The Church of the Holy Royal Martyrs Romanov in Banja Luka will be completed this summer and will stand as the tallest religious structure in the city, serving as its architectural landmark, said Alexey Kapustin, director of the Center for Classical and Traditional Architecture of the Moscow Architectural Institute. He also announced plans for the construction of a Serb-Russian church in East Sarajevo.
Kapustin, who is also the author of the project, stated that the exterior of the Banja Luka church is nearly finished, with only gilding work, dome installation, and cross placement remaining, which is expected to take around three months.
He noted that this will be the first and only church built as a replica of the Chudov Monastery church in the Moscow Kremlin, but at four times its original size. According to Kapustin, Banja Luka Metropolitan Jefrem could conduct the first liturgy as soon as the domes are installed.
- “After that, we can move on to the interior decoration, which is also being designed by the Center for Classical and Traditional Architecture,” Kapustin told TASS.
Kapustin estimated that interior work will take at least a year.
- “It has not yet been decided whether the decoration will be mosaic or painted. Painting, of course, is faster and much cheaper. However, I vote for mosaic, as it is much more durable, does not fade, and makes the church interior resemble a precious jewel box,” Kapustin explained.
An architectural and spiritual landmark
Kapustin revealed that the cost of the church construction is estimated at about one billion rubles (approximately €10.83 million), with most of the funding provided by local authorities, alongside contributions from the Serb Orthodox Church.
He highly praised the professionalism of local builders, specifying that Russian experts are only handling specialized tasks, such as coating the domes with titanium-nitride (modern gilding) and crafting the crosses.
- “The bell tower of the Russian-Serbian cathedral will be around 80 meters tall, making it the tallest structure in the city, aside from skyscrapers,” the architect emphasized.
Kapustin also noted that the cathedral will accommodate over 2,000 people and is situated in a central square in Banja Luka, near the Russian Cultural Center, administrative buildings, and the city’s stadium.
- “This will be a signature landmark of the city, the largest cathedral in Banja Luka, and even the largest in the country, as no churches of this scale have ever been built in Republika Srpska,” Kapustin stressed.
A century-old vision finally realized
Kapustin recalled that the idea of building a church in honor of the Romanov family emerged after their execution in 1918, with Banja Luka chosen as the location. However, due to wars and other national tragedies, the project was delayed for decades.
Nearly 100 years later, Metropolitan Jefrem, who has overseen the construction of about 400 churches, revived the initiative and reached out to the Moscow Architectural Institute.
Construction began in 2018, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attending the cornerstone consecration ceremony.
- “The project faced delays due to the pandemic and logistical challenges, but is now progressing rapidly,” the architect noted. He emphasized that Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik is closely monitoring the construction process, while Metropolitan Jefrem, despite pressure from the West to halt the project, remains unwavering in his commitment.
Kapustin, who has designed around 300 projects, considers the cathedral in Banja Luka to be one of the most fascinating.
He also revealed plans for another church on the Balkans, specifically in East Sarajevo, where a project for a church in honor of Alexander Nevsky has been approved.
- “The new church will be built in the Serb style, but with Russian architectural elements,” Kapustin added.
The location has already been selected, and organizational matters are being finalized, meaning construction could begin in about a year.
Source: RTRS
