The monument is in the form of a sarcophagus made of black granite from Jablanica.
The sarcophagus in surrounded by caryatids representing all the peoples of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
They represent Bosnian, Montenegrin, Dalmatian, Croatian, Slovenian, Vojvodina’s, Serbian and South Serbian women.
The top of the sarcophagus is marked with an inscription reading "Alexander I King of Yugoslavia to the Unknown Hero".
The monument is 14.5 metres (48 ft) high, and 36 metres (118 ft) in length, while the stairs from the approaching side are 93 metres (305 ft) long.
The tomb with the remains of the unknown hero is located in the crypt (underground room) in the base of the monument.
The tomb is marked only by the date "1912-1918", the duration of the Balkan Wars and World War I.
There is also a deeper symbolism of the complex.
The monument is placed on the five-step pyramid, which symbolizes five centuries of Ottoman occupation of Serbia.
Caryatids actually represent mothers of the fallen soldiers, who are keeping the peace and sanctity of the burial place.
The monument is also one of the rare such venues which is located outside of the town center.
King Alexander wanted to transform the top of the Avala into the replica of the Kajmakčalan mountain which gained almost mythical importance after the 1916 Battle of Kaymakchalan between Serbia and Bulgaria, and was euphemistically called "Gate of the Homeland" or the "Altar of the Motherland".
The monument was to represent the relocated commemorative chapel from Kajmakčalan and even plants which grow on that mountain, or resemble it, were planted around the monument.
During the 1934-1938 period when the monument was built, the surrounding area was also forested with the specific species of conifers.
They were specifically ordered from the botanical garden in Munich, Germany.
A certain number of trees was donated to Yugoslavia personally by Adolf Hitler.
The monument is in the form of a sarcophagus made of black granite from Jablanica. The sarcophagus in surrounded by caryatids representing all the peoples of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. They represent Bosnian, Montenegrin, Dalmatian, Croatian, Slovenian, Vojvodina’s, Serbian and South Serbian women. The top of the sarcophagus is marked with an inscription reading "Alexander I King of Yugoslavia to the Unknown Hero". The monument is 14.5 metres (48 ft) high, and 36 metres (118 ft) in length, while the stairs from the approaching side are 93 metres (305 ft) long. The tomb with the remains of the unknown hero is located in the crypt (underground room) in the base of the monument. The tomb is marked only by the date "1912-1918", the duration of the Balkan Wars and World War I.
There is also a deeper symbolism of the complex. The monument is placed on the five-step pyramid, which symbolizes five centuries of Ottoman occupation of Serbia. Caryatids actually represent mothers of the fallen soldiers, who are keeping the peace and sanctity of the burial place. The monument is also one of the rare such venues which is located outside of the town center. King Alexander wanted to transform the top of the Avala into the replica of the Kajmakčalan mountain which gained almost mythical importance after the 1916 Battle of Kaymakchalan between Serbia and Bulgaria, and was euphemistically called "Gate of the Homeland" or the "Altar of the Motherland". The monument was to represent the relocated commemorative chapel from Kajmakčalan and even plants which grow on that mountain, or resemble it, were planted around the monument. During the 1934-1938 period when the monument was built, the surrounding area was also forested with the specific species of conifers. They were specifically ordered from the botanical garden in Munich, Germany. A certain number of trees was donated to Yugoslavia personally by Adolf Hitler.
Monument to the Unknown Hero