At King Milan Square, in the city of Niš, southeastern Serbia

 "What your thoughts are like, that is what your life is like."

-- Father Tadej
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(in southeastern Serbia, on the Nišava River) The city of Niš is important for its command of the Morava–Vardar and Nišava river corridors, the two principal routes from central Europe to the Aegean. The main rail line from Belgrade and the north divides at Niš for Thessaloníki, Greece, and Sofia, Bulgaria. Niš is also the meeting point for several roads.

+ The ancient Roman city, Naissus, was mentioned as an important place in the 2nd century CE by Ptolemy. Under the walls of the old fortress on the right bank of the river, the emperor Claudius II defeated an army of the Goths in 269 CE. During migrations of the Huns in the 5th century, the town was destroyed, and the Bulgarians conquered it in the 9th century but ceded it in the 11th century to the Hungarians, from whom the Byzantine emperor took it in 1173. Toward the end of the 12th century, the town came under the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty, but in 1375 the Turks captured it from the Serbs. Turkish domination lasted for 500 years, and the city became an important station on the route from Istanbul to Hungary. The Serbian army liberated Niš in 1877, and the city was ceded to them by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. In World War I Niš was for a period the capital of Serbia.

+ Although Niš was settled in pre-Roman times, it hit its peak during the years of the empire. Constantine the Great was born here, as were two other Roman emperors, Constantius III and Justin I. Turkish rule lasted from 1386 until 1877, despite several Serb revolts; Ćele Kula (Tower of Skulls) and Niš Fortress are reminders of Ottoman dominion. (Niš also suffered during WWII; the Nazis built one of Serbia's most notorious concentration camps here.)

+ Later playing a prominent role in the history of the Byzantine Empire, the city's past would earn it the nickname Imperial City. After about 400 years of Ottoman rule, the city was liberated in 1878 and became part of the Principality of Serbia, though not without great bloodshed -- remnants of which can be found throughout the city.

+ Serbia's third-largest metropolis is now a lively city of curious contrasts, where Roma in horse-drawn carriages trot alongside new cars, and posh cocktails are sipped in antiquated alleyways. It's a buzzy kind of place, with a high number of university students, packed-out bars, a happening live-music scene, and pop-up markets and funfairs come summertime.

+ These days, Niš is one of the most important economic centers in Serbia, especially in the electronics, mechanical engineering, textile, and tobacco industries. Constantine the Great Airport is Niš's international airport. The city is also the seat of the University of Niš, the Eparchy of Niš and the Command of the Serbian Army.

+ Depicted here is King Milan Square, a popular meeting point in Niš. The monument is dedicated to the liberation of Niš both from the Ottoman Empire as well as after World War I.