Historical and Cultural Impact on Banja Luka City (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

A city is a densely populated, compactly built and functionally organised spatial unit within which specific relationships between people and the environment are established. The functional and physiognomic development of a city is a reflection of various civilisational, cultural, socio-political, socio-economic and natural influences. These are, to a specific extent, determined by historical heritage. As a consequence, no settlement, Banja Luka included, can be viewed isolated from space and time. Historical and cultural influences on Banja Luka city in the process of its urban development are the subject and the thematic framework of this research. The development of Banja Luka was influenced not only by its geographical and spatial position but also by the roles it played and the significance it held throughout history. Its life and development were conditioned by turbulent socio-historical factors, the clash of civilisations, earthquakes, wars, socio-administrative status, etc. The cultural and historical influence will be analysed based on the literature, written and graphic archival material, the facts determined on site and the development trends of the city through specific historical periods: the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian period, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia and recent history (period from 1992 to the present). Each of these epochs, with its specific development characteristics, caused migrations of population and unplanned expansion of the city. This made planning and urbanism a neglected social discipline. The canvas of the city was painted with eclectic architectural and construction strokes all fatefully reflecting the period and the culture of their making. This paper will talk about shaping urban space through historical and cultural influence. It will also discuss the true state of urban space and the practical application (non-application) of ethical rules and norms (not) built into the city of Banja Luka.