Banja Luka
Banja Luka (Cyrillic: Бања Лука), is the largest city of the Republic of Srpska entity and second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Traditionally, it has been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region, located in the northwestern part of the country.
The city lies on the River Vrbas and is well known for being full of tree-lined avenues, boulevards, gardens, and parks.
Since 1998 Banja Luka has been one of Europe’s least-known ‘capitals’ (of the Republic of Srpska). The city is lively, there are some attractive riverside spots and it’s a useful transport hub if you’re planning adventure sports or explorations in the charming surrounding countryside, notably the Vrbas river canyon.
Archaeological discoveries suggest that the site has been occupied right back to Stone Age times. And the shell of a medieval castle remains the city’s focal point. However, historic Banja Luka was ravaged by a 1969 earthquake, and during the 1990s turmoil, more than a dozen historic mosques were destroyed.
Today, only two city-center blocks offer much architectural appeal, around the splendid Orthodox Cathedral.
However, the UNESCO tentatively-listed Ferhadija Mosque has been painstakingly rebuilt, there’s a fascinating
museum and plenty of good cafe-bars to explore if you decide to stay.
Banja Luka – the capital of the Republic of Srpska.