City of Nis and Municipality of Mediana
www.medijana.rs & www.ni.rs
NIS
Historians, geographers and writers have always called Nis "the gate of East and West".
In Nis, one of the oldest cities of 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.
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
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).
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
Points of interest
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 varo
This unique natural wonder is situated only 60 km away from Nis. It is on the list of potential new world wonders
