Nis Has a Skull Tower
A Small City that Packs a Horror Punch
Nis, the third largest city in Serbia, is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, having originally been a Celtic settlement. It was also an important Roman city - the birthplace of three emperors, including Constantine the Great.
Despite its history, though, Nis is not a place to visit to see ruins or archaeological sites (especially with its most prominent one having been closed for renovations for years). From other travelers’ advice, and from my experience, it’s really just a small city that feels quite livable and has lots of good food.
With that in mind, I was actually considering skipping Nis - until I saw its skull tower when I looked up what to do. I’m glad I made the one-day trip - because Nis offers some haunting moments that I suspect I’ll remember.
Check Out the Skull Tower
After a major battle against the Ottomans where about 1,000 Serbs died, the Ottoman troops beheaded the dead soldiers, skinned them, filled the head skins with cotton, and sent them back to Turkey as a spoil of war. They then used the skulls to build a tower in Nis as a reminder of the risks of defying Ottoman rule.
While most of the tower is no longer intact, a portion of it is preserved with about 50 of the skulls still built in. It’s a really haunting site to visit - every bit the grizzly reminder of war the original Ottomans hoped it would be.
Stroll Around Fort Nis
Fort Nis is a remnant of Ottoman rule - with that influence being exemplified by a beautiful mosque from the 15th century inside. Compared to the other forts in the Balkans, Nis Fortress is not noteworthy. It has, however, been built into a really nice public park - and is a quiet, interesting place to relax for a few hours.
Other Things to Do
If you have some extra time in Nis, here are some other common things to do:
Go to the Nazi Concentration Camp: One of the few intact (albeit small) Nazi Concentration camps, the Red Cross Camp has been built into a memorial and museum. While I don’t think it’s one of the most memorable of its kind, it’s really informative about how the Holocaust was executed in the Balkans - and the attic space that used to house prisoners, to me, was very eery.
Explore Downtown: Between Milan Square and Tinker’s Alley (an old craftsmen street), the downtown of Nis is busy and absolutely packed with placed to eat. While I didn’t think anything was special, it was an easy place to pass time - and I could easily imagine its residents having a good life there.
Walk to Bubanj Memorial: On the hill where most of the Holocaust executions were carried out, there’s now a memorial with three fists raised in protests. I didn’t get the chance to go - but the pictures look really nice.
Shop at the Market: Zelena Pijaca by the bus station is a large market and had some delicious produce. I was in Serbia during paprika season - so many of the vendors were selling delicious, fresh ajvar.
Unless you’re really looking to set up base and relax for a few days, I think one day is plenty of time for Nis. Its downtown is small - and most of the sites are nice but unremarkable.
