzhi Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha and forces of the Ottoman Empire.

The main entrance in form of a Soviet star to the Brest Hero Fortress, a WWII memorial. #Belarus

Brutalist monuments from abandoned circus in Chisinau, Moldova.

Some great brutalist architecture from Tbilisi, Georgia

Left: Former auditorium of the Industrial Technical College

Right: Soviet brutalist housing complex

The Palace of Ceremonies/Rituals, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Technical library in Tbilisi,

This 18-story building was designed by architects George Chakhava and Zurab Jalaghania for the Ministry of Highway Construction of the Georgian SSR and finished in 1975. The engineer was Temur Tkhilava.

It was acquired by the Bank of Georgia in 2007.

The 26 Commissars Memorial (now demolished) was a Soviet-era monument located in Baku, Azerbaijan, that paid tribute to the 26 Baku Commissars from the Baku commune.

Sibelius monument in Helsinki.

Created by Eila Hiltunen, this monument is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

Monument to the Fallen Soldiers on Sutjeska, Župa Nikšićka, Carine, Montenegro. Completed 1984.

The Kruševo Makedonium's interior, North Macedonia

The Makedonium almost looks like a heart valve, except it’s white and has around 10 massive stained-glass skylights poking out from its circular base.

Bubanj Memorial Park, ‘The Three Fists’, Niš, Serbia. Completed 1963.

Pyramid of Tirana, Albania

From 1944 to 1992, Albania was governed under a harsh Communist ideal that modeled itself after Stalinism. Landmarks such as the pyramid of Tirana still recall darker days.

National Library of Kosovo

The building was completed in 1986. Covered in a lattice of fence-like metal, the building’s windows are obstructed, giving views from within the library a captive essence.

This building always gives me of vibe of Baku's Eastern Bazaar (right)

Another brutalist masterpiece:

Hill of the Buddha in Sapporo, Japan. From Tadao Ando, the modern master of concrete, comes this installation at the Makomanai Takino Cemetery whose centerpiece is a giant stone representation of the Buddha.

In Berlin, amongst an almost uniformly grey landscape of Plattenbaus, is the Central Laboratory for Animals; a hulking mass of concrete with strange space-age adornments that cause it to resemble a battleship or tank far more than a scientific workshop.

Western City Gate, Belgrade, Serbia.

For spomenik lovers:

Don't forget to check out The Spomenik Database.

The database explores Yugoslavia's historic and enigmatic endeavor into creating stunningly space-age abstract WWII monuments from 1960-1990.
spomenikdatabase.org