ARCHITECTURE

 

      When culture of a city as Bitola is discussed, it is inevitably necessary to throw a glance at the position of the city basis. During its long history the city suffered numerous changes in this sense as well, due to the fact that many needs, which arose by concrete situations had to be sufficed. However, the basis of its urbanization was mainly the river Dragor and later on the Bezisten and the Clock Tower etc. The development of this live organism has always been conditioned by the historical fate of the time in which certain things were supposed to be planned and built. But, regardless to individual wishes and objective needs, the starting point had always been the determination to build, to create an urban settlement. Such a wish of urbanisms started much later when they started planning the living area of the city following the example of big European centers, especially from the last century onwards.

      Planned building realized in contemporary sense of the word, in Bitola, started as late as 1929, and till today sever urban plans have been made. Basically, in normal development conditions, it is planned that from today’s 80.000 inhabitants the city to grow to 85.000 inhabitants by the beginning of the third millennium. In that direction, three basic functional zones were set: living zone-almost in all directions, with an accent on the west part; business or industrial-under the railway line; and green, sport and recreation zone-in the south part, around City Park, City Promenade, Tumbe Kafe, as well on the west around Dovlegic area. Due to the not planned building on the terrain the roads are still with variable frequency power, in favor of those going east west, and on the expense of north south.

      Because of the cultural needs and the aim of this text, we will extensively concentrate on Bitola architecture, especially those constructions which bear the mark of the time they were built in. Basically, Bitola architecture meets the wider criteria as a result of cultural developments of society, revealing its way of living and the level of development in certain space and time. Following the example of the renowned European cities it had frequent contacts with, Bitola was a famous center of modern civilization where material and mental richness enabled high level of comfort of living. This resulted in creation of such construction values, which always used to bring prestige functional, constructional and esthetical values that provided this part of Macedonia’s culture a high place in construction heritage.

      This architecture bears all the marks of the new and modern of the period it had been built. In one of its parts, mostly those that were used for religious and individual purposes, the influence of oriental construction tradition can be felt. Many of our masters, architects and other workers in this field constructed buildings in the developed world. They could not but implement and “build in” what they learned there in their buildings in this area. Our construction tradition is known to wider Balkan regions, and even farther. It not only gave its mark to structures but accepted all that was aesthetically and functionally better, enriching its experience as well. The bond between the traditional, most of all during building of a Macedonia house, and experience of other, more developed, environments enabled Bitola construction work to have original solutions, authentic construction work for maximum and practical usage of space, type of material and the costing price of the building, both for the exterior and interior.

      When we talk about true landmarks of Bitola architecture, of Bitola old house, the one even world famous constructors admired, we primarily have in mind the centuries preserved solutions nourished by our construction tradition. They are numerous. Just as an illustration we will mention some of them: beautiful, richly decorated wooden balconies, deeply cut porches, eaves covered by wood, wooden and aesthetically made window frames, usage of abundant ornaments by wooden plastic, frolicsome roofs; shaped sense for the right of air, sun, sky, wide panorama; light construction, external appearance which, even at the first glance, stirs some deep inner satisfaction of the beauty of the building etc.

      Of course this did not mean to bring the time back, but how to make a successful construction synthesis between the worth that surpassed the centuries and the new, the useful, which inevitably comes as a new quality of human existence, with an effort to retain the construction work identity.

On the contrary, each uncritical borrowed copy, plagiarism might be a spiritual weakness resulting in a great damage of a famous constructing tradition as ours. This recognizable treasure springs from predecessors’ craft knowledge and skillfulness, which often bounds with art achievements of topmost architecture. It has its roots, its solid foundation stone in Macedonian essence which arose from the natural characteristics, from the gene of our predecessors who succeeded in binding of their own mentality, long tradition, renown spiritual symbiosis of numerous cultures and spiritual quivers of this region touched by the warm Mediterranean breath of many civilizations.

       When we talk about stylistic landmarks of Bitola architecture we think of structures originating from the last and this century. It is known that is time of shaping of rich middle-class of growing economic power of certain population parts. Many rich families and individuals from Bitola started ordering remarkable family and public buildings. They were mostly famous intellectuals, rich merchants and prominent citizens who had their own image in European metropolis. When they came here, in Bitola, with their wishes and attitudes, they left evident traces in architecture as well. Although with some delay, it could not be avoided by fashions, eclecticism and imitation, if not completely then in certain parts of the buildings.

      Despite these influences, Bitola house with many of its elements and characteristics introduced many original solutions. In this sense, the new buildings of that time were basically constructed in two schemes: symmetrical and asymmetrical. In the first case it had a rectangular basic, hall in the center and rooms on both sides, which continues with an open and protruding porch towards the yard. Both posts – console protrusions are on the street level, usually on the northern side of the house. Whereas the asymmetrical scheme is on a basis with a prolonged peripheral open porch.   The planned premises are added to it in a row in a form of letter L.

Space and its usage are also taken care off including the accent on its function. It is divided in several parts: living, sanitary, working, and household and traffic. A special place is given to the balcony. From there closer and wider surrounding could be seen. One part of family everyday life was spent here. Most frequently, women drank tea, coffee, and salep, served marmalade, jelly, locum and other sweet things. But not to anybody. Usually they were the closest members those who did not have family secrets. During pleasant summer nights in Bitola, small gatherings were held. Unobtrusive and quiet discussions were made regarding trade, toiling the head of the house, children, grandchildren, suitors, weddings and baptizing. The balcony was a constituent part of daily life philosophy mostly understood in oriental sense. Even the young had their place on it. It was from here that the first “flirts” were told, and down, in the yard very frequently the latest, wonderful Bitola serenades were sung.

The interior of the old house was furnished with authentic furniture and additional small places used for different purposes: there were small sofas, small tables-sofas in the middle covered with hand-made embroidered cloths, mainly by maids or young brides. On the walls there were cupboards and deep wardrobes - musandras, which were used for keeping household items. The proportions of lengths and heights of rooms were interesting: doors-1,9m; ledges -0,60m. The height of the ceilings -2,10-2,30m, which contributed to the warmth and intimacy of the interior.

The function of the kitchen was also interesting. People of Bitola were always considered to be gourmets. The culture of eating had a significant place in everyday life. As a cosmopolitan city it was a place of living of many populations of different people, mainly from the Orient, which influenced the variety of dishes: turlitava, chomlek, tas-kebab, gomleze, aravanija and many more “specialties”. Those who envied the people from Bitola on their renowned cuisine were trying to mock them by calling them “chkembari”, but on the contrary it impressed them. This small tour through the kitchen space was intended to reveal how important this part of the house was. That was probably the reason for the kitchen to be spacious. Despite for preparing food it was a place where the whole family ate together. Richer houses had a summer kitchen as well. It was not by chance that many songs were sung about this city: Bitola babam-Bitola, where life is enjoyed, where people eat and drink.

While determining the functions of housing space, it seems that the guestroom had a special place. It was the most spacious one. It was used for welcoming guests at weddings religious, holidays, engagements, name days etc. Its extraordinary quality lies in the fact that it was always neat, clean, ventilated and ready for quests. As a rule, the best carpets, clothes, hand-mode embroideries and all that characterized the real housewife could be seen there.

The “good room” – as it was also called, could not be imagined without sofas covered with woolen blankets, or specially made covers over which, very often there were embroidered pillows with different patterns. In winter there was a fireplace, made with ornaments from iron, brass or copper. The central place was reserved for the mirror (s) depending on the taste and financial abilities of the owners. They were usually decorated with ornaments and woodcarving elements. It was a practice to keep family photos on the walls. Especially precious were the curtains, notably those made with crochet hook. From the middle of the last century, some of the famous brands of Vienna pianos could be seen here. This room was supposed to be a reflection of wealth, authority and house management of the owner of the house and his family.

Many characteristic marks, furniture, object ornaments beautified the interior of this house. Such is the case with the attitude towards the painting expression. It was not a rare case of families from Bitola, which owned pieces of art: paintings, tapestries, engravings and sculptures. An orthodox house could not be imagined without an icon. The wealthy ones had small paraclises with very old valuable icons, which were given from generation to generation as something very sacred. Some of them were brought from pilgrimages.

Old Bitola house has its specific marks on the outside construction, as well as the materials used for its building. So, the basic building material was: stone, brick, clay and wood. The roof construction is made of wood, with steep sides of 18°-26°, covered by spout-like tiles. The construction was made to be able to resist on earthquake of bigger proportions. For that purpose, a lot of wood was used, which made the building light and elastic. At the same time the outside appearance and decoration was taken into consideration. The eaves were covered with quality planks, masterly fabricated which was also the case with windows, doors and angles of the walls. It all made the construction appealing for the eye, compact and harmonious in its proportions. That is the light, bright and lyrical architecture of Bitola, which beautified the city, architecture known afar. The fronts of these buildings gave their contribution to such characteristics. They were painted in warm colors dominated by the yellow color (“yellow tall houses”) with all color marks characteristic for this region.

Bitola architecture could not resist the new trends and consequently many buildings were constructed according to the “European pattern”. Mostly, it is accepting of the specifics of European architecture of 19th century, with reasonable usage of elements of domestic constructing tradition. All that had been seen in Paris, Vienna, Belgrade, Sofia, Bucharest, Thessalonica and other centers, where most of Macedonian masters worked and could be implemented in domestic creation and spirit, usually with calmer not too much accented lines of the European, found its place in the buildings of Bitola.

Developing of new art approaches in Europe has its prehistory, in sense of social trends characteristic for the precious century, when this region was dominated by: neoclassicism, romanticism, mannerism etc. This was the time when the middle-class was striving towards drastic changes in overall living. It searched for a free development and progress of humanity through all forms of democracy, putting accent on highness, beauty of old art and the wish to revive classical art. In such conditions, even though with a certain delay, Bitola did not stay aside from these trends. In the last decades of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, even though in different historical, political and financial conditions a lot of buildings were constructed of renaissance (Bitola Gymnasium), baroque (Bishopric) and neoclassical style (a lot of buildings in the city center). Basically, it is a certain manner with eclectic elements, brought to our land from Europe.

This fashion does not pass by the family houses. Usually it was done by fitting different decorative elements imported from bigger Balkan and other centers (capitols, acanthus leaves and branches, wreaths, iron consoles and other malleable iron, as well as different kinds of decorative plastic etc.). Despite the fact that these solutions do not have typical originality characteristic for this region, they are still significant as an expression of the strife to be new in the field of architecture as well, constructing buildings according the example of the more developed European world. Actually, it was a characteristic of a cultural center such as Bitola at that time.