Did You Know? The Millennium Cross on Vodno Is the World's Fifth Largest
Standing 66 meters tall above Skopje, this steel cross built in 2002 has an elevator running through it and its own cable car — here's the story behind one of Macedonia's most recognizable landmarks.
Anyone who has ever driven toward Skopje from any direction has seen it — atop Vodno mountain, high above the city, stands a 66-meter steel cross, visible from nearly every corner of the valley. The Millennium Cross isn't just a religious symbol — it's also one of the tallest structures in the entire country.
A Place That Already Bore the Name
The cross sits precisely on the peak called "Krstovar" — a name that literally means "place of the cross," since a smaller, more modest cross once stood there long before. Construction of today's monumental cross began in 2002, funded jointly by the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Macedonian government, and numerous donors — including Macedonians from around the world. It was built to mark 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia and the arrival of the new millennium, designed by architects Jovan Stefanovski-Žan and Oliver Petrovski.
Fifth Largest in the World
Standing 66 meters tall with an arm span of 46 meters, built from a 33-level steel structure, the Millennium Cross ranks among the five largest crosses in the world. The height isn't arbitrary — it symbolically represents the 66 years of Jesus Christ's life according to Orthodox tradition.
An Elevator Through the Cross Itself
On September 8, 2008 — Macedonia's Independence Day — an elevator inside the cross was ceremonially opened, carrying visitors up to a height of 45 meters, glazed on three sides, with room for up to eight people. From there, the view stretches across all of Skopje and its surroundings. Later, in 2010, a cable car with enclosed gondolas was built to the summit, spanning 3,450 meters and today operated by Skopje's public transport company JSP — the easiest way for visitors to reach the cross without hiking up the mountain.
🔵 The Millennium Cross is the fifth-largest cross in the world, standing 66 meters tall.
🔵 Its 66-meter height symbolizes the years of Jesus Christ's life.
🔵 Inside the cross is an elevator that rises to 45 meters, glazed on three sides.
🔵 The peak "Krstovar" bore that name even before the monumental cross was built, due to a smaller cross that once stood on the same spot.
MKNews Hub · "Did You Know?" Series · Episode 8 · August 21, 2026