{"id":3230,"date":"2025-01-28T00:55:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T00:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/2025\/01\/28\/karadordevs-home-in-raca-view-from-two-angles\/"},"modified":"2025-02-04T13:32:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T13:32:34","slug":"karadordevs-home-in-raca-view-from-two-angles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/karadordevs-home-in-raca-view-from-two-angles\/","title":{"rendered":"Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home in Ra\u010da: A View from Two Perspectives"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong> was completed in 1933<\/strong> in the \u0160umadija town of Ra\u010da<\/strong>, it was described as: \u201c\u2026this monumental building, the largest in \u0160umadija, is meant to serve as a humble tribute to the great deeds and merits of Vo\u017ed Kara\u0111or\u0111e.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Nearly a century has passed since then<\/strong>, yet Ra\u010da has not seen the rise of another structure that could rival it<\/strong>, nor has \u0160umadija as a whole<\/strong> fared much better in this regard. The building proudly bears the name of the man who first led the Serbs into their fight for liberation from the Ottomans<\/strong>, the same man we remember every Sretenje (Candlemas), when both the anniversary of the First Serbian Uprising and Serbia\u2019s Statehood Day are commemorated<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

On this occasion, we step away from the capital to introduce you to Ra\u010da\u2019s very own palace<\/strong>, built just seven kilometers from Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s birthplace<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And yes, as you might have guessed, the reasons for writing about this topic are quite personal<\/strong>\u2014and not solely related to Kara\u0111or\u0111e<\/strong>. Jovana<\/strong>, co-author of the blog Slike i prilike<\/em>, grew up<\/strong> and lived until university<\/strong> in a family home just fifty meters from Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Additionally, this building was the subject of her first major research project<\/strong> during her undergraduate studies<\/strong>. In the following sections, she shares both her personal connection to this landmark<\/strong> and the history of its construction<\/strong>, along with its architectural characteristics<\/strong>, which remain a significant part of the architectural heritage of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Postcard with the motif of Kara\u0111or\u0111e’s house immediately after construction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Closer Look: Jovana on Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/h3>\n

I will always remember my first-year art history lectures<\/strong>, particularly when our professor would emphasize how architecture influences people<\/strong>, not just in their daily moods<\/strong> but in the very formation of their character<\/strong>. He would often say:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Imagine living in Athens, seeing the white Pentelic marble of the Parthenon every day against the blue Mediterranean sky… Of course, that would have an effect on you!”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

This made me wonder\u2014what did I grow up seeing every day?<\/strong> What was my own architectural backdrop<\/strong>? And I must say, I found the answer satisfying<\/strong>\u2014it may not have been the Parthenon<\/strong>, but the towers of Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong> against the \u0160umadija sky<\/strong> have always seemed majestic<\/strong> to me.<\/p>\n

Even though it was always there<\/strong>, just within reach<\/strong>, I only entered the building a few times<\/strong>. For years, it housed the local elementary school<\/strong>, and as a child, I had no reason to go inside<\/strong>. I still vividly remember<\/strong> my excitement the first time I stepped in<\/strong>\u2014it was during an election in the mid-1990s<\/strong>, and my parents took me to their polling station inside Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A year or two before I started school<\/strong>, the elementary school moved to a new building<\/strong>, leaving the Home vacant<\/strong>. However, in 1999, during the NATO bombing<\/strong>, it found a new purpose<\/strong>\u2014housing refugees from Kosovo and Metohija<\/strong>. Originally built as a home for orphaned children after World War I<\/strong>, it once again fulfilled its role as a shelter<\/strong>, this time for dozens of families<\/strong> who spent the next fifteen years<\/strong> living there, albeit in extremely difficult conditions<\/strong>. Over time, this took a toll<\/strong> on the building, leading to its gradual deterioration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Today, the Home stands abandoned<\/strong>, dark and awaiting a new purpose<\/strong>. At times, it resembles a haunted castle from a Gothic novel<\/strong>, yet I can assure you it still inspires awe<\/strong> in those seeing it for the first time<\/strong>\u2014and even in those of us who have missed it after being away for too long<\/strong>. If you ask me, it remains dignified and imposing<\/strong>, like an aged man with time-worn lines on his face<\/strong>, yet one who refuses to give in<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

At the end of this first part, I must admit\u2014my professor was right<\/strong> when he spoke about the power of architecture<\/strong>. Especially in Ra\u010da<\/strong>, a small town<\/strong> with few notable architectural landmarks<\/strong>, but one constant presence\u2014Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Even after thorough archival research<\/strong>, I still haven\u2019t unraveled all the mysteries<\/strong> of its construction and architectural design<\/strong>, and perhaps that\u2019s for the best. In a way, it will always remain the object of my gaze\u2014both personal and academic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But what I truly wanted to say has already been expressed far better<\/strong> by Me\u0161a Selimovi\u0107<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“That is everything\u2014to return. From one point on earth, to yearn, to set out, and to return again. Without that point of attachment, you would love neither it nor the world beyond it; you would have no place from which to begin, because you would belong nowhere. And yet, if you had only that place, you would also be nowhere\u2014for then, you would not think of it, not yearn, not love. And that is not good. You must think, you must yearn, you must love…”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

And when I return<\/strong>, I often translate that feeling into an image<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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A Distant View: The History of Its Construction and Architectural Interpretation<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The idea of erecting a monument to Kara\u0111or\u0111e<\/strong> in the region of his birthplace<\/strong> emerged shortly after the end of World War I<\/strong>. According to some accounts, the initial plan was to build a figurative monument<\/strong> in the village of Vi\u0161evac<\/strong>. This idea was proposed by local teacher Jovan Jovanovi\u0107 \u2013 Kajafa<\/strong>, along with school supervisor and patriotic poet Dragoljub J. Filipovi\u0107<\/strong>, and prominent Vi\u0161evac resident Milan Jovanovi\u0107<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, Ra\u010da\u2019s banker and industrialist Antonije \u017divanovi\u0107<\/strong> proposed an alternative solution<\/strong>\u2014instead of a statue<\/strong>, they would construct a memorial building<\/strong> that would serve as a cultural and educational center for the entire region<\/strong>. The decision was revised in favor of this proposal<\/strong>, and Ra\u010da was chosen as the location<\/strong>, primarily for practical reasons<\/strong> that would facilitate the construction process<\/strong>, but possibly also due to certain disagreements among the villagers of Vi\u0161evac and the project\u2019s initiators<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

On Petrovdan (St. Peter\u2019s Day) 1921<\/strong>, the aforementioned school supervisor<\/strong>, better known as Fi\u0107a<\/strong>, presented the idea of a “home that would serve as an eternal monument to Kara\u0111or\u0111e”<\/strong> to the people of Ra\u010da<\/strong>, who enthusiastically welcomed the proposal<\/strong>. Shortly afterward, a committee was formed<\/strong> to oversee the construction efforts.<\/p>\n

The building process began before 1925<\/strong>, but progress was slow<\/strong>. To accelerate the work<\/strong>, parliament member Dragi\u0161a Mateji\u0107<\/strong> was asked to establish a central committee in Belgrade<\/strong> to raise additional funds<\/strong> for this monumental project<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Although the largest donation<\/strong> came from the royal couple, King Alexander and Queen Maria Kara\u0111or\u0111evi\u0107<\/strong>, more funding was still needed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

An article in the newspaper Pravda<\/strong>, published on December 9, 1933<\/strong>, covering the building\u2019s consecration ceremony<\/strong>, stated that the construction of Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home cost 3 million dinars<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

By 1932<\/strong>, all construction work, including the interior decoration, was completed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The official opening and consecration<\/strong> of the building took place on December 8, 1933<\/strong>, on the feast day of Saint Kliment of Ohrid<\/strong>, which was Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s patron saint’s day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The layout of Kara\u0111or\u0111e’s house according to the unadopted project of arch. Dragisa Bra\u0161ova (Politika, May 24, 1927)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Due to the incomplete preservation<\/strong> of architectural and archival records<\/strong> related to the design process<\/strong> of Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong>, we still cannot definitively determine<\/strong> whose blueprint shaped the building as we see it today<\/strong>. However, certain hypotheses exist<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The first name mentioned<\/strong> in this context is the little-known architect Vlada Simi\u0107<\/strong>, whose project was accepted by the Construction Committee<\/strong> but apparently rejected by the Ministry of Construction<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A design proposal<\/strong> by the renowned architect Dragi\u0161a Bra\u0161ovan<\/strong>, though ultimately not executed<\/strong>, is known from a 1927 article in Politika<\/strong>, which described the plan as:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe building is designed in the Serbian-Byzantine style, featuring four towers, inspired by old Serbian palaces\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

The design that most closely resembles<\/strong> the completed structure is the one by Du\u0161an Milevi\u0107<\/strong>, preserved in the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Kragujevac<\/strong>. However, even this plan does not fully match<\/strong> the existing building<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The involvement of multiple architects<\/strong> suggests a deliberate effort<\/strong> to align the building\u2019s appearance with the ideological climate<\/strong> of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia<\/strong>, particularly after the January 6th Dictatorship<\/strong>, when the monarchy proclaimed the ideology of integral Yugoslavism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The rejection of the Serbian-Byzantine style<\/strong> led to the adoption of a more neutral historicist form<\/strong>, which blended authentic local traditions with a universalist architectural approach<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the case of Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong>, notable features include its four towers<\/strong> and central projection<\/strong>, topped with crenellated rooflines<\/strong>, a reinterpretation of medieval architectural elements<\/strong>. The entire structure evokes the image of a military fortress<\/strong>, likely alluding to Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s town in Topola<\/strong>, reinforcing the notion that this was a monument to a “hero of the sword”<\/strong>\u2014a man who, in the words of parliament member Milan \u017divanovi\u0107<\/strong>,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026raised the banner of freedom and laid the foundations of today\u2019s great Yugoslavia.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

The framing of Kara\u0111or\u0111e<\/strong> as the \u201cfather of the national and state freedom of the South Slavs\u201d<\/strong> permeated both public discourse and historiography<\/strong> throughout the First Yugoslavia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The invention of tradition<\/strong> was intended to overcome the deepening divisions<\/strong> among South Slavic nations<\/strong>, which grew more pronounced in the 1930s<\/strong>. This may explain the decision to abandon the Serbian-Byzantine style<\/strong>, even though the building stands in the heart of \u0160umadija<\/strong>, in favor of forms reminiscent of Vienna\u2019s Arsenal<\/strong> or the Miramare Castle near Trieste<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Photos from the inauguration ceremony of Kara\u0111or\u0111e’s house, (Vreme, 9 December 1933)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The final phase<\/strong> of the construction of Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong> culminated in a grand consecration ceremony<\/strong> and its official inauguration<\/strong> on Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s feast day<\/strong>. By this time, the building was already in use<\/strong>, welcoming orphans from across the Danube Banovina<\/strong>, but the ceremony was deliberately scheduled for this date<\/strong> to elevate the cult of Kara\u0111or\u0111e to its highest level<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The celebration began with a memorial service for the \u201cimmortal Vo\u017ed\u201d<\/strong> at the old cemetery church in Ra\u010da<\/strong>, believed to be the place where Kara\u0111or\u0111e was baptized<\/strong> (although this church was actually built ten years after his death<\/strong>, there are indications that an older wooden church<\/strong> once stood on the same site). Despite the existence of a new church in Ra\u010da at the time<\/strong>, choosing the older site for the service<\/strong> was a symbolic act<\/strong>, further reinforcing Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s deep connection<\/strong> to this region.<\/p>\n

The ceremony continued at Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong>, attended by numerous state officials<\/strong>, including the king\u2019s envoy, the Ban of the Danube Banovina, and other high-ranking dignitaries<\/strong>. The event featured speeches celebrating the successful completion of the project<\/strong>, and the local choir \u201cFilip Vi\u0161nji\u0107\u201d<\/strong> enriched the gathering with a musical performance<\/strong>. In the evening, a festive celebration for the local people<\/strong> was held at the Hotel Europa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The construction and consecration of Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home<\/strong> serve as an example of how history evolves into myth<\/strong>, demonstrating the need to view the past through the lens of identity<\/strong>. Myth is a cultural construct<\/strong> that profoundly influences both the present and the future<\/strong>. By housing the orphans of those who perished in the wars between 1912 and 1918<\/strong>, Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home functioned both as a monument to the founder of the ruling dynasty<\/strong> and as a tribute to all fallen soldiers and civilians<\/strong> of the Balkan Wars and World War I<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

As a humanitarian and educational institution of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia<\/strong>, Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home remained operational until September 1941<\/strong>, when World War II brought about new changes. During the war, the building was repurposed as a civilian school for war orphans<\/strong>. In 1945<\/strong>, it became a gymnasium<\/strong>, and in 1957<\/strong>, a school of agriculture<\/strong>. After the agricultural school was relocated to a new building in 1960<\/strong>, Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home was repurposed once again<\/strong>, this time as an elementary school<\/strong>, which has since carried Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s name<\/strong>, as it still does today<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home stands as a reminder of who we once were\u2014but also of who we can become again.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Kara\u0111or\u0111e\u2019s Home was completed in 1933 in the \u0160umadija town of Ra\u010da, it was described as: \u201c\u2026this monumental building, the largest in \u0160umadija, is meant to serve as a humble tribute to the great deeds and merits of Vo\u017ed Kara\u0111or\u0111e.\u201d Nearly a century has passed since then, yet Ra\u010da has not seen the rise […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3230"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3439,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3230\/revisions\/3439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umetnickifaktor.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}