Castles of Serbia

Timok Youth Centre

Zaječar

The old house that belonged to Dušan Jovanović is located in September 7th Street in Zaječar, and today it serves as the Timok Youth Centre, where numerous cultural events and concerts take place, i.e. this is a “cult” place of Zaječar culture.

The building was erected in the 1920s in the neoclassical style. It is a two-storey building with an attic, which is located at the intersection of two streets, and has a third facade, the lateral one, where the main entrance is located. Yellow ochre is its colour, with white prominent decorative elements. Upstairs there is a large terrace overlooking the street, and from this we conclude that it is the main facade, although the building is quite symmetrical. On the terrace there are four pillars of indefinite style. Another small terrace is located on the side facade. The attic also has an approach to the main facade with a terrace and balustrades, and is also decorated with a gable reminiscent of Austrian and German classicist gables.

There is an oriental influence from the courtyard side, since the long porch on the first floor is decorated with wooden pillars and ornaments typical of simplified sezession with reminiscences of the Ottoman style. The fence is also wooden but simple, without decorations.

Most of the building on the first floor is not in use. In one portion there is a youth centre, behind it there is a Youth cafe with a garden, which is an integral part of the Centre. It is possible to enter the part of the building that has a purpose. The building is in satisfactory condition, but it needs a milder renovation. It was reconstructed when the Youth Centre was opened, 2009-2010. Before the reconstruction, it was dark red in colour and quite crumbling.

This project was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.