Banski dvori is the name of the historical building on the west side of St. Mark's Square

St. Mark's Square, Zagreb

St. Mark's Square is a square located in the old part of Zagreb, Croatia, called Gradec or Gornji grad .In the center of square is located St. Mark's Church. The square also sports important governmental buildings: Banski dvori , Croatian Parliament and Constitutional Court of Croatia. On the...

 in Zagreb

Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...

, Croatia

Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

. It is the historical official residence

Official residence

An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...

 of the Croatian Bans

Ban of Croatia

Ban of Croatia was the title of local rulers and after 1102 viceroys of Croatia. From earliest periods of Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Bans as a rulers representative and supreme military commander. In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in...

, who where the Croatian Viceroy

Viceroy

A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...

s after 1102. Currently, this building is occupied by the Government of Croatia

Government of Croatia

The Government of the Republic of Croatia , commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government , is the main element of the executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government , commonly abbreviated to premier...

.

History

The Banski dvori is a long, two-story baroque

Baroque

The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...

 building that was built by ban Ignjat Đulaj

Ignaz Gyulai

Ignaz Gyulai von Máros-Nemeth und Nádaska, Ignácz Gyulay, Ignác Gyulay, or Ignjat Đulaj born 11 September 1763 – died 11 November 1831, joined the army of Habsburg Austria, fought against Ottoman Turkey, and became a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars. From 1806 he held the...

 (Ignatius Gyulay) in first half of 19th century.

The building was the residence of Croatian bans

Ban (title)

Ban was a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.-Etymology:The word ban has entered the English language probably as a borrowing from South Slavic ban, meaning "lord, master; ruler". The Slavic word is probably borrowed from...

 from 1809 until 1918, hence the name banski dvori which means "palace of the ban".

In time of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 in Independent State of Croatia

Independent State of Croatia

The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...

 (1941-1945) it served as office of Poglavnik Ante Pavelić

Ante Pavelic

Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...

 and it was called Poglavnikovi dvori (Poglavnik's Residence).

During SFR Yugoslavia (1945–1991) it was the official residence of the Presidency of Socialist Republic of Croatia

Socialist Republic of Croatia

Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...

.

In May 1990 it became the official residence of Croatian government

Government of Croatia

The Government of the Republic of Croatia , commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government , is the main element of the executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government , commonly abbreviated to premier...

.

On October 7, 1991 Banski dvori were damaged in a large explosion

Bombing of Banski dvori

The Bombing of Banski dvori was a Yugoslav People's Army air strike on Banski dvori, the official residence of the Government of Croatia in Zagreb, on 7 October 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence....

. It was later attributed to the Yugoslav People's Army

Yugoslav People's Army

The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...

 which shot rockets at the building, trying to hit Franjo Tuđman, the newly elected president of Croatia, Stipe Mesić, the president of Presidency of Yugoslavia, and Ante Marković

Ante Markovic

Ante Marković was a statesman of the former Yugoslavia. He was the last prime minister of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.- Early life :...

, the Yugoslav prime-minister, yet all of them were lucky to survive. The day after that, the Parliament of Croatia

Parliament of Croatia

The Parliament of Croatia or the Sabor is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and legislature of the country. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, represents the people and is vested with the legislative power...

 declared independence, and this date is currently commemorated as a public holiday in Croatia.

In 1992, the President of Croatia

President of Croatia

The President of Croatia , officially styled the President of the Republic represents the Republic of Croatia in the country and abroad as the head of state, maintains the regular and coordinated operation and stability of the national government system, and safeguards the independence and...

 moved its residence to the Presidential Palace, Zagreb

Presidential Palace, Zagreb

The Presidential Palace in Zagreb is the official residence of the President of Croatia. The president does not actually live in the building as it is used to house the Office of the President of Croatia rather than as a residence. The structure covers and in 2009 government budget, it was...

 (at Pantovčak

Pantovcak

Pantovčak is a neighborhood in Zagreb, Croatia. Its formal location is the Gornji Grad - Medveščak city district. The Pantovčak street runs from the Britanski trg near Ilica towards Medvednica, ending at Šestinski vijenac . The neighbourhood is officially referred to as "Dr...

).

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