Mihajlo Jancović

Mihajlo Janković was one of the most important representatives of post-war Yugoslav architecture and made a great contribution to the reconstruction of Beograd (Belgrade). In 1936 he graduated from the Faculty of Technology in Beograd with a degree in architecture. After working in the military construction offices, Janković founded his own studio “Stadion”, which he managed until his death in 1976. His projects for sports stadiums, such as Stadium JNA and Stadium “Tašmajdan,” deserve special mention. His major projects for the state and the Communist Party, including the Palace of the Federation and the Palace of the Central Committee of the SKJ, earned him the unofficial title of the “Palace Architect” of the Tito regime, although Janković never became a member of the party. His style was modern and internationally recognized. Janković’s father was also an architect.

The Partizan Stadium is a football and athletics stadium in Beograd, originally named JNA Stadium (Stadium of the Yugoslav People’s Army). Mihajlo Janković and Kosta Popović were still little known as architects, and it came as a surprise when they were awarded the contract. They followed the principles of functionalism. Construction of the stadium began in 1948, and it was officially opened in the following year with an international football match between Yugoslavia and France. It was not completed, however, until 1951. The stadium originally had a capacity of about 55,000 spectators. After renovation, it was reduced to about 30,000 seats due to new security regulations. The pitch measures 105 x 70 meters and the stands have 30 rows of seats with 30 entrances for spectators.