Niš

City of Niš Град Ниш/ Grad Niš
—  City  —
Niš city centre
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): The Emperor's city[1]
City of Niš
Coordinates:
Country	Serbia
District	Nišava
Municipalities	5
Government
- Mayor	Mr Milos Simonovic (DS)
- Ruling parties	DS/G17+/SPS
Area
- City	597 km2 (230.5 sq mi)
Elevation	195 m (640 ft)
Population (2002)[2]
- City	255 180
- Density	420/km2 (1,087.8/sq mi)
- Urban	231 590
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	18000
Area code(s)	(+381) 18
Car plates	NI
Website	www.ni.rs

Niš (Serbian Cyrillic: Ниш, pronounced [niːʃ]  ( listen)) is the largest city in southern Serbia and the third-largest city in the country (after Belgrade and Novi Sad). According to the data from May 2009, Niš has 253,077 inhabitants. The city covers an area of about 597 square kilometres, including the urban area, the Niška Banja spa and 68 suburbs. Niš is the administrative center of the Nišava District.

It is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, and has from ancient times been considered a gateway between the East and the West. ^[3] Niš is also notable as the birthplace of Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman Emperor and the founder of Constantinople,^[4] as well as two other Roman emperors, Constantius III and Justin I. It is home to one of Serbia's oldest Christian churches dating to the 4th century in the suburb of Mediana.

There are about 30,000 university students at the University of Niš, which comprises 13 faculties. Niš is also one of the most important industrial centres in Serbia, a center of electronics industry (see Elektronska Industrija Niš), industry of mechanical engineering, textile industry and tobacco industry. Niš Constantine the Great Airport is its international airport. In 2013 the city will host the Ecumenical Assembly of Christian Churches, in honour to 1700 years of Constantine´s Edict of Milan.^[5]

Geography and climate

Satellite view of Niš

Niš is situated at the 43°19' latitude north and 21°54' longitude east in the Nišava Valley, near the spot where it joins the Južna Morava River. It is in Niš that the trunk road running from the north down the Morava River valley forks into two major lines: southern, leading to Thessalonica and Athens, and eastern leading towards Sofia and Istanbul. The central city area is at 194m altitude above sea level (the Main City Square). The highest point in the city area is Sokolov kamen (Falcon's rock) on Suva Planina Mountain (1523m) while the lowest spot is at Trupale, near the mouth of the Nišava (173m). The city covers 596.71 km².

The climate of the Niš area is moderate continental, with an average temperature of 11.2°C. July is the warmest month of the year, with the average of 21.2°C. The coldest month is January, averaging at 0.2°C. The average of the annual rainfall is 567.25 mm/m². The average barometer value is 992.74 mb. There are 123 days with rain and 43 days with snow. On the average, the wind force is just below 3 Beaufort.

History

Early history

Stone mallet found in Nišava River

Archaeological evidence shows a neolithic settlement in the city dating from 5,000 to 2,000 BCE^[6].

The city's early name under the Roman Empire remained Naissus, which is the Latin name derived from its original name Naissos.

The etymology of the original name Naissos ("city of the nymphs") was derived from a mythical creature of Greek mythology - Naiad (from the Greek νάειν, "to flow," and νἃμα, "running water") which was the nymph of freshwater streams rivers and lakes. Niš is a possible location of Nysa, a mythical place in Greek mythology where the young god Dionysus was raised.

Navissos was the name during the Scordisci Celtic settlement in the 3rd century BC.^[7]

At the time of the conquest of the Balkans by Rome, Naissos was used as a base for operations. Naissus was first mentioned in Roman documents near the beginning of 2nd century CE, and was considered a place worthy of note in the Geography of Ptolemy of Alexandria. The Romans occupied the town in the period of the "Dardanian War" (75-73 BC), and the city developed as a strategic crossroads, garrison and market town in the province of Moesia Superior.

In AD 268, during the "Crisis of the third century" when the Empire almost collapsed, the greatest Gothic invasion seen to date came pouring into the Balkans. The Goths' seaborne allies, the Heruli, supplied a fleet, carrying vast armies down the coast of the Black Sea where they ravaged coastal territories in Thrace and Macedonia. Other huge forces crossed the Danube in Moesia. An invasion of Goths into the province of Pannonia was leading to disaster. In 268, Emperor Gallienus won some important initial victories at land and sea, but it was his successor Claudius II who finally defeated the invaders at the Battle of Naissus in 268, one of the bloodiest battles of the 3rd century. Invaders allegedly left thirty to fifty thousand dead on the field.

Mosaics in Mediana

Four years later in 272, the son of military commander Constantius Chlorus and an innkeeper's daughter called Flavia Iulia Helena was born in Naissus and destined to rule as Emperor Constantine the Great. The remains of the 4th century Imperial villa at Mediana are an important archaeological site located close to Niš. Mosaic floors and other traces of luxury are preserved in the archaeological museum on the site. Other aristocratic suburban villas are clustered nearby. Here in Mediana, in 364 a.d. emperors Valentinian and Valens divided the Roman empire and ruled as co-emperors.^[8]

In the castle, or palace, of Mediana, only three miles from Naissus, they executed the solemn and final division of the Roman empire. Valentinian bestowed on his brother the rich praefecture of the East, from the Lower Danube to the confines of Persia; whilst he reserved for his immediate government the warlike praefectures of Illyricum, Italy, and Gaul, from the extremity of Greece to the Caledonian rampart, and from the rampart of Caledonia to the foot of Mount Atlas. (Edward Gibbon, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" , Vol. 2,Chapter XXV)

The Baptism of Constantine (1520-24) Fresco Stanza di Constantino, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

The 4th century Christian basilica in Niš is one of the oldest Christian monuments. The Roman Emperor Constantius III (421) who was the power behind the throne during much of the 410's was born in Naissus.

Though the emperor Julian strengthened the walls, the very prosperity of Naissus made it a target and it was destroyed by Attila in 443. Attila the Hun conquered Naissus with battering rams and rolling towers—military sophistication that was new in the Hun repertory. After the Huns captured the city of Naissus they massacred the inhabitants of the city. Years later, river banks outside the city were still covered with human bones as a reminder of the devastation the Huns had inflicted. The founder of the Justinian Dynasty, Justin I, was born in Naissus in 450, and his nephew Justinian I did his best to restore the city, but Naissus never recovered its 4th century urbanity. The Roman fort at Balajnac with a well-preserved cistern produced coins to Justinian I^[9].

Middle Ages

The latter half of the 6th century CE saw the first major migrations of Slavs and Avars. During the 6th and 7th century CE, Slavic tribes made eight attempts to take Niš. In 551, the Slavs crossed Niš initially headed for Thessalonica, but ended up in Dalmatia^[10][11]. During the final attack in 615 CE the invaders took the city, and most of the Roman and Romanized Daco-Thracian population fled, perished, or became assimilated into the local Serb and Vlach populations. In the 9th century, the Bulgarians became masters of Naissus, followed by the Hungarians in the 11th century, during which the town's militia fought a successful battle against the People's Crusade on 3 July 1096. The Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus reconquered it once more in 1173, and towards the end of the 12th century the town was in the hands of the Serbian prince Stephen Nemanja, who received hospitably the German emperor Frederick Barbarossa and his crusaders.

In 1375, the Ottoman Turks captured Naissus for the first time from the Serbians. After a 25-day long siege, the city fell to the Turks. The fall of the Serbian state decided the fate of Niš as well. After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, even though Serbia existed much weakened as a semi-independent state for another 70 years, the Constantinople-Vienna road grew deserted.

In 1443, Niš fell into the hands of Ludanjin. The town itself was given back to the Serbs, while Branković gave it over to Đorđe Mrnjavčević. In the so-called Long Campaign, Christian armies, led by the Hungarian military leader Janos Hunyadi (known as Sibinjanin Janko in Serbian folk poetry) together with Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković, defeated the Turks and repelled them to Sofia. An important battle was fought near Niš, which remained a free city for a whole year after that. It was during this battle that an Ottoman commander named Gjerg Kastrioti, aka Skanderbeg, deserted the Ottoman ranks with a strong following. Escaping to Albania, he mounted a semi-successful guerilla war against the Ottomans that lasted his remaining lifetime.

Early Modern and Modern periods

Niš Fortress

Niš succumbed to Turkish rule again in 1448 and remained thus for the following 245 years. In the period of Turkish rule, Niš was one of the seats of Turkish military and civil administration. Niš Fortress, built in that period, still represents one of the most beautiful and best preserved edifices in the Balkans. The extant fortification is of Turkish origin, dating from the first decades of the 18th century (1719–1723). It is well-known as one of the most significant and best preserved monuments of this kind in the Mid-Balkans. The Fortress was erected on the site of earlier fortifications - the ancient Roman, Byzantine, and later yet Mediaeval forts. The Fortress has a polygonal ground plan, eight bastion terraces and four massive gates. It stretches over 22 ha of land. The rampart walls are 2,100 m long, 8 m high and 3 m thick on the average. The building stone, brought from the nearby quarries, was hewn into rather evenly-shaped blocks. The inside of the rampart wall was additionally fortified by a wooden construction, 'santrač', and an additional bulwark, 'trpanac'. On the outside, the Fortress was surrounded by a wide moat, whose northern part has been preserved to our days. Beside the massive stone rampart walls, the southern Stambol gate and the western Belgrade gate are pretty well preserved. Partly preserved are the water gates, while the northern Vidin gate and the south-east Jagodina gate are preserved only in remains. With a complete reconstruction of all the gates, Niš Fortress would once again become, architecturally and functionally, a closed fortification system. In 1737, Niš was seized by the Austrian army, in their campaign against the Turks. The war ended in 1739.

Liberators monument, by Južne vesti

At the beginning of the 19th century the crucial thing for the renewal of the Serbian state was the liberation of Niš from the Turks. The Serbian leader Karađorđe, in his talks with the representatives of Russia, as well as in his talks with Napoleon and the Turks, pointed out that Niš had to belong to Serbia. The Serbian insurrection army headed towards Niš in order to take it and go ahead towards Old Serbia and Kosovo. Karađorđe's suggestion was to use the whole army to liberate Niš, while the rest of the commanders demanded to attack Niš from four different points. The latter was accepted. On April 27, 1809, the Serbian insurrection army with its 16,000 soldiers approached the villages of Kamenica, Gornji and Donji Matejevac, near the town of Niš with Miloje Petrović as Commander-in-chief. The Serbian soldiers made six trenches. The first and biggest was on Čegar Hill with voivoda Stevan Sinđelić at the head. The second one was in the village Gornji Matejevac (near the newly rebuilt Latin Church) with Petar Dobrnjac as the commander. The third trench was north-east to Kamenica, with voivoda Ilija Barjaktarević. The fourth trench was in Kamenica with Miloje Petrović as the chief commander. The fifth trench was in the mountain above Kamenica and under the control of voivoda Pauljo Matejić, while the sixth one was made in Donji Matejevac. Miloje Petrović's request to attack Niš directly was not accepted. The demand was to wait and to besiege the town.

Outer wall of Skull Tower

Meanwhile, the Turkish army was reinforced with 20,000 soldiers from Adrianople, Thessalonica, Vranje and Leskovac. The Turks attacked the trench of Petar Dobrnjac on 30 May The following day, on May 31, 1809, the most prominent trench on Čegar Hill, under the command of Stevan Sinđelić, was attacked. The battle lasted all day. As Milovan Kukić witnessed, "the Turks attacked five times, and the Serbs managed to repulse them five times. Each time their losses were great. Some of the Turks attacked, and some of them went ahead, and thus when they attacked for the sixth time they filled the trenches with their dead so that the alive went over their dead bodies and they began to fight against the Serbs with their rifles, cutting and sticking in their enemies with their sabers and knives. The Serbian soldiers from other trenches cried out to help Stevan. But there was no help," as Milovan Kukić said, "either because they could not help without their cavalry, or because Miloje Petrović did not allow it.

When Stevan Sinđelić saw that the Turks had taken over the trench, he ran to the powder cave, took out his gun and fired at the powder magazine. The explosion was so strong that all the surrounding was shaken, and the whole trench caught in a cloud of dense smoke. Stevan Sinđelić, who up to that moment had reached everywhere, helping and encouraging everybody, went into the air." Three thousands Serbian soldiers and more than double of that on the Turkish side were killed on Čegar Hill. An important monument from early 19th century Serbian uprisings against Turkish reign is the Skull Tower (Ćele kula), a tower which incorporates human skulls (those of dead Serbian "rebels") in its construction, a monument likely unique in its design.

University of Niš building and Memorial Chapel

The city was incorporated in Serbia as a consequence of the Treaty of San Stefano. Following the rout of the Serbian army by the Austrians, Bulgarians and Germans in World War I, King Ferdinand of Bulgaria entertained the German Kaiser Wilhelm II at Niš in January 1916. The Kaiser was greeted by the following dubious mock-Roman salutation: Ave Imperator, Caesar et Rex. Victor et gloriosus es. Nissa antiqua omnis Orientis populi te salutant redemptorem, ferentem oppressis prosperitatem atque salutem, which translates as: "Hail Emperor, Caesar and King: You are victor and glorious. In ancient Niš all the peoples of the east salute you, bringer of prosperity to the oppressed."

During the time of German occupation in World War II, the first Nazi concentration camp in Yugoslavia was located near Niš. In 1942 an armed revolt led to an escape. The escapees were guerrillas from Josip Broz Tito's movement who was captured by German forces during the Battle of Kozara. This escape is featured in Miomir Stamenković's film Lager Niš, 1987. The city was heavily bombed by the Allies in 1944 along with other cities in Axis Serbia.^[12] In 1996, Niš was the first city in Serbia to stand against the government of Slobodan Milošević. A coalition of democratic opposition parties called Zajedno (Together) won the local elections in Niš in 1996. The first democratic mayor of City of Niš was Zoran Živković, who later became the Prime Minister of Serbia in 2003. On May 7, 1999 it was the site of the NATO Cluster bombing of Niš that resulted in many civilian caualites and none of the military losses. During the local elections held in September 2004, Smiljko Kostic of Nova Srbija won the mayor office. The democratic party provoked referendum to recall Kostic in November 2005. The majority voted against recall. In the local elections held in May 2008, the Democratic Party, G17+ and coalition assembled around the Socialist Party of Serbia won and Milos Simonovic from the Democratic party became elected mayor.

Historical Sites

• Skull Tower - A tower made out of Serb skulls decapitated by Turks in 19th Century.
• Niš Fortress - Turkish fortress in the city center.
• Mediana - Archaeological site, Roman imperial villa.
• Tinkers Alley - Example of original architecture from Ottoman period.
• Crveni Krst concentration camp - Built by occupying German forces during WWII.
• Bubanj - Monument to the fallen Yugoslav WWII fighters.

Roman emperors

Three Roman emperors were born in this city

• Constantine I, the great, (Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) – ruled 306 to 337
• Constantius III, (Flavius Constantius) – ruled 421
• Justin I, (Flavius Iustinus) – ruled 518 to 527

Population through history

• 1900: 24,573
• 1905: 21,946
• 1910: 24,949
• 1921: 28,625
• 1931: 35,465
• 1941: 44,800 (estimate)
• 1948: 49,332 (109,280)*
• 1953: 58,656 (122,100)*
• 1961: 81,250 (148,354)*
• 1971: 127,654 (195,362)*
• 1981: 161,376 (232,563)*
• 1991: 173,250 (245,182)*
• 2002: 173,724 (250,518)*
• 2008: 182,209 (252,000)

()* - population according to the present-day boundaries of the city

Demographics

According to the last census from 2002, the whole municipal area of the city of Niš (including both, urban and rural parts of municipality) had a population of 250,518, while population of urban Niš was 173,724. It should be noted that territory of urban part of Niš was redefined since 2002, after the formation of new urban municipalities, thus number of 173,724 might not correspond with the current urban area. According to World Gazetteer, the population of the urban part of the city of Niš was 173,861 in 2007.^[13] There is still much dispute about the true number of its population, since there are several thousand Kosovo refugees who officially don't live in the city, but are living there with local family members.

Economy

The city of Niš is the administrative, industrial, commercial, financial and cultural center of the south-eastern part of Republic of Serbia. The position of Niš is strategically important, located at the intersection of European highway and railway networks connecting Europe with Asia. Niš is easily accessible, having an airport - Niš Constantine the Great Airport and being a point of intersection of numerous railroad and highway lines. It is in Niš that the trunk road running from the north down the Morava River valley forks into two major lines:

• the south one, leading to Thessalonica and Athens, along the Vardar River valley,
• and the east one, running along the Nisava and the Marica, leading towards Sofia and Istanbul, and further on, towards the Near East.

These roads have been widely known from ancient times, because they represented the beaten tracks along which peoples, goods and armies moved. Known as 'Via Militaris' in Roman and Byzantine periods, or 'Constantinople road' in Middle Ages, these roads still represent major European traffic arteries. Niš thus stands at a point of intersection of the roads connecting Asia Minor to Europe, and the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

Nis had always been a relatively developed city in the former Yugoslavia. In 1981 it's GDP per capita was 110% of the Yugoslav average.^[14]

Industry

Niš is one of the most important industrial centres in Serbia, well-known for its tobacco industry, industry of electronics, construction industry, industry of mechanical engineering, textile industry, colour metal industry, food processing industry, industry of rubber goods.

Tobacco industry

• Niš Tobacco Factory - was built and opened in 1930 at the present location at Crveni Krst. Its basic production is that of tobacco, cigarettes, filters, the elements of the tobacco machinery and equipment, adhesives etc. In 1995 a scientific - research institute was built. The Institute selects, produces and protects tobacco, and creates and designs new products. In August 2003, The Philip Morris Corporation purchased the Niš Tobacco Factory (DIN) through the privatization process. Philip Morris' total investment of EUR 580 million makes it the single largest foreign investor in Serbia of the Year 2003.

Construction industry

• Gradjevinar, stock company - originated from the construction firm of Niš County called Grapon in 1961. Gradjevinar has built large structural complexes as shopping centres, department buildings, entire campuses, sections of cities which can be found in Niš, Belgrade, East Serbia, Russia, Bulgaria, Israel, Jordan, United Arabic Emirates. The company has built:
  • more than 30,000 apartments, of approximately 180,000 square meters,
  • clinics, health facilities and hospitals, of approximately 80,000 square metres,
  • department stores, malls of approximately 50,000 square metres,
  • hotels, tourist sites, banks, schools, theatres, sports facilities of approximately 50,000 square metres,
  • various warehouses, factories, farms and cold storage buildings of approximately 150,000 square metres.

Electronics Industry

• Electronics Industry - Holding Corporation, stock corporation - originated from the foundation of the Institute for the Production of Radio Sets and Roentgen Machines, "RR Niš", in 1948. The basic production encompasses acoustic equipment, electronic tubes, specific installations, printed plates, electronic machine elements, hydraulics, pneumatics, appliances, air-conditioners, medical equipment, roentgen machines.

Industry of rubber goods

• Vulkan, stock company was built and opened in 1937. Its production is large in scope and it comprises various rubber-technical articles with numerous applications in mining and construction industry (transporters and cranes).

Colour metal industry

• NISSAL - Stock corporation for aluminum produces tools, metal reproductive materials, metal, wooden and other material constructions, collects and treats for industrial refuse.

Machinery industry

• The Pump Factory "Jastrebac" founded in 1910., produces more than 1,000 of different types and sizes of mechanical pumps.

• MIN (Machinery Industry of Niš) Holding, stock corporation founded in 1884, produces various machines, various types of equipment: chemical, petrol-chemical, mining, metallurgic, railway-transport, diesel-locomotive, pump, hydro-thermo-nuclear, water and gas treatment. In 1993 MIN got transformed into a holding company of 37 joint-stock units, 24 of which deal with the basic production, 6 of which deal with services, and 7 with specialized business.

Textile Industry

• Nitex - Niš Textile Industry produces fabrics, knitted material, continuous embroidery, clothes.. The company was founded 1897. by Niš capitalist Mita Ristić with his sons (Dušan and Dragoljub). In 2006. Nitex - Niš was acquired by the businessman of Montenegrin origin - Đorđije Nicović.

Food processing industry

• Žitopek, stock company for the production and trade of bakery goods was established on March 3, 1947 when 14 bakers formally signed a contract by which they were supposed to join their workshops into "Žitopek".

• The Brewery of Niš, stock company produces beer and non-alcohol drinks. The brewery was founded 1884. by Jovan Apel.

Tourism

Tourist Sites

The skull tower

• Skull Tower (Serbian: Ћеле Кула, Ćele Kula) - A monument to 19th century Serbian rebels. It is situated on Zoran Đinđić Boulevard, on the old Constantinople road leading to Sofia.
• Čegar - The place where Battle on Čegar Hill had happened on May 19, 1809.
• Concentration camp - One rare saved German Nazis prisoner camps in Europe. It is situated on 12.February Boulevard.
• Bubanj - A place where 10 000 civilian hostages from Niš and south Serbia were brutally murdered by German Nazis during World War II. Monument is in the shape of three clenched fists.
• Memorial Chapel in the memory of NATO bombing victims - The chapel was built by City government of Niš (lead by DS/SPO, two democratic parties) while monument was built by the State government (lead by conservative SPS/SRS parties) in 1999. They are situated in Sumatovacka street near Nis Fortress.
• Niš Fortress - The extant fortification of Turkish origin, dating from the first decades of the 18th century (1719–1723). It is situated in the city center.
• The fortress-cafes - They are situated near Stambol gate (main gate of fortress).
• Mediana - Archeological site from the late Roman period located on the road leading to Sofia near EI Nis.
• Tinkers Alley - An old urban downtown in today Kopitareva Street, built in the first half of 18th century. It was a street full of tinkers but today it's full with cafes&restaurants.
• Kalča, City passage and Gorča - Trade centers situated in Milana Obrenovića Street.
• Niška Banja - It is a very popular spa in the summer season. It is located at 10 km from city center on the road leading to Sofia, in the bottom of Suva Planina Mountain.
• Spa of Topilo

Architecture

Buildings in Niš are constantly being built. Niš is the second largest city after Belgrade for number of high rise's. The Ambassador Hotel is one of the tallest buildings in Niš, but there are also other buildings like TV5 Tower.

Tourist information

• Nis Tourist Organization have two tourist information centres available, one in Nis in Vozda Karađorđa 7 street, and the other in Niska Banja whose address is Sinđelićeva 3b.

Administrative divisions

The municipalities of Niš

The city of Niš consists of five municipalities:

1. Medijana
2. Palilula
3. Pantelej
4. Crveni Krst
5. Niška Banja

The first four municipalities are located in the urban area of Niš, while Niška Banja is a suburban municipality. Before 2002, the city of Niš had only two municipalities, one of them named "Niš" and another named "Niška Banja".

Municipalities of Niš include further neighborhoods:

Famous or notable citizens

Statue of Stevan Sremac, hunter Kalča and Kalča's dog Čapa

The people listed below were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with the city of Niš, and its surrounding metropolitan area. The people are listed by alphabetical order of the names.

• Constantine I, commonly known as Constantine the Great, a Roman Emperor, born 272/3 in Naissus.
• Justin I, Byzantine emperor, born c. 450 in Naissus.
• Stevan Sinđelić, war leader (vojvoda), died 1809 in the Battle of Čegar
• Stevan Sremac (1855–1906), Serbian writer, came to Niš shortly after its liberation from the Turkish rule; wrote about life in old Niš (Ivkova slava, Zona Zamfirova).
• Dragiša Cvetković (1893–1969), prime minister of Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1939 to 1941.
• Dušan Radović (1922–1984), journalist and writer.
• Predrag Antonijevic, (b. 1959), film director
• Branko Miljković (1934–1961), poet.
• Šaban Bajramović (1936–2008), internationally acclaimed singer and composer.
• Goran Paskaljević, movie director. He was raised by his grandparents in Niš 1949-1963, after the divorce of his parents.
• Predrag Miletić, (b. 1952), actor
• Kornelije Kovač, rock musician and composer, born in 1942 in Niš.
• Zoran Živković, handball player and coach, born in 1945 in Niš.
• Aki Rahimovski, rock musician, born in Niš in 1954.
• Nenad Milosavljević, rock musician, born in 1954 in Niš, Galija frontman.
• Dragan Pantelić, former football goalkeeper, president of Radnički Niš.
• Biljana Krstić, rock and folk singer and songwriter, born 1959 in Niš
• Zoran Živković, politician, born 1960 in Niš, a former Prime Minister of Serbia.
• Zoran Ćirić, writer, born 1962 in Niš.
• Aleksandar Šoštar,water polo goalkeeper, born January 21, 1964 in Niš
• Dragan Stojković, football player, born 1965 in Niš.
• Ivan Miljković, born 1979 in Niš, volleyball player.
• Nikola Karabatić, handball player, born in 1984 in Niš.
• Dejan Petković, football player, started his playing career 1988-1991 at Radnički Niš.
• Goran Šepa, rock musician, Kerber frontman.
• Lidija Mihajlović, born 1968 in Niš, shooting champion.

Culture

National Theatre in Niš

Theatre

Niš is a home of National Theatre in Niš, that was founded as "Sinđelić" Theatre in 1889.

Rock music

Galija and Kerber are considered the most notable rock bands to have originated from Niš. Other notable Niš rock acts include Daltoni, Dobri Isak, Lutajuća Srca, Mama Rock, Hazari, Novembar, Trivalia, Nahty, Kiša kerozina, Plasma, Sizife daj kamen, Eyot and others.

Sport

The city of Niš is home to numerous sport clubs including the following:

Local media

Internet media

• Južne vesti (South news) Internet novine/Internet daily

Radio stations

• Banker radio^[15](98.3)
• Fast radio (102.7)
• City radio (104.9)^[16] - LIVE(AAC+)^[17]
• Blue Fm (103.1)
• Radio Niš (99.5/101.9)
• Radio 5^[18](105.5)
• Radio Nišava^[19](104.0)
• OxyGen radio (91.6)
• Radio 13 (90.5)
• Radio New Fair Play (88.3)
• Radio IPP (88.8)
• Radio Belle Amie^[20](95.6)
• Radio Belle Amie Folk Kanal (98.7/100.7)
• Radio Cair (99.9)
• Radio Seven (88.8)

TV stations

• Banker TV^[21]
• TV 5^[18]
• BelleAmie TV^[22]
• TV Nais
• Global
• RTV Nišava^[19](in Romany)
• Čair (in Romany)
• NTV^[23]
• Art TV
• Puls TV
• Jumbo TV
• Kopernikus

NGOs

• AIESEC^[24]
• BEST LBG Niš^[25]
• Protecta^[26]
• Center for development of education of children^[27]
• AEGEE-Nis^[28]
• Differentia^[29]
• EESTEC LC Niš^[30]
• EUS^[31]
• GNU Klub^[32]
• Lambda^[33]
• The Association for Protection and Promotion of Mental Health in Children and Youth^[34]
• Committee for Civic Initiative (OGI)^[35]

Newspapers

• Narodne Novine^[36] (BUL)

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Niš is twinned with the following cities, according to their City Hall website:^[37]

Other forms of cooperation and city friendship

• Vienna, Austria^[37]
• Graz, Austria^[37]
• Barcelona, Spain^[37]
• Columbus, Ohio, USA^[37]

References

Notes

External links

• City of Niš Official Website
• Regional Chamber of Economy Niš Official Website
• Nis travel guide from Wikitravel

Municipalities and cities of Serbia Central Serbia Belgrade (Barajevo • Čukarica • Grocka • Lazarevac • Mladenovac • Novi Beograd • Obrenovac • Palilula • Rakovica • Savski Venac • Sopot • Stari Grad • Surčin • Voždovac • Vračar • Zemun • Zvezdara) • Čačak • Jagodina • Kragujevac (Aerodrom • Pivara • Stanovo • Stari Grad • Stragari) • Kraljevo • Kruševac • Leskovac • Loznica • Niš (Crveni Krst • Medijana • Niška Banja • Palilula • Pantelej) • Novi Pazar • Požarevac • Smederevo • Šabac • Užice • Valjevo • Vranje • Zaječar Aleksandrovac • Aleksinac • Aranđelovac • Arilje • Babušnica • Bajina Bašta • Batočina • Bela Palanka • Blace • Bogatić • Bojnik • Boljevac • Bor • Bosilegrad • Brus • Bujanovac • Crna Trava • Čajetina • Ćićevac • Ćuprija • Despotovac • Dimitrovgrad • Doljevac • Gadžin Han • Golubac • Gornji Milanovac • Ivanjica • Kladovo • Knić • Knjaževac • Koceljeva • Kosjerić • Krupanj • Kučevo • Kuršumlija • Lajkovac • Lapovo • Lebane • Lučani • Ljig • Ljubovija • Majdanpek • Mali Zvornik • Malo Crniće • Medveđa • Merošina • Mionica • Negotin • Nova Varoš • Osečina • Paraćin • Petrovac • Pirot • Požega • Preševo • Priboj • Prijepolje • Prokuplje • Rača • Raška • Ražanj • Rekovac • Sjenica • Smederevska Palanka • Sokobanja • Surdulica • Svilajnac • Svrljig • Topola • Trgovište • Trstenik • Tutin • Ub • Varvarin • Velika Plana • Veliko Gradište • Vladičin Han • Vladimirci • Vlasotince • Vrnjačka Banja • Žabari • Žagubica • Žitorađa Vojvodina Novi Sad (Novi Sad • Petrovaradin) • Pančevo • Sombor • Sremska Mitrovica • Subotica • Zrenjanin Ada • Alibunar • Apatin • Bač • Bačka Palanka • Bačka Topola • Bački Petrovac • Bečej • Bela Crkva • Beočin • Čoka • Inđija • Irig • Kanjiža • Kikinda • Kovačica • Kovin • Kula • Mali Iđoš • Nova Crnja • Novi Bečej • Novi Kneževac • Odžaci • Opovo • Pećinci • Plandište • Ruma • Sečanj • Senta • Šid • Srbobran • Sremski Karlovci • Stara Pazova • Temerin • Titel • Vrbas • Vršac • Žabalj • Žitište Municipalities of Kosovo1 Dečani • Đakovica • Dragaš • Glogovac • Gnjilane • Istok • Kačanik • Klina • Kosovo Polje • Kosovska Kamenica • Kosovska Mitrovica • Leposavić • Lipljan • Mališevo • Novo Brdo • Obilić • Orahovac • Peć • Podujevo • Pristina • Prizren • Srbica • Štimlje • Štrpce • Suva Reka • Uroševac • Vitina • Vučitrn • Zubin Potok • Zvečan New Municipalities: Đeneral Janković • Gračanica • Junik • Klokot-Vrbovac • Mamuša • Parteš • Ranilug 1 Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Kosovo is recognised by 72 of the 192 UN member states.