The Church of Saint Nikola - the most important information
A cultural monument, the Church of St. Nicholas in Nis has stood proudly since 1863, then built as a mosque. The church was originally built on a site that kept the foundations of the old Byzantine church of St. Procopius from the 11th century. After the Turkish conquest of Nis, the relics of Saint Procopius were transferred to the territory of Prokuplje, after which it got its name. The church was then demolished to its foundations and a new one was built on the same site at the end of the 17th century. It was rebuilt after a fire caused by the Turks in 1690, and they then turned it into a mosque during the Austro-Turkish war. The church has survived numerous destructions and stands as a reminder of the turbulent religious history of Nis.
History of The Church of Saint Nikola
A plaque engraved with the year of construction, 1722, testifies to the renovation and construction of the new church. It became the endowment of the Grand Vizier Jegen Mehmed Pasha; it was called Fethiye (conquered) and a minaret was erected. As it was located in the part where the Christian population was predominant, the Turks had a plan to inhabit the abandoned properties with the Turkish population, but that plan did not succeed and the mosque soon became neglected. Mithad Pasha built a new mosque on the foundations of the old one in 1863, but in 1867, after the liberation of Nis, it became an Orthodox church again and its interior was remodeled. The renovated church was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, in 1878 the minaret was demolished and on the day of Saint Emperor Constantine and Empress Jelena, the temple was consecrated.
Significance of the Church of Saint Nikola
- The church was granted the status of a cultural monument in 1990 and has been under state protection ever since
- History has shown that the building was converted from a mosque into an Orthodox church and vice versa as many as 6 times
How to get to The Church of Saint Nikola?
The church is located within the city municipality of Palilula. Public transport lines can be used to get to the immediate middle, and as it is a little less than 2 km from the city center, you can walk to it. Bus lines can be caught on Pavle Stojkovic Square, in the city center or near the Ured building.
- Bus lines: 8, 9, 34A
- On foot: a walk through the streets of Nikola Pasic and Ucitelj Milan or through Episkopska street leads to the church
- Taxi stations: Prvi Taxi 018 /4500005, Bros Taxi 018 /4155541, City Taxi 0800 / 000022
Additional information:
- To enter the church it is necessary to follow a specific dress code that includes covered shoulders and no short pants, skirts or dresses