Municipality
of Mediana
www.medijana.rs
Historians, geographers and writers have always called this
city "the gate of East and West".
In Nis, one of the oldest towns in this part of Europe,
many roads are crossed owing to its significant geographic
position, linking in this way Middle and West Europe
lowland of Vlaška and Pomoravlje with the Adriatic, Aegean
and Black Sea. This kind of position has always had great
influence on Nis destiny.
As a traffic crossroad of European roads and railroads,
together with an airport, it can easly be reached from all
direction. The international highway E-75, stretching from
the north, forks at Nis to the southern direction, towards
Athens, and to the eastern direction, towards Istambul and
further on to the Near East.
City municipality Mediana was formed 11.10.2004., after the local
elections and division of the city of Nis into five city
municipalities. Mediana is the central city municipality in
Nis, covering the area of 16 square kilometers, which
coincides with the most immediate city core and the urban
matrix of the civil Nis. The smalest in relation to the
teritory, Mediana is still the largest in relation to the
num of inhabitants (more than 100.00).
Nis gained high and significant level of development in the
period of Nemanjić dynasty. Stefan Nemanja, Serbian great
Head of the state and the father of Saint Sava, had an
intention to make this city the capital and this lasted to
the fall of Serbian medieval state under the Turkish power,
Nis was great economic and cultural strategic centre.
Modern development of Nis started in 1878 with the
liberation from the Turks after almost five centuries of
slavery. That was not only the end and liberation from the
old oriental profile but also the kind of stepping into the
most significant period of its history - Nis actually
became the second modern Serbian capital city.
The residence of Kings Milan and Aleksandar Obrenović, so
called Prince castle, where they spent a lot of their time
especially in the period of Assembly sessions, was also
situated in Nis. During World War In Nis was martial
capital (the end of July 1914 until the middle of October
1915). Nis was the town where were Serbian government and
Assembly together with all diplomatic representatives.
Important decisions regarding war, country protection and
liberation and uniting of Yugoslav nations and peoples were
brought here.
The Hometown of the
Great Emperor. Constantine the Great was born in Nis (the assumed date for his
birth is 22nd February 274/280) in tetrarch period. After
the death of his father Constantinus Chlorus he was elected
by his army for a leader in the year 307.
In the course of the next years the Roman Empire was united
and the total area stretched from Britain to Asia Minor and
from Northern Africa to Ukraine.
Milan Edict, an important document from the year 313, gave
to that far baNised Christianity the equal status with the
other Roman Empire religions.
In the time of Constantine, Nis became one significant
town. It was one real trade and art center. Constantine
visited and spent his moments a couple of times in Nis
combining relaxing moments in Mediana and work on his
statesman daily duties. Christian church proclaimed Emperor
Constantine and Empress Helen for Christian saints.
MEDIANA.
This antique
historical site on the way Nis-Niska Banja (Spa) is a
witness of imperial Naissus wealth and glory. The remains
of imperial palace, together with peristil, were
discovered. Luxury villas with mosaic floors, sacral
objects (baptistery room), economy buildings with pitos,
Roman bathrooms, water tanks, fort remains etc testify
about Naissus culture and wealth from the times of Emperor
Constantine
Tinkers Alley.
This is an old
urban downtown in today Kopitareva Street, built in the
first half of 18th century. It was a street full of tinkers
and other crafts, together with craftsmen houses deriving
from Turkish period. Unfortunately, only one part from
those houses was preserved today and protected as one
structural building wholeness.
Nis fortress.
At the Nisava riverbank, on the remains of one Roman
military camp, then Roman town called Naissus, and finally
on the remains of Byzantium and medieval destroyed
fortification, the Turks built strong fortress at the
beginning of 18th century. The building of this fortress
lasted from 1719 to 1723. It was built with local people
tedious labor, Istanbul stonecutters and bricklayers.
Beside those well saved walls and gates, numerous objects
from various periods, such as armoury, Turkish steam bath,
Turkish post station, Bali- mosque, powder place and prison
were also saved within this Fortress.
The Skull tower.
Ćele Kula is a
unique world monument. It is a tower built of the skulls of
Serbian rebels for freedom. The Turks built this monument
after Čegar battle.
Churches.
Although people have lived in this valley for about eight
millenniums, there have not been any material proof about
the religious life of pagan and antique cultures. Naissus
emerges from pagan world under Emperor Constantine rule,
after Milan Edict and the moment of accepting Christianity
for an equal fate of great Roman Empire (the beginning of
the 4th century A.D.) In the times of Nemanjić reign, Nis
was an orthodox town but the temples from that time did not
survive five centuries of Islam rule. Certain churches
remained only in the villages around towns and monasteries
in Sicevo Gorge as one of the biggest Serbian Middle Ages
monastery communities. You can find the next churches
deriving from the beginning of 19th century: St. Nicholas,
St. Pantalejmon, St. Archangel Mihailo and Gavrilo (small
minster temple) and the Church of Pentecost (Minster
church). There is also a church, built in the fourth decade
of the 20th century and located in Niska Banja. The name of
this church is name is Saint Ilija.
Today we are witnessing the building of one more town
temple "Saint Emperor Constantine and Empress Helene" in
St. Sava Park and in the same time smaller and larger town
parish churches. Little church of Sveta Gora monastery
Hilandar on Delijski Vis, was damaged in 1944 bombing and
renewed in the 90`s of the 20th century. In its complex you
can find overnight place and St. Sava church. Seminary
during the beginning of this century moved from Prizren and
also started its work in Metoh. One can also find these
places in Nis concerning other religions: Roman catholic
church in Jug Bogdanova Street and Islamic religious
community with mosque in General Milojka Lešjanina Street
are also present in Nis. After Jews holocaust in World War
II the using of synagogue ceased in Ruđer Boškovića street.
There is also one Adventist church in 7 Juli Street.
National Museum.
The National
Museum was founded in 1933. In museum collections there are
around 40,000 items from the realms of archeology, history,
ethnology, art history, cultural history. The most valuable
ancient collection exhibits articles which testify of the
golden age of the imperial Naissus. In Nis National Musem
there is a fixed display (a commemorative room) on the life
and work of the writer Stevan Sremac: his personal library,
personal belongings, and original handwritings. In
addition, there is also a fixed exhibit (a commemorative
room) on the poet Branko Miljković. Personal belongings,
library, and original handwritings of this major poet born
in Nis are displayed.
National theatre.
The National
Theatre has a century odd long tradition. The curtian of
the Puppet Theatre was first lifted in 1951. The Gallery of
Contemporary Fine Arts is the guardian of artistic
treasury, but also a promoter of modern flows in fine arts.
Several galleries are available for exhibitions ("Serbia",
Pavillion", and "Salon 77" in the Fortress).
Djavolja varos.
This unique natural wonder is situated only 60 km away from
Nis. It is on the list of potential new world
wonders
