Palace of the Slavic Mortgage Bank in 53 Vlaška street in Zagreb

Abstract

U radu je obrađena palača Slavenske banke na križanju Vlaške i Draškovićeve ulice u Zagrebu. Palača je izgrađena 1921.–1923. prema projektu arhitekta Huga Ehrlicha. Istraživanje se temelji na sačuvanom arhivskom gradivu, člancima u tadašnjem dnevnom tisku i književnim časopisima, građevinskim nacrtima, starim fotografijama te relevantnoj stručnoj literaturi. Rezultati istraživanja omogućuju uvid u tijek gradnje i opremanja poslovno-stambene zgrade Slavenske banke.This paper deals with the Palace of the Slavic Bank in 53 Vlaška Street in Zagreb. The palace was built in 1921–1923 according to Hugo Ehrlich's architectural project. During almost forty years of Ehrlich’s professional work, his architectural style went through different phases: from late historicism of his earliest work, through protomodernism of his projects created during the years of his collaboration with Viktor Kovačić (1910 – 1914), followed by modernized Neoclassicism of his Interwar projects, to the internationalism of his final works. The majority of his work was realized in Zagreb, including the residential buildings in Mihanovićeva Street (1911.), the Archdiocese endowment housing complex in Vlaška Street (1928.) and the Retirement trust of City savings bank building on Josip Jelačić Square (1934.). The architect’s studio was one of the largest and busiest in Zagreb during the 1920s, employing many young and talented architects, who worked independently on some building projects. The same was the case of the Slavic Bank, where at least three architects from the studio signed different parts of the design, including Juraj Meniga, who made numerous architectural drawings for the bank. The research for this text was based on the preserved archival materials, articles published in local dailies and literary magazines, building plans, old photographs and relevant professional literature. The results of the research provide an insight into the course and the outcome of the construction of this residential and commercial building of the Slavic Bank. Its symmetrical, grandiose façade consists of various classical architectural motifs, which repeat themselves throughout the whole building. The aesthetic of modernized Neoclassicism, with traces of the art- art-déco, is present in the interior, especially in the central cashier hall and the ceremonial meeting room in the mezzanine, whose ceiling is decorated with Jozo Kljaković's frescoes that depict the building of the bank. Traditional architectural elements are used freely and creatively, making this project one of the most important examples of the Interwar Classicism, which was the dominant stylistic tendency in Zagreb architecture at the beginning of the 1920s