This year’s medals have arrived! Take a look!
Dear runners, this year the medals of the 8th Subotica Half Marathon will feature the building of the former Savings Bank. This building stands in the city centre at Korzo 4 and is one of the most important examples of Hungarian Art Nouveau in Subotica. It was built in 1907 to a design by the renowned Budapest architects Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, who also designed the City Hall and the Synagogue.
The building was constructed in the Art Nouveau spirit with elements of folk art, which is especially visible on the richly decorated façade. The façade is adorned with glazed ceramics from Pécs, with floral and symbolic motifs characteristic of this artistic movement. The building has a corner layout, which at the time was an innovative architectural approach in the city’s urban planning. Particular attention is drawn by the façade figures of a squirrel, a bee and an owl, which symbolically referred to the core values of the savings bank: diligence, thrift and wisdom.
Originally, the building was erected for what was then the only bank in this part of the city. The ground floor was intended for business premises and a restaurant, while the upper floors housed flats for tenants. Over the years the building changed users and purposes, but its architectural significance has remained unchanged.
Today the building is protected as a cultural monument, but its condition has varied over time. In previous years initiatives were launched to renovate and restore the façade, but the works were slowed down by the pandemic and limited budget funds. The City of Subotica still plans to apply for funding so that the building can be fully restored.
The former Savings Bank building is not only one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Subotica, but also an important witness to the city’s development at the beginning of the 20th century. As part of the urban core, it still attracts the attention of visitors and passers-by with its artistic value and historical significance.
If you want to run through the history of Subotica, register for the 8th Subotica Half Marathon here! We are waiting for you!