Nis is the third largest city in Serbia and a large industrial center of the southern part of the country. It is known primarily due to the huge city fortress, which occupies most of its center.
The city was founded on the site of the former Roman Naissus camp and the great battle that Emperor Claudius II fought with Ostrogoths. Emperors Constantine the Great and Justin were also born in Niš.
The city owes its present appearance above all to the erection of a powerful city fortress by the Turks in the 18th century, covering over 20 ha. It is surrounded by high walls with gates and a moat. To this day, fortifications and some buildings have survived, including the ruins of the bathhouse and the mosque. The fortress area is today a public park, where numerous outdoor events take place.
Outside the very center of Niš is the second of its biggest attractions, the Skull Tower. It was built after the Serbian uprising against the Turks at the beginning of the 19th century. The Serbs, seeing no defense, blew themselves up, killing about 3,000 Turks. Upon learning of this, the Turkish commander ordered that the defenders beheaded and decorated the tower as a warning. Today, only part of the skulls have survived, but they still make an amazing impression.
