Description

Construction of the Saint Trinity Church in the city centre was the first bigger architectural venture in Banja Luka after the World War I. It was built on an empty space in front of the cafe “Balkan“ from 1925. It was designed by Dušan Živanović, an architect from Belgrade. The church was built in Serbian and Byzantyne style, which appeared in our architectonic practice in the end of 19th and the beginning of the 20th cenutry. Architecturally, the church was finished in 1929, and the interior was made after the announced Yugoslovenian contest, on which Grigorije Samojlov won a prize. Decoration of the interior and rood screen were accredited to Jovan Bijelić, Veljko Stanojević, Svetislav Strala, Jaroslav Kratina and Petar Suhačev. The godparent of the church was the first governor (ban) of the Vrbas County (Vrbaska banovina), Svetislav Tisa Milosavljević in 1929. The construction of the Convocational church will initiate further construction of the surrounding area, and particularly in the period of the Vrbas County. The church was damaged in the Nazi bombardment of Banja Luka in 1941, and before long it was demolished by the command of the occupant reign of the Independent Republic of Croatia, at the time. Upon the end of the World War II in this place a monument was erected to the fallen soldiers in the War of Liberation agains fascism. The restoration of the church, now under the name of Christ the Savior, was started in 1993, and the foundations were dug in 1992. The monument to fallen soldiers in the War of Liberation was relocated to the plateau in front of Hotel Bosna. The temple was built from 1993 to 2004. Three-layered wall was made as a specific way of construction. The church was built from the most noble stone from the Middle East, so called, TRAVERTIN in colours (red and yellow) that is created in volcanic eruptions. There are portals, rosettes, pillars, crosses and archivolts on the facade, which were made from Carrara white marble. The pillars (6 large and 4 small) were made from granite from the place called Giardona, Sardinia. The begilded iron which is used to cover the doms does not corrode, and it is made by Russian technology. The bells were made in Innsbruck, as were the bells in the ruined church (B- dur), 6400 tons of weight, and the largest bell weighs 3200 tons. It has a built-in up to date electronics for ringing. Even though its interior is still not completely decorated, today the Church of Christ the Savior represents one of the most beautiful and the biggest architectural accomplishments of the Ortodox temples at the territory of the Balkans.