Banja Luka

Overview

Banja Luka is the second-biggest city in Bosnia and the de facto capital of the Republika Srpska, but there's very little here to detain travellers for long. After Serbian nationalists systematically destroyed most of the city's historical and cultural heritage – including mosques, Catholic churches, a historical clock tower and various 16th-century buildings – a rather bland, soulless place was left. The 'ethnic cleansing' wasn't limited to the built heritage either; the Serbian population, which sat at around 50% before the war, is now around the 90% mark.