Palace of the Republic, Banja Luka

For plans of constructing was engaged architect Miodrag Vasić from Belgrade who projected all plans in very short time and during the construction he didn't left Banja Luka to monitor all works till the end. In the beginning of June 1936 first stonemasons come to Banja Luka to finish facade of the building putting heavy carved stones brought from Macedonia. In same time last works in interior were in progress.

Before the end of that year on December 27, 1936 the building was opened and inaugurated. On opening of the building was present also that-time minister of finance Dušan Letica in the government of Milan Stojadinović. Something interesting is that the building was blessed by Serb Orthodox metropolite Vasilije Popović and Effendi Hamdija Softić according to Christian Orthodox and Muslim customs. About that event it is written:

There was ceremonial opening and blessing. As it was a tradition, which we haven't renounced till today, there was a lot of speakers and present people cheered to the young king, House of Karađorđević, royal regents, prime minister Stojadinović... The band of the 33rd Infantry Regiment two time played the national anthem.

In first day of 1937 former Agency of the State Mortgage Bank became Main bank branch for Vrbas Banovina.[1][2]

On April 24, 1937 statues of two Krajina peasants were placed in front of the building entrance. Statues are work of Vladimir Petrovič Zagorodnjuk. Both figures are made of bronze, dressed in traditional Krajina clothing with ornaments from Zmijanje. Every figure is representation people and some activities – trade (male figure with turban, stick and weighing scale with sack full of goods positioned on right side) and household (female figure with sickle in right hand). Both figures have weight of 600 kg each and they are made in Belgrade.

Also 11 reliefs on facade are work of Vladimir Petrovič Zagorodnjuk and drawings of that reliefs were made by Stepan Fedorovič Kolesnikov. Of those 11 only one above the entrance left untouched. Đorđe Petraš created the look of building's facade.[3]

During the World War II Banja Luka fell under the Independent State of Croatia. Building of Mortgage Bank was used as some kind of commanding building. During 2nd Banja Luka Operation building was partially destroyed by new "patent" of Yugoslav Partisans – pouring the gasoline in firefighter pump and in that way shooting on building. Reliefs were removed of the building and were kept on attic of the building for a bit of time when they were for all times destroyed.[3]

After the war in period of communism this building is used for purposes of People's Bank. In 1960s there was branch of State Bookkeeping Service (Služba državnog knjigovodstva, abbreviated SDK) which stayed until the Defence-Fatherland War. This place was place of meetings of youth in that period.[2][4][5]