RADETIĆ TOWER IN PRIJEDOR DECLARED A CULTURAL MONUMENT

The Government of Republika Srpska has declared Radetić Tower in Prijedor a cultural monument, designating it an immovable cultural asset of great importance.

PHOTO: Google Street View

The decision establishes the boundaries of the protected area and measures for preserving the historic building, which has been deemed unusable and unsafe, requiring urgent restoration.

The decision was adopted at a Government session held on September 18, 2026. The total protected area covers 1,989.74 square metres.

Located at 9 Kralja Petra I Oslobodioca Street, the building is privately owned by members of the Radetić family.

A HISTORIC VILLA BUILT IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY

Radetić Tower was built between 1883 and 1885 for Wilhelm von Reitz, the first district commissioner of Prijedor. It was originally designed as a detached villa within an estate later acquired by the Radetić family, a prominent local merchant family, towards the end of the 19th century.

According to the official description, the complex consists of a single-storey house with an irregular square-shaped floor plan and a two-storey annex on its southeastern side, designed as a square tower.

The house features a raised ground floor and a habitable attic beneath a steeply pitched gable roof. The tower is topped by an enclosed roof terrace that serves as a viewing platform.

The architecture combines Romantic and Neoclassical elements, reflecting the modernisation of Prijedor, the development of local architecture and the influence of Central European artistic trends in the late 19th century.

URGENT STRUCTURAL RESTORATION NEEDED

Minor restoration work was carried out during the 1980s, when the building was still inhabited. However, it has not been in regular use since the 1990s.

Moisture and temperature fluctuations have caused visible damage to the walls and floor structures. Exposure to weather and unauthorised use have further accelerated the deterioration of the interior.

According to the Government's decision, the original artistic unity of the interior has been permanently lost.

The building has been assessed as unfit for use and unsafe. Urgent intervention and structural stabilisation are necessary to prevent further deterioration and the loss of its historical and cultural value.

POTENTIAL FOR CULTURE, EDUCATION AND TOURISM

The prescribed conservation measures require the preservation of the building's existing exterior appearance, overall dimensions, original materials, decorative features, and architectural and functional characteristics.

Any surviving original interior elements must also be preserved, while technical and technological upgrades may be introduced provided they are compatible with the building's heritage value.

The decision allows the introduction of new uses related to culture, education, tourism and other activities that do not compromise the monument's significance.

Additional measures include regular monitoring and maintenance, landscaping, the preservation of decorative greenery, the installation of information signs and architectural lighting, and the introduction of fire protection systems.

STRICT RULES TO PROTECT THE MONUMENT

The inner protection zone covers 643.85 square metres, while the outer zone extends over 1,345.89 square metres.

Works that could jeopardise the tower's structural stability, authenticity or historical and cultural characteristics are prohibited. Extensions and additional storeys are also forbidden, except for works intended to restore the building to its authentic condition in accordance with the original design and subject to approval by the competent heritage protection authority.

The installation of utility connection boxes, cabinets and air-conditioning units on the façades is not permitted.

Within the outer protection zone, the construction or placement of permanent and temporary structures that could threaten the monument through their size, appearance or purpose is prohibited. Construction work, changes to the terrain and land use that could adversely affect the protected cultural asset are also restricted.

All interventions must be supported by the required documentation, expert opinions, technical conservation measures and approvals. Work on the building itself must be carried out under the supervision of the competent heritage protection authority.

The decision will enter into force on the eighth day after its publication in the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska.