Nis Favorites

Favorite thing: Constantine the Great was born in Niš (the assumed date for his birth is 22nd February 274/280) in tetrarch period. After the death of his father Constantinus Chlorus he was elected by his army for a leader in the year 307. In the course of the next years the Roman Empire was united and the total area stretched from Britain to Asia Minor and from Northern Africa to Ukraine. Milan Edict, an important document from the year 313, gave to that far banished Christianity the equal status with the other Roman Empire religions. The very motive for Christianity accepting lies in the belief that Constantine won all his important battles with the sign of cross`. It was noted down that on the ewe of the battle with Maxentius, he saw in the sky the lighted cross with the message "In hoc signo vinces" meaning "With this sing you win". After that in his dream he saw the Savor himself with the same sign. With Christ Monogram on every single warrior helm, flag and shield Emperor Constantine won many battles. In the time of Constantine, Niš became one significant town. It was one real trade and art center. Constantine visited and spent his moments a couple of times in Niš combining relaxing moments in Mediana and work on his statesman daily duties. Christian church proclaimed Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen for Christian saints. He died on 3rd June in Nicomedia suburb part called Ankira.

Favorite thing: The city's early name under the Roman Empire remained Naissus ("city of the nymphs"), which is the Latin name derived from its original name Naissos, a Greek colony founded in antiquity. At the time of the conquest of the Greeks by Rome, Naissos was used as a base for operations. Niš is a possible location of Nysa, a mythical place in Greek mythology where the young god Dionysus was raised. Naissus was first mentioned in Roman documents near the beginning of 2nd century CE. In the zenith of its growth and flourishing, Naissus was one of the most important crossroads of the Moesian, Trachian and Dardanian road-network, because it was the point of intersection of the roads from Ljes (at the Adriatic coast), Thessalonica, Constantinople, and Singidunum (Belgrade). In ancient times, Naissus was an important stronghold and an invincible castrum. Its extraordinary geographic position made Naissus an important strategic spot, mentioned in many records on military affairs in the Balkans from the 2nd century on. It was near Niš that Claudius II gained a victory over the Goths in 269 AD, and saved the Roman Empire from a great danger. Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337), Diocletianus' successor to the throne born in Naissus in 274, richly endowed his birthplace. He built majestic edifices here, and made Niš an important economic, military and administrative centre.

Fondest memory: Niš Fortress represents one of the most beautiful and best preserved edifices in the Balkans. The Fortress was erected on the site of earlier fortifications - the ancient Roman, Byzantine, and later yet Mediaeval forts. The Fortress has a polygonal ground plan, eight bastion terraces and four massive gates. It stretches over 22 ha of land. The rampart walls are 2,100 m long, 8 m high and 3 m thick on the average. The building stone, brought from the nearby quarries, was hewn into rather evenly-shaped blocks. The inside of the rampart wall was additionally fortified by a wooden construction, 'santrač', and an additional bulwark, 'trpanac'. On the outside, the Fortress was surrounded by a wide moat, whose northern part has been preserved to our days. Beside the massive stone rampart walls, the southern Stambol gate and the western Belgrade gate are pretty well preserved. Partly preserved are the water gates, while the northern Vidin gate and the south-east Jagodina gate are preserved only in remains.

Favorite thing: One of the best things about Nis is its size: small enough to be safe, big enough to be interesting. While nightlife in Nis is rather vivid, one can still find some quiet little spots like the one in the photo and enjoy some peace and quiet... Shhhh...

Favorite thing: his is the main post office building. Not only that you can finish your postal/telegraphic business here, but that's where the administrative offices are as well.
PTT SRBIJA means Post Telegraph Telephone Serbia. ;)
In the back you can see hotel "Ambasador".

Favorite thing: If you need to use the internet, try at the shopping centre "Kalca" (located at the very centre), at the main post-office building (Vozdova street, the one leading to the centre) or at the University library (river quay). If I am not mistaken, an hour should cost you less than 0.5 Euro

Favorite thing: I have no idea what exactly is this monument doing within the DIN complex, but anyway... Vuk Karadzic was the most important person in Serbian linguistics & literature, because he simplified the alphabet from the complex ancient Serbian to modern Serbian, where each letter represents one sound, and thus there are 30 letters for each one of the 30 sounds that exist in Serbian language, that makes reading & writing extremely easy, because there is only one rule to follow: READ AS IT'S WRITTEN, WRITE AS YOU SPEAK. And he set that rule. That makes Serbian the most perfect alphabet in the world, because it's 100% precise and adequate to the language. :)
He also collected many traditional stories, poems and tales, wrote them down (before they were passed on orally), and thus saved them from oblivion.

Favorite thing: Spring/summer is fantastic in Nis, there are lots of beautiful gardens with lovely flowers everywhere, it's a real paradise for eyes and senses, because the scents are amazing, and the views enchanting. I adore flowers in the wild or growing from the ground, I don't like them cut in vases where they'll die soon.... :((

Favorite thing: This fountain is very cute and in the best part of the factory complex, that looks like a park. It's surrounded with tall trees and nice gardens so you can hide and make out in secret with a colleague :))) (kidding, of course, although I'm sure people do it!)
Taking a break fro work in this surrounding is very rewarding!