If you want to see Banjaluka clearly, you need to climb on the hill called Banj brdo. That is the only spot from which you can see not only the town, but its surroundings too. In the town itself, you can distinguish its streets, nice and big houses and buildings. Divided into two halves by the fast and green river Vrbas, Banjaluka is spread mainly on the southern side of the Banjaluka plain.
Until Austro-Hungarian occupation, Banjaluka was a spitting image of a typical Muslim-Balkan type of town. Every house was property for itself, and because of careless placing of tall buildings made from boards, all the houses looked as if they were "brought from woods and fields." One would say that this town which did not pay any attention to time, did not pay any attention to space either. That is how Banjaluka developed far and wide. In the gardens, wide squares and streets, rather distant from each other, stood the houses lit by the sunshine, and wrapped with the fragrance of gardens. Austro-Hungarian occupation brought noticeable changes. Many old buildings were removed, in order to make space for constructing the new ones. Because of this, the unique oriental image of the town changed. Needs for administrative offices, school buildings, Christian churches, apartment houses could have been satisfied only by erecting new buildings. That was how the contrast between low and ramshackle houses and new buildings was created. However, in the course of time, the new and old buildings mixed with each other, and the image of the town gradually acquired a new look.

TRACES/HISTORY

It was established by researches that in the ancient times the area of Banjaluka was settled by the Illyrians and Thracians, and before them, by Hatids. When Roman conquerors arrived there, they found the Illyrians, who were divided into tribes and tribal groups. Many traces of Roman rule, which lasted for about 800 years, were found in Banjaluka and its surroundings: roads, remains of settlements, money, buildings, mausoleums... Discovery in 1895 of a sacrificial altar, dedicated to the god Jupiter, and excavation of a tombstone, on which two letters, D.M., were discernable, was a part of an important archeological discovery.
Remains of the Slavic past, from the first settlements to the Turkish conquest, do not play any important role. The oldest Turkish settlement was in Gornji [eher, and it developed mainly on the right side of the river Vrbas, while the development of Banjaluka on the left side of the river started in the second half of the 16th century, especially during the time of Ferhat-pasha, who transferred the center of Bosnian Pashadom from Travnik to Banjaluka, in 1573. Banjaluka continued to be the center of the Pashadom until 1639. The authors who wrote about their travels in the 17th century, described Banjaluka as a big and developed town, with strong army garrison. In the second half of the 18th century, the population of Banjaluka started rapidly to decrease. This was caused by transfer of the center of Pashadom from Banjaluka in 1639, and by frequent and long wars with Austria and Hungary, and by internal conflicts.
Nevertheless, Banjaluka became strong administrative, trade and industrial center again, thanks to its favourable geographic and climatic conditions. Because of its rich and fertile hinterland - the Lijevce plain, and very famous products made by Banjaluka craftsmen, especially products made from leather, fur, silver and gold, Banjaluka attracted many Serbian families, especially those from Herzegovina, Macedonia and Sarajevo. According to the writings of Giljeferding, the Russian consul in Sarajevo, almost all of the Banjaluka Orthodox-Christian merchants were settlers from Trebinje. He also claimed that a particular caste of merchants was established, which represented a kind of aristocracy in relations to other people. In the middle of the 19th century, ten percent of Banjaluka's inhabitants were involved in handicraft and trade business. The well-known annual fair was held in Banjaluka, and the best merchandise and livestock were brought for that occasion from all parts of Bosnia. By becoming an important industrial center, Banjaluka soon became strong national and political center as well. Franjo Ivan Jukic was among the first educated fighters for human rights and freedom in the 19th century. Besides his profession as a priest, he was also engaged in literature, and problems and needs of common people. At the beginning of the second half of the 19th century, a Theological school was opened in Banjaluka, and it gave to the town several renowned priests, teachers and fighters for human rights. The establishment of the Theological school was a result of the support provided by agile Serbs, merchants and citizens, that included the priest Trifun Jungic, \or|e Delic, Toma Radulovic, Jovo Pisteljic, Jovo Kne`evic Savo Milic, Risto Vukic and Savo Bilbija. The first principal of the Theological school was famous Vaso Pelagic.
Shortly before the end of the Turkish and beginning of the Austrian rule, Banjaluka was linked by railway with other parts of the world. Austro-Hungarian authorities built wide housing zone. The new part of the town ended up with two railway stations, factory chimneys, hospital, school and public buildings. When Banjaluka became the county and district center, the appropriate institutions were formed, and the town center was moved to the left bank of the river Vrbas. The catholic monastery "Marija Zvijezda" opened several factories and an electric power station, which provided Banjaluka with electricity. Tobacco factory was built in 1887. Although the town did not have any kind of urban planning, the streets lined by trees planted in those days have survived until the present times, forcing modern town planners to adapt to their beauty. As far as hotels are concerned, the main one washotel "Balkan", while "Bosna," "Austrija," "Mercel," and "Prunker" were popular as well. The center of today's Banjaluka was formed in 1923, during the time of regional unit called Vrbaska banovina, when Banjaluka, for the second time in its history, became the center of "wider culture." Thanks to the first "ban" (governor of "banovina") Svetislav Milosavljevic, the administrative headquarters and palace were built opposite each other, and the Orthodox cathedral "Sveta Trojica" (Holly Trinity)between them, with its 46 meter-high bell tower. This cathedral was destroyed in 1941 by the order of the ustasha authorities. Ban Milosavljevic was also instrumental in building the town park, with a fountain and music pavilion, construction of the Hygienic institute, of seven buildings with fifty apartments for civil servants, and of the bank with two bronze statues in front of the entrance. During his time, the first Banjaluka streets were asphalted, and the "Palas" hotel was built in 1935. During that time, Banjaluka was a town of peace, tranquility and fresh air. Middle-class way of life developed in Banjaluka, but it was destroyed in 1941, when the Serbs were expelled to concentration camps and to Serbia.

CULTURE AND EDUCATION

Banjaluka started accepting European culture only after the Austro-Hungarian occupation, because Turkish authorities were suspicious of all European ideas and cultural needs. The largest cultural impact in new Banjaluka - among primary and confessional schools, business school and school for girls - was made by the secondary school known as "Velika realka", which was opened in 1895. Its opening attracted a large number of highly educated professors, real intellectuals. Pupils' and citizens' educational and cultural societies were founded, and they maintained relations with provincial towns. The arrival of Petar Kocic in 1906 marked the beginning of a new historical chapter in the life of Banjaluka. Petar Kocic started publication of two journals, "Otad`bina" (Fatherland) and "Razvitak" (Development), which gathered cultural, literary and political activists. Nowadays, Banjaluka is a university center of Northern Bosnia - Republic of Srpska. As a sign of gratitude to Petar Kocic,the society "Zmijanje" was established in the early 1930s. This society intended to erect a monument of Petar Kocic, and to move his relics to Banjaluka. The monument was made by the sculptors Augustincic and Rados, and it was unveiled on 6th of April 1932. The remains of the writer and national tribune Petar Kocic were not moved to Banjaluka, because his family changed its mind.
Today, Banjaluka is a cultural center. National and university library "Petar Kocic" possess some 150,000 books and 3,500 unique items of large value. The National Theatre was established in 1930. Museums and the Archive, which own important cultural and historical treasures, were established at the same time. There is an Art gallery, and Children theatre as well. The town is an important media center too, because there are many TV and radio stations there, and many newspapers and magazines are published in Banjaluka as well.