Minister Selaković announced the restoration of the National Library building on Kosančićevo venc, which was destroyed in the bombing on April 6, 1941. Traces of it show that it was exceptional
Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic he announced that he would Kosančić's wreath, where it was destroyed on April 6, 1941 in the bombing of Belgrade National Library, to be a building for the digital department of the National Library of Serbia. It will be, he specified, "the restoration of the old headquarters, the building that should testify that they did not kill our culture."
He is convinced, he said, that it will be "significantly before the celebration of the bicentennial of the National Library of Serbia", meaning in six years.
Vapa's building
The sketch of the architect Branko Tanazević from June 1920 "Change in the plan for the reconstruction of the cardboard factory building of Mr. Milan Vapa, Kosančićev venac No. 14", which is kept in the Historical Archive of Belgrade, will be the clue on the basis of which the reconstruction of the National Library in Kosančićev venac will be done.
Namely, it can be said that the building of that library was created thanks to the famous industrialist Milan Vapa. As written in Dejan Ristić's book The house of incombustible words about the life of the National Library of Serbia from 1838 to 1941. Before 1920, Milan Vapa bought a plot of land on Kosančićevo venc where a smaller building was located, in order to establish a paper production process there after the extension.
The project of adaptation and extension of the building was made by the architect Branko Tanazević. Just before it was to be completed, the state bought the added building from Vapa and moved the National Library into it.
Dejan Ristić writes that the building was built in a neoclassical spirit. "The facade was oriented towards Kosančićev venc, while the long wing of the building was facing Srebrenička Street. On the front facade, two side symmetrical risalites stood out, and on the ground floor, in the middle, a square portico was added, which was also the support of the terrace. The terrace on the first floor, with a brick balustrade and beautiful brickwork, was supported by Tuscan columns placed in pairs, four on the right and on the left entrance".
"The building was richly decorated with facade plastic with classical motifs. On the ground floor, the windows were decorated with balustrades, consoles and relief fields in the skylight". He goes on to say that "the corners of the facade on the ground floor and on the first floor were decorated with double lisene, decorative imitations of columns in shallow relief, which on the ground floor ended with Corinthian capitals, and on the first floor with ceramic elements of striking zoomorphic motifs and female neoclassical faces that were repeated along the entire facade."
In the central rooms were the author's and subject catalogs of the library, the reading room and the official rooms. They were reached by the solemn marble stairs that led from the entrance to the building. The entire space was heated by a central stove. The reading room and the office space were equipped with electric lighting, which enabled the work of the national library even in the evening hours.
Tomić writes to Pribićević
On April 6, 1921, the historian, academician and librarian of the National Library, Jovan N. Tomić, sent a detailed initiative to the Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Svetozar Pribićević, "to purchase the building at Kosančićev Venac No. 12 in Belgrade, then owned by the prominent industrialist Milan Vapa, which was in the final stages of adaptation and extension, for the purpose of permanently housing the National Library."
Addressing Minister Pribićević, Tomić pointed out that "The National Library is undoubtedly among the largest cultural institutions in the Kingdom, in terms of the value of its preserved objects and in terms of the task it performs [...] In order to preserve its precious property, arrange it and put it on the one hand for people of science and on the other hand for young people who should like scientific work, as well as the general public, who feel the need for books, it is necessary for the National Library to get a premises with premises where this can be achieved". it is written in the book The house of incombustible words.
Tomić's description of the building
In a letter to the minister, Tomić emphasized the possibility of immediately getting to the building "happening to be completely suited to its needs".
This letter from Jovan N. Tomić to Minister Pribićević is also a clue about the appearance of the National Library building on Kosančićevo venc.
Tomić states that "the building has a basement under the entire house, visible, completely dry, lined with wooden paneling at a height of 1,50 meters. A part of the basement is occupied by a steam heating machine, and all other space is free and usable for multiple library purposes. The ground floor has a room of very large dimensions: for a reading room with 200 seats, which occupies the entire width of the facade, and for a 23-meter-long warehouse."
On the first floor, there is a smaller and unusually suitable room for special studies (Salle d`Etudes), in addition to seven spacious rooms for offices and collections and a spacious warehouse, again 23 meters long.
On the second floor (attic) one spacious hall and eleven rooms.
The building is almost completely insulated. Electric lighting is carried through the walls and completely insulated. Hydrants are installed in all parts of the building. All rooms have central heating with heat regulators.
The basement and ground floor, as well as the ground floor and first floor are separated by floors with iron supports and concrete. In this way, the floors can withstand very large loads.
There will be two cranes in the building for heavier items, in addition to the small ones in the warehouses, which will be used to transfer items with the greatest ease.
The floors on the ground floor are made of majolica, and parquet on the upper floors.
Security was provided against burglary: in the basement with very strong iron bars; in floors with movable shutters in sweat. In addition to double windows, they also serve to protect the room from external dust."
At a lower price
Tomić emphasized that the owner wanted to sell the building on Kosančićevo venc to the state at a lower price, since he planned to concentrate his business activities related to the production of paper between Topčiderski Road and the Sava River, where he had begun the construction of the factory.
Let's remind you, now it is a building that will house the Nikola Tesla Museum after the reconstruction. In January of last year, the first prize was awarded to the project of the British architectural studio Zaha Hadid Architects and the domestic Bureau Cube Partners at the International Competition for the architectural and urban conceptual design of the new Nikola Tesla Museum in the building of the former Milan Vapa Paper Factory.
The Minister of Education replied to Tomić after only two days that he was sending a commission to investigate all of this.
Letter from Milan Vapa
On July 10, Milan Vapa sent a letter to the Minister of Education, in which he informed him about some other details related to the building, which may be useful during the future reconstruction of that building, as well as the price and deadlines for its purchase.
"At the beginning of his address, Vapa informed the minister that, at the request of the National Library, 'more out of patriotic reasons', he agreed to cede the building to it. He also pointed out that the building was built thoroughly and very luxuriously, that central heating and sewage were installed, that chandeliers, lamps together with light bulbs were installed, and that all the necessary hygienic conditions were provided. The owner emphasized that he was willing to cede the building exclusively for the needs of the National Library, and for the amount of 3.250.000,00 dinars, leaving the Ministry only fifteen days to accept this offer," Dejan Ristić writes in the book.
Acting on the request of Minister Pribićević, the Ministerial Council of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes adopted a decision to make an additional 3.500.000,00 dinars available to the Ministry of Education for the purchase of a building for the needs of the National Library.
On September 22, 1921, the National Library officially took over the building at Kosančićevo venac no. 12. She was there until April 6, 1941.
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