Bioskop Balkan — guardian of the old and bastion of the new cultural Belgrade

Photo: Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade

One of the cultural, historical and architectural institutions and landmarks of Belgrade, the “Balkan” cinema, which was in a state of collapse for a long time, a few years ago went into the process of revitalization and revival in the essential sense – the arrival of people, that is, visitors. On the other hand, it is physical: the reconstruction of the cinema according to the instructions of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade, which represents one of the few of its kind in our capital, and which aims to preserve the original appearance of the building.
But before talking about the restoration, let’s remember the very importance of the “Balkan” cinema and what it represented throughout the decades, but also what it does today. At Braće Jugovića 16, the building was built on the foundations of a Turkish inn (inn) in the second half of the 19th century, more precisely, from 1867 to 1870. From the original investor and owner Đorđe Pašon, a Cincar originally from Macedonia and producer of alcoholic beverages, ownership was taken over in 1900 by Vandjela Tom, a well-known tobacconist. The reason for all this is that Pašona previously took a loan from Toma, which he failed to repay. Inn, hotel, theater, opera, cinema, premieres, operas, film screenings, concerts—its various purposes attracted intellectuals and notable figures of the 20th century, from Antun Gustav Matoš to Žanka Stokić, Žarko Savić and others.

According to many, the “Balkan” cinema was, and still is today, one of the most beautiful cinemas in Belgrade. The interior resembles the famous London “Electric Cinema” on Notting Hill. An interesting fact about the screening of the film Amadeus by Miloš Forman in 1984 speaks of its popularity among the residents of Belgrade during the SFRY. According to the film critic Miloš Bilbia, the frenzy was so great that hundreds of people stood and waited to buy tickets for the film, and the line stretched from the cinema box office to the Republic Square.

However, due to neglect and neglect, the illustrious history of this building has not always been so glamorous. “Balkan” has been waiting for many years for restoration as well as events that will breathe its old spirit. Its fate stood on the edge, almost like the building at Nikolaja Krasnova 4. We are witnessing that objects of great artistic and architectural value are being destroyed, or changed for the sake of the construction of residential buildings, just like the one just mentioned, which is located in Vračar and, like many buildings of that part of the city, has not been preserved. High-rise buildings spring up and are built in a suspiciously short time, greatly disrupting the lives of residents, obscuring beautiful landscapes, preventing the sun from reaching the streets…

Photo: Fondacija Saša Marčeta

This (distinctly negative) phenomenon is not only observed in Belgrade, but also in other parts of Serbia, so we also have the case of Zlatibor and the wild construction that took off so much that it got the colloquial name Zlatiborization. It carries with it tradition, not only material but also spiritual, because the latter is often reflected through the former.
Cinema “Balkan” resists all this. The spirit of the past has been preserved, and modern elements have been harmoniously integrated—it is now once again a meeting place for the young cultural scene, as well as established artists and creators, all people who contribute to the improvement of the community and the whole society. Thanks to the activities of the Saša Marcheta Foundation, “Balkan” is again, after a long time, a place of meeting and birth of new values, and one of the generators of the creative scene.

The process of physical reconstruction is certainly complex, long-term and financially demanding, because it is a building that represents a cultural asset, i.e. a cultural monument. However, this process is ongoing under the baton of the professional team of the Saša Marcheta Foundation, among whom is the architect Vladimir Anđelković. As he points out, in the contractor’s sense, works on the restoration and reconstruction of interior elements are always very complex. They require a set of skills and knowledge that the contractor must have in order to interpret the instructions provided, as well as finding ways to adapt modern materials and construction techniques to techniques that were used 100 years ago, all with the aim of preserving the architectural heritage and its adequate presentation to modern and future users of the space.

“In terms of design, the reconstruction of such an object represents a special challenge, given that the object is designed as a multi-purpose and multi-disciplinary space for cultural events while retaining its primary purpose—holding projections with all appropriate accompanying content. The modern function of the multipurpose hall requires high technical and technological equipment of the space, with the priority being that this aspect of the equipment of the space fits into the existing architectural building; that it does not disturb the decorative plastic of the walls and that, as an element of the space, it does not affect the radical change of the ambience of the inner space of the ‘Balkan'”, says Vladimir.

Photo: Fondacija Saša Marčeta

He further points out that “during the reconstruction of the Balkan cinema, with the new concept, special attention is focused on modernizing the function of the building by adapting its purpose to contemporary requirements and trends in design. Bearing in mind the spatial-functional characteristics and the necessity to ensure the possibility of a simple change of function, the focus is on retaining the basic purpose of the cinema and the permanent preservation of the object as a cultural asset. The reconstruction of the building with such a complex functional scheme requires the creation of an unobtrusive architecture of the interior space, with a careful attitude towards the elements of architectural and craft heritage. The project therefore envisages the complete preservation of the interior of the reconstructed screen cinema hall (plastic on the perimeter walls, the position of all internal elements of the space: gallery, windows and other openings), and everything according to the protection measures issued by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade”.

Vladimir also explained to us that the “Balkan” cinema belongs to architectural academicism, a style from the second half of the 19th century, which appears in architecture after the end of classicism. It is characterized by shallow facade plastic and the distinct decorativeness of the internal perimeter walls of the hall, additionally enhanced by the two-height space of the main hall and the relief plastic that appears on the walls. In addition to the plastic on the walls, around the doors and facade openings, the spatially dominant element is the gallery level with a deeply profiled cornice that extends along the entire perimeter of the building’s internal membrane.
And finally, to underline, this whole text is not a lament over the elitism of the circle of two, nor a rebellion against change and construction, but an appeal for greater awareness, not only of institutions but also of citizens, about the wealth we have, from which we often turn our eyes away, or we destroy.

Text: Vanja Ratkovic

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