Banja Luka Things to Do

The church of Christ Saviour (hram Hrista Spasitelja) was recently completely reconstructed. First time it was built from 1925 to 1929 and consacrated in 1939 as the church of Holy Trinity (Sveta Trojica).
In 1941, under the rule of so-called NDH (Independent State of Croatia, which was fascistic construction), the church was pulled down. As a Croat, I am not happy because of that, however, this are historical facts.

Before its flowing into Banja Luka the river is passing trough the nature masterpiece, the Canyon of Vrbas. It used to have very speed streams and lots of whirpools, I remember it when I was a kid.
In the Vrbas River swiming and fishing is possible and allowed.

Banski Dvor (Governor’s Palace) is beautiful building in the very center of the city. National Assembly is in side, such as concert hall, gallery, state television, restaurant… Most of the main cultural and political happening takes place in side of the building.

Christ the Savior Church (temple) (Serbian Cyrillic: Саборни храм Христа Спаситеља, read: Saborni hram Hrista Spasitelja) is located in the heart of City.

The church is build between 1925 and 1929.
In the moment of making decision of building it set deadline for 600 days to build a temple base 22.10 x 19.50 m, with 46 m high tower without a cross and a dome diameter of 6 meters at a height of 22.70 m. Besides the financial trouble, works on temple were completed before the agreed deadline.
It is destroy during WWII by Croatian "Ustasha" in 1941. After war the smaller church was build near the original place - today Holly Trinity church (Serbian Cyrillic: read: Crkva Svete Trojice) in his memory.
On the original spot long time it was forbidden to rebuild the church. Long time in that place was monument of fighters of WWII.
In the early nineties Banja Luka parish received permission to rebuild the destroyed temple, and the monument to the fallen soldiers moved to a nearby site, also owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Reconstruction of the temple started in 1993. when foundations were blessed by Serbian Patriarch Pavle with the bishops and priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The Church is constructed of red and yellow bricks that were imported from the Middle East. The walls have three major components: stone, reinforced concrete, and brick. The cupolas are covered with golden slaked lime, imported from Siberia.
It holds (comfortably) between 800 and 1000 worshippers. In this complex is also and shop and cottage where believers can light a candle for their dearest (living and dead).
In front of secondary entrance (in front of Banski dvori) is two places with remains of original temple destroying 12. April 1941 in bombing by Germans airplanes.

Worship schedule:
- Matins 7:30 a.m.
- Evening 5 p.m. (winter) and 6 p.m. (summer)
- Vigil on the eve of Sundays and holidays: 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. (summer)
- Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast during week (a calendar marked in red letters - big feasts) 9 p.m.
- Divine Liturgy (for deceased) - every Saturday and after mention (except holiday - calendar marked in red letters - big feasts) 8 a.m.
- General memorial service - every Saturday at 11 a.m.
- Mournful canon of Christ the Savior - Sundays after Liturgy.

Museum of contemporary art of Republika Srpska (Serbian Cyrillic: Музеј савремене умјетности Републике Српске, read: Muzej savremene umjetnosti Republike Srpske) is located in the city center near the city's post office. It is located in a building of the former railway station. The building was adapted for this purpose during early 1980th.
Original was build from 1891-1892 by Austria-Hungarian Government.
The building itself was build as monumental edifice, with a prominent central entrance and side wings which are richly decorated with a representative portals. Also, it build with arched openings on the ground floor, accented by molded cornices and graceful rhythm of rectangular windows on the first floor, while the passengers side originally had a porch on steel columns with decorative capitals. It is a Neo-Renaissance building. It located to the first square, which is still tied for the Imperial road.
The museum was established in 1971 after the earthquake that hit the Banja Luka 1969th. It was action of artists across former Yugoslavia and the world who wanted to help the injured area. From the collection of works of art was founded Art Gallery. Due to the size and importance of art in its possession, Government of the Republic of Serbian, 10 February 2004, was renamed the Museum of Contemporary Art of Republika Srpska.

As part of the Museum of Contemporary Art of RS are four sections: department for museums collection, department for documentations, department for education and department for exhibits and program activities.

The holdings of the Museum of Contemporary Art present its 1500 exhibit objects. All that collection are divided into three important collections: the Bosnian-Herzegovinian art, collection of the former Yugoslav territory and collection of world art.

Since 2006 the museum become a full member of the International Museum Council - ICOM.
In November 2007 the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina was awarded this museum a status of National Historic Monuments.

The museum is 3033 m2 large, of which approximately 1000m2 exhibition space. Here we can find: small cabinet for locksmith shop, art storage depot, offices and library with over 5500 books, catalogs and magazines in the field of history and art theory, philosophy and design.

For museum is extremely important Academy of Arts in Banja Luka establish 1998th, which is part of the Art Department for painting and graphics. There is intensive cooperation between the Museum and the Academy of Arts. Thus there was a category for best student selected by the jury of the Museum of Contemporary Art.
In the city center, as well as branch offices in the street King Alfonso XIII, there is a showroom for purchase some of the pieces of the most important artists of Banja Luka and the environment.

Here is also organized and weddings.

The Museum is open from Monday till Sunday from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. In Saturday museum is close.

Church of The Holy Trinity is located between City Hall and Banski Dvor. Now it is in the phase of reconstruction.

On the plate in front of the Church is writen:

The former Church of Holy Trinity, now the Church of Christ Saviour, was being built from 1925 to 1929 and dedicated in 1939. The Church was destroyed by Ustashas (Croat Fashists in Second World War) in 1941. The restauration began in 1993.

Vrbas is very fast river. And it has beautiful green colour. During the summer time, lot of people is trying to refresh their selves in it. In some parts, it is very deep so boys are jumping in it from the city bridges.

Kastel (Serbian: Кастел) is located in the very center and it is a monument to the past, witness of the present and the gift to the future.
Kastel complex cover the space of 48.000 square meters, between the walls is 26 610 square meters, and the outside walls around is 21,390 square meters. Ramparts are nine bastions and two drops of the tower within the walls. Within the walls there are several buildings, including the central camp with two towers and a small arsenal, central armory, stone buildings, and several different walls that were dividing and formed some internal spaces.

Numerous documents allow us to greatly consider all phases of the creation and development tvrđave.Prvi beginnings of settlement development on the site of Kastela originate from the Paleolithic era as indicated by findings of stone tools and weapons. The location of this settlement, which is still developing through the era of the Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements is characteristic of the Baden culture as it is situated on the raised parts of the Vrbas river terraces.

A charter from 1525 the precise states fort named CASTELL NOSTRO Bagni LUCA. From some documentation and material evidence it could be conclude that the Banja Luka fortress was built on the site of an older and smaller fortifications after the 1463rd year, as part of the border on the Vrbas in the defense system of the Kingdom of Hungary against Turkey (Jajce was the southernmost point).

Kastel is still place that define a life in the City. For visitors fortress is open everyday from 8 a.m. till 9 p.m. As a place for many cultural events like Neofest it is still symbol of city, symbol of young and urban capital.