Banja Luka and Kastel fortress

First stop was at Kastel Fortress. This is the oldest historical monument in Banja Luka. The first traces of settlements on the site of today's fortress date back to the Paleolithic era. It further developed through the Neolithic era, the Bronze Age, and the Roman conquest of the Illyrian territories. The fortress began to be built more intensively during the Turkish occupation and the reign of Ferhad Paša Sokolović (1574-1588), when the fortified arsenal grew into a real fortified city. During the Austro-Hungarian Turkish wars, Kastel gained more importance as an important geostrategic center.
Then a walk of the city centre, pictures of Banski Dvor - cultural center, Christ the Savior Orthodox Cathedral and the President of the Republika Srpska's Palace. Banja Luka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. It is also the de facto capital of this entity. It is the traditional centre of the densely forested Bosanska Krajina region of northwestern Bosnia, with a population of around 200,000. It had the appearance of a lovely relaxed city with plenty of shops and restaurants.Read more