Today marks 73 years since the death of one of the most significant architects of Sarajevo, whose name is connected with even 117 projects in B&H.
It is about Karlo Parzik, a man who designed, among other things, a National Museum in Sarajevo, the National Theater in Sarajevo, Marijin dvor, the City Hall, Hotel Europe, Faculty of Law, a National Bank /together with Josip Vancas), Academy of Fine Arts etc.
Parzik also designed following attractions: Synagogue in Sarajevo, the Church of St. Joseph in Sarajevo (the last object he designed), the Shariah Law School in Sarajevo (Museum of the city of Sarajevo/ Faculty of Islamic Studies), the new Catholic church of the assumption of virgin Mary in Olovo, Bishop’s palace in Mostar, the Catholic church of Sacred Heart in Brcko, the Catholic church of the assumption of virgin Mary on Stup etc.
Parzik was born on 4th July 1857 in the village Velis in Czech Republic. He graduated the Construction high school in Czech Republic, and in 1878 he entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Wiena, more precisely, a Special school for architecture, led by an architect Theophil von Hansen.
He came to Sarajevo in 1883, and in the next 60 years lefta permanent mark on the city, but the entire country as well, during the time of Austro-Hungarian occupation. He also constructed in Dalmatia, Zagreb and Beograd, but the most of “himself“, he left in the capital of B&H. He advocated the preservation of the historical part of the city, and proposed a construction of new settlements from Kosevo towards the Sarajevo field.
It is assumed that he arrived to Sarajevo after urging of his friend Josip Vancs, also a significant name in the field of Sarajevo architecture. Together they designed a Waqf palace, and it is assumed that he was helping him at other objects, among which the Cathedral of Sacred Heart is the most famous.
Parzik is one of the three fathers of Sarajevo City Hall. He created its first preliminary design (1892) but Benjamin Kalaj, the Minister of Finance at that time, was not satisfied with Parzik’s idea, and Parzik didn’t want to approve amendments, so other Czech, Alexander Wittek, took the job.
(Source: radiosarajevo.ba)
