Nis - Roman ruins and Ottoman fortress

On the eastern edge of today's city centre of Niš is the Roman ruin Mediana, once a suburb of ancient Naissus. The inner district of Niš was named after Mediana.
To the east of Niš city centre is the Ćele Kula skull tower. The tower was built by the Ottomans from skulls of 952 Serbs who died in the Battle of Čegar in 1809.
Northeast of Niš is the monument to the Battle of Čegar with a lookout tower.
In the southern part of the city of Niš, in the district of the same name, there is the Staro Groblje cemetery, which covers several hectares. The cemetery with over 3,000 gravestones dates back to the early 18th century. It was closed to funerals in 1971 and is now in disrepair.
Niš Fortress was built by the Ottomans on the remains of a Roman military camp in the 18th century. With the park in it, it is now a popular meeting place. The fortress contains an ancient mosque, an ancient hammam and a modern amphitheater used for cultural activities.
The annual Nisomnia rock festival takes place here in September.
Behind the fortress is the vegetable and fruit market and a little further on February 12th Boulevard is the memorial to the Crveni Krst concentration camp from the Second World War. Between 1941 and 1944, 10,000 prisoners of this camp were shot on Bubanj Hill. The Bubanj monument is dedicated to them.
The Romans conquered the city 75 BC. Navissos was renamed to Naissus and became one of the most important castles of the Roman Balkans. The strategic road Via Militaris was passing Naissus, coming from Constantinople and Adrianopel - Philippopolis - Serdica - Naissus across the Balkan Peninsula to Singidunum (today Belgrade) and the former European Route 5 (now part E 75, part E 80).