City of Niš through Centuries
The fall of the Serbian state, conquered by Sultan Murad in 1385, decided the fate of Niš as well. After a 25-day long siege the city fell to the Turks. After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, the Sofia-Belgrade road grew deserted. In 1443, Niš fell into the hands of Ludanjin. The town itself was given back to the Serbs, while Branković gave it over to Djordje Mrnjavčević. Nis succumbed to Turkish rule again in 1448. and remained thus for the following 245 years. In the period of Turkish rule, Niš was one of the seats of Turkish military and civil administration. Niš Fortress, built in that period, still represents one of the most beautiful and best preserved Turkish edifices in the Balkans. In 1737, Niš was seized again, but this time by the Austrian army, in their campaign against the Turks. The Turks retreated, and the Austrians reconstructed the Fortress. However, in that same year, the Turks advanced again, and Niš fell to the Turks without resistance. This marked the beginning of an extremely difficult period for the Serbs.
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When the First Serbian Uprising broke out in 1804, Serb insurrectionists grew in number and power, and in 1809, they started to advance southwards. In this campaign, on May 31st 1809, the Serbs clashed with the Turks near Niš, at Čegar Hill. In the Battle of Čegar, voivoda Stevan Sindjelić led 3,000 Serbs against 10,000 Turks. The Serbs managed to hold a fortified trench for some time, but eventually, since the expected help did not arrive, the Serbs were defeated. Wishing for a dignified death, Sindjelić shot the Serbs' powder-magazines, and blew up the whole hill, thus killing himself, many Serbs but also numerous Turks. Hurshid-pasha ordered that, as a warning and symbol of the Serbs' defeat, 952 skulls of Serbian insurrectionists be built into the Skull Tower, monument unique in the world.
In the reign of Prince Milos and Prince Mihailo, southern parts of Serbia remained under the Turkish rule. On January 11th 1878, after a long and exhausting battle, Prince Milan victoriously entered the Niš Fortress. This marked a turning point in the development of Niš, which grew from a small Turkish kasaba (provincial town) into a modern European town. Developing rapidly both politically and culturally, Niš became the alternative capital of Serbia. In 1878, the first Grammar School (Gimnazija), in 1882 the Teacher Training College, and in 1894, the Girls' College were founded in Niš. In 1895, Niš had one girls' and three boys' primary schools.
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Niš developed economically as well. Four savings-banks were opened in Niš, as well as the Rail Car Repair Workshop next to the railway station, a methylated alcohol refinery with the Tutunović brothers' wine-cellar, a brewery, a clay-brick factory and a butchery packing plant.
The Niš Royal Palace used to be a comfortable residence of Muslim dignitaries. Built by Hafis-pasha, it was later property of Mehmed-pasha, and finally of Becir-pasha, when it was taken over by the Serbian Army Headquarters in 1878. The residence decayed for some time, because Hafis-pasha's grandson refused to sell it to King Milan. His son, Musta-bey, however, agreed to sell it after his father's death, so the building was reconstructed and turned into a comfortable residence for the Serbian royal family. The two-storied building overlooking the Nisava River and the Fortress, had beautifully furnished residential quarters on the upper floor, with nicely decorated balconies from which King Milan addressed the public on several occasions. Queen Natalia and Prince Aleksandar gladly resided in this palace.
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From 1878 on, Niš was also the seat of church administration, of the Niš bishopric and Niš arch-bishopric, headed by Metropolitan Viktor. The Church of St Panteleimon was finished on August 8th, 1878. It was erected on the site of an earlier monastery, built in 1185, and endowed by the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty.
Opposite the Royal Palace by the Nišava River, the County Administration building (Banovina) was erected in 1889. This modern edifice was built in the Western European style. The works cost about 250,000 dinars. The building housed all the administrative offices of the Serbian prefecture: the departments of police, finance, town planning, civil engineering and public facilities, the National Savings-bank, as well as the penitentiary. The building had a luxuriously decorated interior, with a beautiful large hall where conferences and court sessions were held.
At that time, some of the sessions of the National Parliament of Serbia were also held in Niš. The first session took place in 1878, attended by 172 Members of Parliament, and officially opened by King Milan himself, in the primary school building near the Orthodox Cathedral (Saborna Crkva). The municipal administration comprised 15 officials and 120 clerks, whereas the national administration included 150 officials in various departments. Niš was the centre of the County (okrug) administration from 1896 on. The County area covered 2,558 square kilometres, including 246 towns and villages, that is, 88 municipalities and county districts, and, according to the 1905 census, had a population of 184,045.
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