Castles of Serbia
South Morava Bank building
Niš
The building located at 18 Obilićev venac in Niš is located in the municipality of Medijana. The building was built in 1920 for the then Niš Credit Bureau, which changed its name and became South Morava Bank, according to sources, “due to competition”. It was built in the neo-baroque style, quite atypical for Niš, with neoclassical decoration. The central part of the facade on Obilićev venac is dominated by a clock tower; the scheme of the main façade plan is emphasized by the central vertically pronounced avant-corps with the entrance portal, the balcony. This central part, where the entrance gate is located, is decorated with a window void on the balcony and surmounted by a triangular tympanum. It divides the street facade into two symmetrical parts.
In 1934, the building underwent an adaptation by the Niš architect Dragoljub Milićević, and the renovated building, after 1935, changed its plan – after the renovation works, two retail spaces on the ground floor and two apartments on the first floor were made. This monumental building of great beauty was used for housing from 1935 to 1979. The building was revitalized in 1979 by the Niš Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments (the architect was Danica Janic), all for the needs of Nišeksport Bank. It is protected by law as a cultural monument in 1978.
There is currently a hotel in the building. The original main staircase with decorative figures has been preserved in the renovation. It has been recently renovated, it is in excellent condition.
Entrance to some portions of the building is allowed.
This project was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.