Abstract

The Seranic family house is located in the Gornji Seher district of Banjaluka (Geographic coordinates: 44º44'54.98''N, 17º09'30.93''E, Elevation: 165 m). The Seranic family was a well-known bey family in the city of Banjaluka. In 1580, this family started building the first house on this site. The house, in accordance with the economic status of the family, was built as a rich town house of the oriental type in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It had a garden, a richly decorated house yard ('avlija'), a spacious spatial organization with a public zone ('selamluk') and a private zone ('haremluk'). The premises were richly decorated, both in the treatment of surfaces (floors, walls and ceilings) and in the equipment in them. Considering the location (springs of topple water), the house also had a specially arranged building, a house spa ('hauz'), located in the avlika. Apart from the owner of the house, the spa ('hauz') was also used by the neighbors. The house of the Seranic family, which is located next to the Vrbas river itself, is the most representative example of an oriental-type town house in Banjaluka. At the beginning of the 20th century, the house was divided between two families (descendants of the 'basic' family) when, due to its adaptation to new needs, it lost much of its authenticity.