The Army Headquarters Building, also known as the Stone Palace and the Baumgarten's Palace, is located in Serbia, in Belgrade at 33 Kneza Miloša street. It was built in the period from 1924 to 1928 after the design of the architect, Russian immigrant, Vasily Wilhelm Baumgarten. This monumental and decorative building represents one of the best examples of public buildings erected in Belgrade in the period between two World Wars in the style of academism. After the Second World War in the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, it was the used as the headquarters of the Yugoslav People's Army. Since 1984 the building has been under the protection of the country and has the status of cultural monument.
History
The period between two wars in Belgrade was marked by the erection of a large number of private and public buildings. In this period, the buildings were designed according to the academic concept, as monumental buildings with the symmetrical scheme of the basis, with tall columns and pilasters and other elements which represent the reminiscence to the historical styles, first of all classicism. In the late 19th century Europe the architecture of historical styles, which prevailed in the European architecture, underwent its transformation reflecting in the looser application of these styles. In Europe and in our country, the state institutions and rich investors played the important role in promotion of the architecture of historical styles. The monumental and decorative architecture were used to emphasize the power and the social position so the state and public buildings were built in this style, which became official. Technical High Schools and the Academies in the European centres contributed to the conformation and accreditation of the academic architecture based on the eclecticism as the style accepted by the state. Certain types of public buildings followed the established scheme and only individuals managed to achieve progress in creative and any other sense. Right in the period between the two wars, Belgrade begins to spread intensively. Monumental architectural masterpieces represented the confirmation and some kind of materialization of the new social reality created after the announcement of the Kingdom. After the First World War in Belgrade, the concentration of state administration made it political and administrative centre of the entire Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. One after the other, the buildings of the state ministries were built in the Kneza Miloša Street and each subsequent building was bigger and more expensive than the previous one.
When built, it was one of the most modern buildings in Europe compared to similar buildings intended for the Army Headquarters. In 1937 The Stone Palace was declared the most beautiful building in Belgrade. Nowadays, this palace represents an important cultural and historical monument. It spreads on 9.543 m² of useful area. One of the most representative halls in Serbia is in the building. It is the famous Grand War Hall, located on the mezzanine of the palace, in the room 49. Important state decisions were made in that hall, ceremonious army balls were organized, and the Government sessions were held. The interior of the Grand Hall represents an authentic masterpiece, with magnificent columns, above which there was a gallery with arch openings, where sometimes, if it was necessary, a choir was standing. The Stone Palace, that is, the Army Headquarters Building of Yugoslav Royal Army was one of the few buildings that Germans did not hit during the April bombing of Belgrade in 1941, although one of the first bombs fell only few metres from it, on the former building of the Ministry of War.
Architect
When it was erected, the Former Army Headquarters Building was one of the most monumental and most expensive buildings. The architect, Vasily Baumgarten, realized many other important works, especially in the period between the mid-twenties and mid-thirties. Along with the Army Headquarters Building, which remains his central work, he also designed the Russian House in Queen Natalija Street, the palace of the Officers' Club in Skoplje (destroyed in the 1963 earthquake), and the building of the Officers' Club in Bitolj.