Elementary School "Sv. Kiril i Metodij" - Veles
Buildings/The elementary school "Sv. Kiril i Metodij" is one of the oldest schools in Macedonia, which, from its founding in 1856/57 until today, has maintained an uninterrupted educational tradition and continues to exist under the same name and at the same location.
The school building was constructed in 1929 by an unknown architect. Positioned at the intersection of two streets, its composition consists of two almost identical wings connected by a pronounced convex curvature, where the contrast between solid and void is especially prominent. In this corner volume is the entrance area with a porch formed by an arcade, above which, on the first floor, there is a loggia with a colonnade that is flush with the façades, while on the second floor there are three sets of three windows each.
The building is characterized by a classic spatial concept, but the spirit of modernity is felt in the façades, which are smooth, refined, and without any ornamentation, except for the horizontal shallow cornices that separate the floors.
Construction year 1929
Investor / Owner Municipality of Veles
City / Municipality Veles
/ Veles
Address Arhiepiskop Mihail St. No. 146, Kiril i Metodij St. No. 2
Floors B+GF+2
Original typology
Current purpose
Protection status not protected
- Building chronology (project, construction phases)Veles is among the first cities in Macedonia where primary education began to be conducted in the Slavic, vernacular language, a development in which the "Sv. Atanasij" metochion, dating from around the mid-18th century, played a significant role. In 1856/57, another metochion was built nearby under the name "Sv. Kiril i Metodij", which soon developed into the first school in Veles. This building served as both a school and a temporary metochion until the 1920s, when a new, much larger school was constructed in the lower part of the yard, replacing the old one. Design and construction: late 1920s. Installation of its own central heating system: 1930. In 1977/1978, the school was completely renovated and expanded, giving it its present appearance.Number of floorsB+GF+2Program description (floor plan details)Ground floor: boiler room for central heating, auxiliary rooms, toilets, and classrooms. First floor: administration offices, teachers’ office, toilets, and classrooms. Second floor: library, room for professional services, toilets, and classrooms.StructureThe building is constructed using a massive structural system.RoofMulti-pitched roof with a roofing tile finish.FaçadePlaster, sprayed in yellow color.CarpentryWooden windows and doors. Railings in the staircase area made of wrought iron.Building surroundingsBuilt at the intersection of two streets, the school is situated in a yard enclosed by a massive fence combined with a decorative wrought iron fence that follows the street lines. The southeastern part of the yard featured concrete paving, with greenery and trees in the open areas.Interior / Communal spacesThe classrooms had wooden floors, while the floors in the corridors, staircase, and auxiliary rooms were finished with terrazzo.ContextThe "Sv. Kiril i Metodij" school is located in the old part of the city, on the right bank of the Vardar River, in the Dolni Dukjani neighborhood. With its architecture and size, it stands out in the dense urban fabric filled with family houses and narrow streets. In its immediate vicinity are some of the most notable landmarks of the city of Veles, such as the house of the famous poet Kocho Racin, the revivalist Vasil Glavinov, and the house of Jordan Hadji Konstantinov – Djinot.
- RoofA complex multi-pitched roof covered with galvanized sheet metal, on which photovoltaic panels were installed in 2024.FaçadePlaster, sprayed in yellow color.CarpentryPVC windows and doors. The original railings in the staircase area made of wrought iron with a wooden handrail.Building surroundingsBuilt at the intersection of two streets, the school is situated in a yard enclosed by a massive fence combined with a decorative wrought iron fence that follows the street lines. The southeastern part of the yard featured concrete paving, with greenery and trees in the open areas.Interior / Communal spacesIn the classrooms, corridors, and other rooms on both floors, the floors are tiled with ceramic tiles. The entrance hall and ground floor corridors retain the original terrazzo finish, while in the staircase area, the terrazzo flooring has been replaced with granite.Exterior conditiongoodInterior conditiongoodExterior authenticitygoodInterior authenticitysatisfactoryModifications-1930: Installation of its own central heating system. -1976/77: Expansion with an added building to the northern wing. -1990: Construction of a gymnasium in the school’s backyard. -2007: Replacement of the interior main staircase cladding with yellow granite (previously finished in terrazzo). -2009: Replacement of wooden windows with PVC. -2014: Replacement of the roof covering from tiles to galvanized sheet metal, façade reconstruction, and replacement of interior floors (terrazzo finish remains only on the ground floor, while ceramic tiles were installed on the upper floors). -2021: Renovation and landscaping of the school yard. -2024: Installation of photovoltaic panels on the school building’s roof for the production of its own electricity.
- not protected
- historical societal/social architectural and aesthetic emotional technical The elementary school "Sv. Kiril i Metodij" in Veles has existed since 1857 and is considered one of the oldest schools in Macedonia where education was conducted in the Macedonian language. Its history is marked by the names of many prominent cultural figures, historical personalities, and sports pioneers who completed their primary education here, such as Kosta Solev Racin, Petre Prlichko, Tiho Najdovski, Vasil Tocinoski, Aleksandar Donev, Pepi Manaskov, and many others. The historical and socio-cultural value of the school is immense, considering its role in maintaining and spreading Slavic literacy continuously for 168 years. In this school, in 1930, what was likely the first central heating system was installed (a full seven years before the first central heating system in the house of J. Mihajlović in Skopje).
- The relevant institutions for the protection of cultural heritage and other decision-makers should take into account the values possessed by the building, recognize it as architectural cultural heritage from the period between the two world wars, and register it in the inventory of valuable objects. Recommendation to the owners: The value of the building should be respected when installing elements directly on the façades, and if changes are made, they should be aimed at preserving its authenticity.
- Official website of the school: https://svkim.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_2.html Troch, P. (2012). Education and Yugoslav Nationhood in Interwar Yugoslavia, Possibilities, limitations and interactions with other national ideas. Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University. Retrieved February 2025, from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55902209.pdf TiRekovMiRece. (2012, May 19). 155 years of Elementary School St. Cyril and Methodius. Retrieved March 2025, from http://tirekovmirece.com/Novost/155-години-за--ОУ-Св.-Кирил-и-Методиј