Kneza Miloša 24–26, Belgrade, Serbia
The Palace of the Ministry of Forestry and Mining Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management, today the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is one of the most representative buildings constructed in Belgrade between the two world wars and is a cultural heritage site of Serbia.
The competition for the design plans of the new Ministry palace was completed on December 31, 1921, with construction planned on Miloš the Great Street. The competition was Yugoslav-wide and the first after World War I. The first prize of 30,000 dinars was unanimously awarded to the technical enterprise "architect" led by Milan Sekulić.
According to the project by architects Dragisa Brašovan and Nikola Nestorović in 1923, the building was constructed up to the first floor. Since the future appearance of the building was inspired by the traditional Serbian-Byzantine style, the Ministry of Construction decided to halt further construction to preserve the established stylistic unity of the atmosphere. Further design in 1926 was taken over by one of the most prominent representatives of the academic style in Serbia, architect of Russian origin Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov, who preserved the main form of the building and developed a new project for the facade and interiors. The building was completed in 1928. The government decided to focus on using academic forms in the construction of important public buildings in Belgrade. Until the completion of construction, architect Krasnov acted as the sole author of this building, one of the most outstanding in Belgrade. The refinement of the facades is achieved through a rhythmic row of windows, a prominent roof cornice and balustrades, rich facade decoration, and the accentuation of corner parts with luxurious domes. Sculptures and reliefs made of bronze and artificial stone, designed by renowned sculptors Dragomir Arambašić, Živojin Lukić, and Petar Palavičini, symbolize activities related to the work of the ministries housed in this building. The facade arrangement was overseen by architect Nikola Krasnov and sculptor George Jovanović. At the tops of the domes are depicted the symbols of the Forest and the Reaper, and on the facade—allegorical figures of animal husbandry, agriculture, and viticulture.
Sources:
https://photobuildings.com/object/255886/
https://beogradskonasledje.rs/kd/zavod/savski_venac/palata_ministarstva_suma_i_ruda.html
