Welcome to BANJA LUKA (Republic of Srpska)/Balkan

Republika Srpska is a region in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is one of the two semi-autonomous entities that make up the country. It covers 49% of the country’s territory and has approximately 1.5 million inhabitants. The Serbs, Christian Orthodox by religion, had lived for centuries in what is known as Bosnia and Herzegovina. Up to the seventh century they formed the overwhelming majority of the population. The Catholic Croats have, to this day, always constituted a minority. The medieval Bosnian state was headed by a Serb dynasty, with links to the Nemanjic dynasty in Serbia. A historic change occurred when the Ottoman Turks invaded and subjugated the Balkan peninsula in the course of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. A considerable part of the Bosnian population, predominantly Serb, but also some Croats, adopted Islam, the religion of the conquering Turks, after the fall of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1463. The reasons for this conversion were pragmatic: to avoid the fate of the Serbs who had refused to identify with the invader, to escape persecution, harsh taxation, and otherwise unbearable conditions of life imposed by the Turks.During the Ottoman rule in Bosnia, Banja Luka was the seat of the Bosnian pashaluk, and the lords of the region built what is nowadays the main street of the city. The most prominent pasha who ruled between 1566 and 1574 was Ferhat-paša Sokolovic, who was not a foreigner but an ethnic Serb, an Islamic convert and a nephew of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Makarije Sokolovic. He is one of the main founders of what was Banjaluka's town core during the Otoman occupation. He built over 200 projects ranging from artisan and sales shops to wheat warehouses, baths and mosques. Among his more important constructions were the Ferhadija and Arnaudija mosques.During the 1990s, the city underwent considerable changes when the Bosnian war broke out. Upon the declaration of Bosnian-Herzegovinian independence and establishment of Republika Srpska, Banja Luka became the de facto center of the entity's politics. It is the administrative capital and the largest city of Republika Srpska, and the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina......http://visitmycountry.net/bosnia_herzegovina/bh/index.php/destinacije/republika-srpska/62-destinacije/republika-srpska/454-banja-luka

City Banja Luka {Republic of Srpska }:.......Under the name Banja Luka, it was first mentioned in the Charter of the Ugrian King Vladislav II Jagelovic on 6 February 1494......This beautiful town is surrounded by rolling green hills. It is split in two by the Vrbas, a very rough river that, just a short distance from Banja Luka, suddenly loses its waterfalls and cascades, and flows gently into town. With a population of 250,000, Banja Luka’s citizens buzz throughout the city’s tree-line avenues, boulevards, gardens and parks.  During the day, everyone enjoys a relaxing lunch break in cafes and slasticarnas ‘cake cafes’ or lunching away in one of the restaurants, in which they remain till their hearts content.  As the day retreats to darkness, a vibrant nightlife awakens where people can drink and dance away to their traditional folk music and other genres of music in bars and clubs around town. On the banks of the Vrbas River, you can take a stroll amongst the weeping willows that droop their boughs into the water or stop by a riverside café and immerse yourself in a river brimming with wildlife.  You can even enjoy a dip in the summer or participate in sporting activities such as rafting and kayaking.

BANJA LUKA-

The church was the pride of Banja Luka after it was built between 1925 and 1929 but was blown up by the Croatian 'Ustashi' puppet government of the Nazis in 1941 during their brutal occupation.After the war/1990/ a new church in the same style. ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_JinvkJP8o

Banja Luka...

City Banja Luka -Republic of Srpska

Cultural Centre in Banja Luka.Today, Banski Dvor is the cultural centre of Banja Luka or as some locals call it the Temple of Culture. This is the place where concerts, exbitions, theatrical plays and other international cultural artistic manifestations take place: http://visitmycountry.net/bosnia_ Gospodska Ulica (Stately Street) is main pedestrian zone in Banja Luka. In the part from the main shopping mall to City Hall, there is lot of shops with very special things. From the City Hall to National Theater of Republic of Srpska you can not count coffee bars, full of young people. ... http://www.virtuelklub.com/node/100

                                                                                                            

Banja Luka

Banja Luka Luka Government of the Republic of Srpska- http://unibl.org/en/  Banja Luka-Republic of Srpska

HOTEL BOSNA-Republic of Srpska:....http://www.hotelbosna.com/eng/index.php?HOTEL BOSNA-Republic of SrpskaBANJA LUKA -During the Turkish period (1528 – 1878), Banja Luka developed as a typically Muslim settlement (Gornji and Donji Šeher, Careva mahala...) and was an important military base. In the 16th century it was the centre of pashaluk (administrative subdivision of the Ottoman Empire), and a variety of period structures make the old town speak of the Ottoman rule and Turkish pashas. However, it was Austrian occupation in the 19th century that modernized the city of Banja Luka. .

Park Mladen Stojanovic-BANJA LUKA -Named after a doctor and World War II national hero, this is the largest park in the downtown area of Banja Luka and consists of plenty to keep the locals busy, including a number of tennis courts, a cafe and a restaurant. Banja Luka carries the title of green city because of large number of parks and alleys, and it is also called city of youth, sports and beautiful girls.                                                             Banjaluka Challenger-...http://www.banjaluka-challenger.com/novi/  .VIKTOR TROICKI:...http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Viktor-Troicki.aspx

.................K4 The Pub-BANJA LUKA:http://www.k4thepub.com/gallery/k4-pub/

..YACHTING CLUB, Restoran Banja Luka…Okolinom Banjaluke, kao i užim područjem grada, rasprostranjeni su restorani, sa veoma raznolikom ugostiteljskom ponudom, osmišljenom u najrazličitijim ambijentima, jednako prikladnim, kako za luksuzne i elitne prilike ( Sirano, Ambasador ), poslovne i svečane (Lanako, Bomi, Vrbas, Kaldera i dr.), tako i za rafinirane ukuse, u autentičnim ambijentima, s bogatom nacionalnom, ali i internacionalnom kuhinjom (Lovački bar, Stari mlin, Kazamat, Alas i dr. )…….1]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOX2CGVvRbg…..2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS6stSwEiHI

BANJA LUKA BANJA LUKABANJA LUKA BANJA LUKANational Theatre-NARODNO POZORISTE-city BANJA LUKA...http://visitmycountry.net/  Banja Luka is a city with a very the rich night life, similiar to alot of cities throughout what was once Yugoslavia. There are hundreds of café/bars, open till late every night and are some with live music, others with DJ’s, rock music, as well as local folk music. The most popular Banja Luka picnic ground s can be founded at Banj Brdo (formerly Šehitluci) located 4 kilometers or 40 minutes of walk from hostel Banja Luka). It is rich with forest, walking and mountaineering tracks, drinking spring water and designated areas for rest and recreation. When it comes to sports in Banja Luka, first to be mentioned are handball players, who hold the title of European champions in handball. Remarkable successes in sport competitions were made also by boxers, archers, chess players, parachutists, football players, cyclists, kayakers, basketball players and other athletes who gave to their city 12 medals from Olympic games (8 gold), 15 medals from world championships, 6 from European championships, 4 from Universiades, 11 from Mediterranean games and 39 from Balkan championships, one club championship of Europe (handball club Borac), winner of Central European football cup (football club Borac), as well as numerous titles of champion in former Yugoslavia in both team and individual sports...

Vrbas River, which is suitable for water sports and adventures is 31 kilometers. The international degree of difficulty of the river Vrbas is 3-4 and in some places it is 1-2 so the river is suitable for people looking for wild adventure and adrenaline, but also for family enjoyment and peaceful activities. Given that there is a dam which regulates the flow of the Vrbas, water flow varies from 25 to 100 m3, and in spring it is more than 500 m3. The average summer temperature is 17 degrees Celsius, but the air is 30 degrees, which enables a comfortable adventure, vacation and enjoyment on the water. VrbasRiver is one of the most beautiful rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Europe thanks to the canyon, the rapids and cascades. Every year Banja Luka and the river Vrbas, host numerous competitions kayak, canoe and rafting. Rafting on the Vrbas is possible during the whole year and the best period is the spring and the summer. Banja Luka is the only city in Europe which offers night rafting! Venice has its Godnole and Banja Luka have our Dayak. Is a wonderful feeling to drive the Dayak.Just for that long pole boat was named Dayak. This is one of the symbols of Banja Luka. Besides enjoying the beauty of Vrbas river, sun ...  Banja LukaBanja Luka     

                                                                                                                                                                 TEMPO-BANJA LUKA….http://www.deltaholding.rs/code/navigate.php?  BALKANA LAKE

Balkana lake..The most prominent tourist destination in Republika Srpska is the mountain of Jahorina which was used for the 14th Winter Olympic Games in 1984. Visitors can enjoy their ski holidays racing down on more 20 km of connected ski slopes. The mountain has excellent conditions for alpine skiing, ski trekking or free trekking. http://www.jahorina.at/jahorina/en/vlade-divac-na-jahorini.html ..................http://www.visitbosnia.org/bih/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1232:jahorina&catid=68:zimski&Itemid=499JAHORINA-REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA                                                                                                                                                                                          JAHORINA-REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA .......http://termaghotel.com/index.php?lang=en

....JAHORINA-http://www.yourchoicecamp.com/gallery/jahorina-mountain-resort/Trnovacko lake from Maglic-Serbian Republic

Orlovacko lake-The Republic of Srpska boasts magnificent mountains, some of which are already renowned ski centers (such as the Olympic mountain Jahorina). Extraordinary terrain configuration, abundance of snow, favorable climate, paths for alpine disciplines and mild slopes, make mountains of the Republic of Srpska very attractive tourist destinations. Due to their additional features, some of them are becoming interesting mountain tourism centers throughout year, not only during winter season. 

Zelengora mountain (Southern Srpska)- Located in the eastern part of Republika Srpska, "Sutjeska" National Park is a unique ecosystem that includes Europe's best preserved primary forest, Perucica. The forest is of exceptional historic value and displays unique ecological features including the world's tallest Norwegian Spruce tree.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE7WWLpau1s&feature=player_embedded#!

Javorak/Serbian Republic;View Gallery - 193 More Images  

Tara – Raft  camp – the rafting club camp „Tara – raft “ is located 5 kilometres downstream from the Drina head, in vicinity of the river Sutjeska confluence with the Drina at Bastasi. The central part of the camp is the wooden building housing a buffet, kitchen, restaurant, and a terrace with bonfire hearth. Tourist attractions in the region are: rafting along the Tara river canyon, mountaineering, jaunt to Zelengora mountain, river and lake fishing, the National Park Sutjeska on Tjentište, the virgin forest Perucica, the 73 m high waterfall Skakavac situated in virgin forest Perucica. There are 12 bungalows in the camp with capacity of 48 beds, 10 tents to accommodate 30 persons, WC, water sinks, shower cabins. -http://www.jat-airlift.com/active/en/home/main_navig/ponude_u_srbiji/splavarenje/tara.html...........Rafting Center Drina-Tara -Drina-Tara rafting center is situated just at river bank, in “Bastasi”, 18 km away from Foca-Republic of Srpska-down the road to NIksic and Podgorica………..Tara - one of the most beautiful and most attractive rivers in Europe. On its 145 kilometer long flow form Komovi, Tara made an almost 100 km long and 1.3 km deep canyon. The Tara canyon is the second deepest in the world, just after the famous Colorado River in USA, but certainly, it is the most beautiful canyon in the world. It is in a very calm area, far away from any Balkan troubles and disturbances. Because of its pure drinkable water, opulent vegetation and wild life, with great number of endemic species, Tara Canyon is under protection of UNESCO... http://www.raftingtara.com/galerijaPrirodaENG.html................http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EaPxEcnQFl8#!
Rafting Center Drina-TaraRafting Center Drina-TaraCamp ENCIJAN/Republic of Srpska-http://www.pkencijan.com/index.php?location=galerija&album=4....Camp TARA/Republic of Srpska -http://www.kamptara87.com/galerija.html..............http://www.raftingtara.com/galerijaRaftingCentarENG.html 

Tucked away in a quiet northwest corner of Bosnia-Herzegovina lies one of the last untouched natural ecosystems in Europe. While that sounds like something many tour companies say these days about their own homes, you would be hard pressed to find more unspoiled countryside than that around Banja Luka, where lack of easy access and limited infrastructure once halted the usual tourist swell to this region. 

 The canyon of the 140km-long Tara river which marks the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia is over 1,300 meters in depth. It is the deepest and longest in Europe - second in the world only to the Grand Canyon of Colorado. Its famous rapids are true challenges for even the most experienced rafter. The Canyon is on UNESCO's list of protected natural heritage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aNslr8JLw8&feature=related                             

Ethno village of "Stanišici" is traditional settlement and tourist complex near Bijeljina in Republic of Srpska. Ethno village "Stanišici" takes us back in time making us closer to nature and our ancestors, and making us admire the simplicity of rural life of the past. Here one rests his eyes and soul, he becomes kinder, while the babbling of the brook and the sound of the watermill make him wiser.The village has two parts. One of them shows secular life and it contains wooden houses – cottages – with the household objects that used to belong to them for centuries. The other part is of religious character, with the medieval stone archtitecture. It is made up of a number of replicas of important historical and religious buildings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_a6-NeLhfEU Fly fishing on Ribnik river, near Banja Luka, Republika Srpska..........Sana is a perfect specimen of a mountain river, in that it has a great water capacity and flow rate. It merges into river Una near Novi Grad{Republic of Srpska}. Sana is rich in very nice grayling and brown trout........http://www.ribnikflyfish.com/RIBNIK/home,1.html?sLang=en

EKO CENTAR LJEKARICE-The eco-centre is located between Banja Luka (40 kilometers from the city).The “Ljekarice” eco-centre was founded with an aim of reconnecting the modern man to nature. By visiting this centre, a guest gets a chance to learn to respect and love nature and its beauty........http://sr-rs.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.153519581341602.31612.100000506828348&type=1......http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eko-Centar-Ljekarice-Loncari/118989661458229?sk=photos Zelenkovac is a mountain camp 70 kilometers southwest from Banjaluka. Zelenkovac is actually a name of  a clear mountain spring, on which there is about 15 watermills built trough the last decades..........1].http://www.zelenkovac.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=73&Itemid=63..........2]Zašto Nije Otišao Boro!? (Why Didnt Boro Leave!?) - YouTube

ZELENKOVAC-Starting from 1999th international character “Jazz and Music Festival” is being held every august.Performers and visitors are accommodated in eco-camp and wooden bungalows in the area of ecological zone Zelenkovac. Guests are offered with kitchen menu based on domestic healthy food.  http://www.zelenkovac.org/index.php?option=com_rsgallery2&Itemid=71&gid=14ZELENKOVAC-http://travel.webshots.com/album/551792387wzwuvr

BALKANA....

In the National Park Sutjeska(e.g. according to UNESCO, the National Park Sutjeska is one of the richest ecosystems and most beautiful national parks of Europe), a relatively small area, is located a huge vast wealth of flora and fauna, what made this area the target of numerous scientist: botanists, forestry experts, geologists, zoologists. Here, you can find more than 2,600 vascular plant species, with a high proportion of endemic and rare species. The rich flora includes a list of over 100 species of edible mushrooms, as well as a large number of species from Red List, or therare, endangered and sensitive species.http://www.pkencijan.com/index.php?location=galerija 

  Virgin forest Perucica. It is the only virgin forest in Europe. The forest is densely intertwined and in some places almost impassable. In 1952, it was designated as strictly protected reservation that is to be exclusively used for scientific and educational purposes. Perucica stream flows through the forest, whose waterfall Skakavac gushes down the cliff that is 75 m high:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkQlqZQOrlA&feature=player_embedded                                                                  

Nationalpark Tara (längste  tiefste Schlucht Europas)

Kadino vrelo / Pale / Jahorina - YouTube
► 2:27► 2:27	www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHfkGf7mf9A

Orlovaca Cave is one of the most beautiful caves on territory  Republic of Srpska - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSxwH_mTLqg&feature=player_embedded#!TREBINJE-The city is in fact the southern most city in Serbian Republic.It is a Meditterean style town without the sea. The Adriatic Sea is only about 30 km away from Trebinje.Despite the lack of a sea shore Trebinje is build on the banks of the river Trebisnjica. It is full of history and on sunny days it is like no other place on the planet...paradise on earth!......1] http://www.360cities.net/image/trebinje-trg#-170.43,-10.94,80.0......2] http://www.360cities.net/image/centartrebinje-bosnia-and-herzegovina#178.58,-7.49,75.9

 Trebinje-....http://www.360cities.net/image/zalazak-sunca-u-trebinju-bosnia-and-herzegovina#-143.03,-2.32,90.0                                                                                                                         Trebinje-Serbian RepublicSerbian-Orthodox Monastery Tvrdoš (15 century), Trebinje......:http://www.360cities.net/image/hercegovacka-gracanica-bosnia-and-herzegovina#265.27,-11.12,89.2 
Manastir Lovnica liegt in dorf Donjem Bircu-Sekovici, ist gebaut 1281- von Serbische König Dragutina Nemanjica

Manastir GomionicaSerbian Orthodox Dobrun Monastery, Serbian Republic; ....Republika Srpska has a rich cultural and religious heritage. The 15th century orthodox monasteries of Tvrdoš and Dobricevo, and the 13th century monastery of Lovnica are outstanding examplesof this heritage.  

Serbian Orthodox monastery of Moštanica in Republika Srpska 

Andricgrad-Visegrad...Serbian director Emir Kusturica have announced plans to build a new mini-city within the Bosnian city of Visegrad.The new city, which will be called Andric Grad, will include some fifty mainly stone buildings and will be located at the mouth of the Drina River, the setting for the Nobel prize winning book The Bridge On the Drina by Ivo Andric.Kusturica last year said Andricgrad will feature stone streets, gates and towers and include a cinema, theatre, marina, gymnasium, craft workshops, hotels, sports facilities, a new building for the Visegrad municipality, galleries, churches and a han. Andric Grad will be made up of 50 buildings symbolizing various periods in history and will be constructed in Visegrad, the city where the 16th-century Ottoman Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmet Pasa was born, in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QJjduWbyByQ...Adricgrad-Ivo Andric{considered himself a Serb} – the only local Nobel Prize winning author, but also a man whose nationality is a matter of dispute among three countries.He was a world renowned writer and the best connoisseur of the Balkans and the character of the local people. As a diplomat he was the representative of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in Germany at the beginning of the World War II, and he presented the credentials to the then Chancellor of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler.He refused the suggestion of the Nazi government to leave for Switzerland, instead he returned to his homeland where the War had just begun.Published in 1945 by the Nobel laureate Ivo Andric, The Bridge on the Drina tells the violent story of Bosnia through events on and around Visegrad's magnificent 16th-century Ottoman bridge. The Bridge on the Drina/A Bridge on Drina”/ is a vivid depiction of the suffering history has imposed upon the people of Bosnia from the late 16th century to the beginning of World War I. ......

A Bridge on DrinaThe Višegrad Bridge-UNESCO World- was commissioned by the Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolovic (1505-1579). It is located across the Drina River in Republic of Srpska (Eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina). The bridge was built at the end of the 16th century by the Ottoman court architect Sinan on the order of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolovic.He is one of the great Osmanli war generals by origin from Bosnia. He was born in the village of Sokoloviæi near Rudo in 1505. or 1506, and was a child of Orthodox parents. At that time there was a tradition known as Divširma, or „The contribution in blood”. Serbian children would be taken away by force to Turkey where they would be converted in Islam and taught in their military schools to become Janjièari, the elite soldiers of the Turkish Empire.Located in a position of geostrategic importance, the bridge bears witness to important cultural exchanges between the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire and the Mediterranean world, between Christianity and Islam, through the long course of history. The bridge itself was created as a result of many sufferings of the people of this region, the painful memories of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolovic....http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=76456 

Kusturica with Johnny Depp.... Kustendorf/Serbia: http://www.mecavnik.info/wsw/index.php?p=197................................http://www.360cities.net/image/grad-mecavnik#-23.78,13.37,84.2  ...               

,VIDEO CLIP:.Emir Kusturica - RTRS - Nekad Bilo

 Luka and very tasty beer   Best cevap in the Balkans in Banja Luka/ by Mujo>>:

• 17
  March
  2009
  Xie Ling - Tokyo
  not to be missed, order cevapi with a glass of sour yogurt..combination preferred by many locals..it was super tasty
• 22
  December
  2008
  John Smith - Chicago
  I've never been there so I'm really excited to check it out... Thx

 Burek,very tasty and well known in the world

Famous Trapist cheese in Banja Luka

Traditionally, sljivovica (commonly referred to as "rakija") is connected to Serbian culture as a drink used at all important rites of passage (birth, baptism, military service, marriage, death, etc.). In religious ceremonies, the Orthodox Church uses wine but rakija is used in celebration of Serbian slava. It is used in numerous folk remedies, and is given certain degree of respect above all other alcoholic drinks. .......                                                                                                                                                                                                                      .     

Meteora, Greece HD on Vimeo .......http://vimeo.com/5347277

                                                                                                                
One word and the end.
Pain.
Heavenly glowing.
I would walk through the deepest river,
only in order to find a star,
that reminds me of you.
Wall between us.
Night gives me salvation.
I would scream your name out loud,
I'd cry but I have no one to cry with,
I would kill, and that's the end of it...
Know... Still know that...
There's a sad song going around the world,
in a hundred ways.
The old picture of our previous times
still is grieving...
And rainy mornings are starting again,
ever since I left.
Laughing while the tears are coming through...
Can only blame the fate!
Wall between us.
Night gives me salvation.
I would scream your name out loud,
I'd cry but I have no one to cry with,
I would kill, and that's the end of it...
Know... Still know that...

....