Beauty from Niš, aged over two millennium
An edifice that dominates the urban nucleus of the city
It rises on the right bank of the Nišava River, overlooking the area inhabited for longer than two millenniums. The extant fortification is of Turkish origin, dating from the first decades of the 18th century. It is well-known as one of the most significant and best preserved monuments of this kind in the Mid-Balkans. The Fortress has a polygonal ground plan, eight bastion terraces and four massive gates. It stretches over 22 ha of surface.
Beside artifacts dating from the period of Turkish rule, archaeological excavations in the Fortress area uncovered several earlier findings in the older layers: Prehistoric, Roman, Byzantine and Medieval.
Niš Fortress is a cultural property of great importance, today a venue for frequent cultural and artistic events: Nišville – the largest Jazz festival of South Eastern Europe.