National Bank Building, Belgrade

National Bank building in Belgrade
Native name Народна банка (зграда) (Serbian)
Location	Belgrade, 11000 , Serbia

The National Bank building in Belgrade (Template:Lang-sr) is a monument of great importance, located in Belgrade, Serbia, at 12 King Petar St.

The establishment of the National Bank

The establishment of the Privileged National Bank Kingdom of Serbia was a long process that has derived from the development of the economy, currency and other financial institutions, as well as the needs of economic and political emancipation of the Kingdom of Serbia. The formal act of the beginning operations of the Bank comes after the adoption of the Law on the National Bank, 12 December 1882, which comes into force confirmation by king Milan Obrenovic on 6 January 1883. Under this law, the Bank has established itself as a privileged institution (for the next 25 years in the form of a joint stock company), with an initial capital of 20 million dinara, and envisages that its activities are conducted under the control of the state. Officially, the Bank began operations on 1 June 1884. On that date, the bank leased space taken in Knez Mihajlo no. 38 (now No. 50), at the house of Hristina Kumanudi.

Interior, vestibule of the older part of the building

Construction of the building

Given that the Bank's work demanded more space than that provided temporary solution, for the construction of a new building in 1886 was purchased land on the corner of Dubrovacka and Prince Lazar street. In 1887, a draft plan for new building was Adopted, whose authors were two architects employed in the Ministry of Construction. However, the Board of Directors decides to assign project development to Konstantin Jovanovic, then already affirmed architect, and son of a lithographer Anastas Jovanovc. Bank projects was also his first job in Belgrade. Construction of the building were entrusted to contractors Jirasek and Kraus from Segedin. Works on bank lasted from 1889 to 1990, and were officially finished 15 March 1890. How much importance construction of the building had, illustrated by the fact that Constantine A. Jovanovic in 1890 was awarded by the Order of St. Sava III order. In the report the Bank for 1890 says follows "...Bank has a house, on which she can be proud of as well as our capital, where she serves on ornament". large credit goes to architect Kosta Jovanovic who developed the plans and under whose supervision who developed the plans, and under whose supervision the building was constructed.

After World War I, the Privileged National Bank of the Kingdom of Serbia became the National Bank of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Because of functional needs, in the period from 1922–25, the building of the Bank become an extended, taking up on that way entire surface of the urban block, and taking a shape of an irregular pentagonal base. As the author of the extension project was selected again Konstantin Jovanovic, who was adhering to stylistic principles applied in the older part of the building, successfully completed this task. In such a closed form of block with internal atrium courtyard, administrative palace of the Bank is preserved to date. While without urban dominant position, which allows a full consideration of the building, the Palace of the Bank is realized in a harmonious way, and with full of monumental size and representativeness. Stylistic and formal basis, which served as a model of Jovanovic, as his role model lies in the architecture of palaces of late-Renaissance palace of the sixteenth-century in Italy. It also stands out and apparent influence of Jovanovic professor and prominent Viennese architect Gottfried Semper.

Architecture

In terms of style and form, the design drew on the late Renaissance 16th-century Italian palazzo, and the visible influence of Jovanović’s teacher, the distinguished Viennese architect Gottfried Semper. Jovanović’s immediate models were Palazzo Farnese in Rome, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and Michelangelo (1513, and 1534–46), and Semper’s mid-19th-century Oppenheim Palace in Dresden.

The Bank building best embodies a characteristic feature of Konstantin Jovanović’s concept of architectural design: variation on a Renaissance façade theme combined with an eclectic approach obvious in the use of elements of Baroque architectural decoration. The remarkable articulation of this concept makes the National Bank Jovanović’s most important work and one of the most important works of academism in Serbian architecture.

Exterior design

The elevations show a tripartite horizontal division typical of academism. The zones are clearly defined by the contrast between the rusticated lower and calmer upper zones, separated by a prominent stringcourse. The heavy and monolithic rustication of the basement and ground-floor zone, tempered by the regular rhythm of arch-headed windows, is a clear reference to the Florentine 15th-century palazzo. The monotony of the ground floor is broken by formal entrances facing Kralja Petra and Cara Lazara streets. The upper zones display less restraint. The strict hierarchy of the first-floor composition pattern is given a more dynamic edge by alternating differently topped windows and accentuating the imposing windows above the entrances. The second-floor zone, simplified by a row of less ornate window openings, is surmounted by a protruding cornice and a balustraded parapet.

Interior design

The artistically rich design of interior spaces includes a large number of functional and decorative arts and crafts objects, which form an integral part of the architecture of the building. Particular emphasis was placed on the design of functional nodes: the vestibule in the earlier part of the building and the counter hall in the later one. Being accessible to the public, these spaces were elaborately decorated in the neo-Renaissance style, with a composition pattern based on contrasts between full and empty surfaces, and calm monochrome and vibrant polychrome details, on the generous use of floral ornamentation, and on the alternation of different materials.

The general impression of luxury and monumentality of the interior is reinforced by an ensemble of decorative wall painting, one of the best preserved and most prestigious created in the early 20th century. It followed European trends of the time and was conceived as fully subordinate to architecture. This type of decorative painting is understandably devoid of the painter’s personal touch and probably follows a pattern of central-European origin. The painted decoration of the part of the building constructed in 1925 shows the same pattern, iconography and style as the older part. Its iconography displays a compilation of motifs based on free quotation from various mythologies and artistic traditions. The symbolism of the decoration, through the motifs of cornucopias, sphinxes, gryphons and, the central one, Mercury, clearly refers to the function of the building, conveying the idea of success, affluence and prosperity. To be singled out in terms of artistic merit is the allegorical bust of Serbia, a work of the sculptor Djordje Jovanović originally intended for the monument to the heroes of the Battle of Kosovo in Kruševac. Set up in the vestibule of the older part of the building, the bust underscores the national character of the establishment. Until the Second World War the interior was adorned with the portraits of all previous governors of the National Bank, oils on canvass painted by Uroš Predić.

The National Bank building is representative both of contemporary European trends in the style of academism, and of the work of Konstantin Jovanović, Serbia’s best connoisseur of academic architecture. The architect’s distinctive interpretation and the institutional importance of the National Bank make this building a remarkable testament to the social aspirations and economic and architectural achievement of the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It was designated a heritage property of outstanding significance in 1979.

See also

• National Bank of Serbia

Literature

• Ljiljana Babić, “Život i rad arhitekte Konstantina A. Jovanovića” (general part), ZAF V-6 (1960);
• Ljiljana Babić, “Život i rad arhitekte Konstantina A. Jovanovića” (special part), ZAF VI-2 (1961);
• Ljubomir Nikić, “Iz arhitektonske delatnosti Konstantina Jovanovića u Beogradu”, GGB XXIII (1976), 127–130;
• Divna Djurić Zamolo, Graditelji Beograda 1815–1914 (Belgrade 1981), 55;
• Milan Šćekić, Konstantin Jovanović arhitekt, Catalogue of K. Jovanović’s Legacy from the Belgrade City Museum collections (Belgrade 1988);
• Aleksandar Kadijević, Estetika arhitekture akademizma (XIX–XX vek) (Belgrade 2005), 314, 315, 354;
• Bojan Radovanović, 110 godina Narodne banke 1884–1994 (Belgrade 1994);
• Gordana Gordić, “Palata Narodne banke”, Nasledje II (1999), 85–94;
• Ivan Kleut, “Graditeljski opus Konstantina Jovanovića u Beogradu”, GGB LIII (2006), 214–249

CHPIB Documentation.