Niš | Top 10 in Cities of Serbia

King Milan Square

The main and largest city square in Niš is named after King Milan Obrenović. It is located on the left bank of the Nišava River, across from the fortress. The formation of the square also represents the expansion of the city to the left bank of the river, as the previous city was located around the fortress. The space of today's square was formed after the Turkish-Austrian war in the late 17th century. In the second half of the 19th century, the square took on its present form and shortly thereafter acquired its name. Most of the buildings on the square date back to the 1920s, and shortly before World War II, the Monument to the Liberators of Niš was erected at the same location where it stands today. The subsequent reconstruction after World War II brought new buildings such as the modern and distinctive Ambassador Hotel. King Milan Square is the main gathering place for the people of Niš and an essential destination to visit in this city.

Niš Fortress

Across from the main city square, just across the Nišava River, lies one of the largest and best-preserved medieval fortresses in Serbia. On the ruins of the ancient, Byzantine, and medieval fortifications, a fortress was built in the early 18th century, and its remains and walls can still be seen in the center of Niš. Archaeological findings indicate the existence of fortifications in this area as early as the 2nd century. It was in this Roman castrum that the aforementioned emperors Constantine the Great and Constans III were born. The current fortification was built by the Ottomans between 1719 and 1723. The fortress has a polygonal shape and four entrances: Stambol, Beogradska, Vodena, and Vidinska gates. A large number of significant structures are still preserved, such as ramparts, the Bali-bey Mosque, a hammam, a powder magazine, and others. Within the Niš Fortress, there is also a meteorological station that has been measuring and recording weather data since 1889. Niš Fortress is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Niš, and for years, it has been the venue for the prestigious Nišville Jazz Festival.

Monument to Emperor Constantine

On the Nišava quay, just across from Niš Fortress, stands the monument to the Roman Emperor Constantine. It was erected to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan and is a gift from the Catholic Church to the city of Niš. The sculpture symbolizes two significant events from the life of Emperor Constantine - the adoption of the Edict of Milan and the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Emperor Constantine the Great was born in Niš, or Naisus, around 272 AD and is considered one of the most significant Roman emperors.

Kazandžijsko sokače

Niš has always been known as a city of pleasure-seekers, lovers of taverns, socializing, good food, and drinks. Only a few parts of Niš still preserve the stories of those ancient hedonists. One such place, which still looks like it did a hundred and fifty years ago and hides a few old taverns, is Kazandžijsko sokače (today known as Kopitareva Street). It was built in the first half of the 18th century and today represents the remains of the old craft bazaar in the city center. Among the craftsmen, there were mostly "kazandžijas" (coppersmiths and other metalworkers), which is why the entire street was named after them. It is only about a hundred meters long and consists of old, mostly ground-floor houses built in the Balkan style, which served as craft shops and often as residences as well. Today, most of them are restaurants, cafes, and confectioneries. At the very beginning of the bazaar, there is an interesting monument to Stevan Sremac and Kalča, one of the symbols of Niš. Due to its exceptional architectural value, the bazaar is under state protection.

Monument at Čegar

On the hill of Čegar, near the village of Kamenica, there is a monument dedicated to an iconic event in Serbian history. At this location, during the First Serbian Uprising in 1809, the famous Battle of Čegar took place, led by voivode Stevan Sinđelić. Defending the trench against the attack of the Turks who were advancing in large numbers, with no chance of defending the position, Stevan Sinđelić sacrificed his own life by igniting the gunpowder magazine, killing a large number of enemy soldiers and himself. This act marked the end of the Battle of Čegar, in which about 6,000 Turks and 4,000 Serbs perished. The monument was erected in 1927 and is the work of Russian architect and emigrant Julijan Djupon.

Ćele Kula

Following the Battle of Čegar, a great retaliation by the Ottomans took place. To intimidate the Serbian population, the Niš Pasha, Hursid Pasha, ordered that all the skulls of the fallen Serbian soldiers be collected and walled into a tower at the city's exit, near the Constantinople Road. The tower was named Ćele Kula, and a total of 952 skulls were built into it. Due to atmospheric influences, the tower suffered considerable damage over time until 1892 when Dimitrije Leko designed a chapel to protect it. Ćele Kula is a monument of exceptional cultural significance.

Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Niš is one of the finest examples of Serbian architecture from the 19th century. It is the third largest in Serbia, following the Temple of Saint Sava and Saint Mark's Church in Belgrade. The construction of the church began after the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1856, which recognized Christianity in the Ottoman Empire and created conditions for the construction of churches. The temple was completed in 1872 at its current location, where the Serbian population lived. The frescoes were completed in the 1930s by academic painter Vladimir Predojević. The cathedral was heavily damaged during the Allied bombing in 1944, and in 2001, it was engulfed by a major fire, leaving only the walls. It was restored in 2006 to its original appearance.

National Museum in Niš

The National Museum in Niš was founded in 1933 in response to the need to preserve and display numerous artifacts found in the city's territory. In the following years, extensive research was conducted, which was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II when the museum building was bombed. Unfortunately, a large number of exhibits were destroyed at that time. After the war, the museum moved to a new building where it is still located today. The museum houses around 40,000 exhibits in the fields of history, archaeology, and art history. It also includes two memorial collections - poet Branko Miljković and the legendary storyteller Stevan Sremac. The National Museum has research departments for archaeology, history, art history, ethnology, numismatics, epigraphy, and a department for literary heritage.

Red Cross Concentration Camp

The Red Cross Concentration Camp was established shortly after the German occupation of Serbia in 1941. The camp was located in the buildings of the Serbian army in the industrial part of the city. Around 30,000 people passed through the camp, while about 10,000 were executed at Bubanj, with the rest being mostly transferred to camps throughout Europe. The Red Cross Camp also witnessed the first organized escape from a concentration camp in Europe. The camp was liberated in 1944 and in 1956, it was converted into a museum space, similar to many others in Europe, under the name Memorial Complex "12th February."

Mediana Archaeological Site

Another evidence of the rich ancient history of Niš is the Roman settlement located a few kilometers from the present city center. It is the Mediana archaeological site, which originated during the reign of Constantine the Great and his sons. So far, about twenty ancient buildings have been recorded - villas, baths, necropolises, churches, military barracks, towers, and more. Mediana was used as an imperial villa with a large agricultural estate. It was active from the late 3rd to the mid-5th century when it was destroyed by the Huns.