The massive structure of the Tatra Bank palace has been designed by M. M. Harminc in classicist spirit. In the space planning and decoration, however, he did not hesitate to use even baroque and art-nouveau elements. Authority of the institution seated in this house was no doubt reiterated in the symmetry of the facade, with a pair of pilasters topped with neo-classical statues by Jan Koniarek. The ground floor and the first floor was originally occupied by the bank administration. The central part of these spaces was absorbed by a generous, two-torey high open hall with a skylight above. Through this hall respective bank departments were accessed. The architect located the apartments at the upper storeys of the palace. Leasable street level was occupied by three smaller vendors. One of them, a fashion outlet Zinsenheim, was designed to fit in 1936 by architect Josef Konrad. Extensive basement spaces of the palace were taken up by bank vaults and a movie theatre with a sublime art-nouveau ceramic decoration.
Bibliography:
Milan Michal Harminc 1869 – 1964. Katalóg výstavy. Ed. Klára Kubičková a Anna Zajková. Bratislava, GAUUDI – SNG 1991, nestránkované, 42 s. (tu s. 14 – 15).
TORAN, Eduard: Architekt Milan Michal Harminc. In: Z novších výtvarných dejín Slovenska. Súbor štúdií a materiálov. Ed. Ladislav Saučin. Bratislava, Vydavateľstvo SAV 1962. s. 327 – 406 (tu s. 342).
DULLA, Matúš – MORAVČÍKOVÁ, Henrieta: Architektúra Slovenska v 20. storočí. Bratislava, Slovart 2002. 512 s., tu s. 168, 327.
