Pirot And The Middle Nishava Region   

Pirot is one of the biggest Serbian municipalities in the area, located in the south of the country, near the Bulgarian border. The town has a rich culture with notable Orthodox church buildings, including the Church of St. Petka, and the monastery of St. Georges and St. John the Theologian from the late 14th century, both displaying some fine examples of medieval Serbian architecture. The Nišava River divides Pirot into two parts - Pazar and Tijabar. If you visit the area, you will discover an Orthodox church in each neighbourhood dating back to the Ottoman rule. The oldest one, built in 1834, is in Pazar. Roads and borders have been of key importance for the fate of this town, built on the foundations of the ancient Roman settlement of Tures. The road Via Militaris, which once passed through this area, was the shortest route connecting central Europe with the Orient. Besides its rich cultural and historical heritage, Pirot is also characterized by natural resources because of its location on Stara Planina (the Balkan mountain range). Pirot has one of the most valuable constructions of the Balkans' urban architecture. The numerous churches and monasteries along the Nishava river have always attracted archaeologists attention.   

The nearby Nishava Valley is part of a natural path in the past, connecting Europe and Asia. The road follows the valley of Great Moravia River, Nishava River and Maritsa River to Istanbul.   

Niš Fortress is located on the River Nishava in the city center and is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved examples of Turkish military architecture in the central Balkans. It was built in the early 18th century by the Turks, constructed upon Roman and mediaeval foundations.    

The skull tower on another hand, a horrific monument unique in the world, was built after the Battle of Cegar along the road to Constantinople as a warning to anyone rising against the Ottoman Empire. A mid-19th-century document reads that the tower was rectangular, 4.5 meters wide and 4 meters long.   

The Gallery Synagoguе was built in 1925, and today is not used for religious ceremonies but rather as a cultural monument. Many concerts, exhibitions, and literary events take place here.

Čukljenik is a village in the municipality of Niska Banja, Nisavski region. The village dates back from 1516 according to the Turkish historical documents when the place was one of the 111th villages in the district. Near the village, there is a well-known place called Podkapina, where the “Podkapina festival” for ethnic music, dance, and singing is held every year in early August.