Niš

Niš
Ниш (Serbian)
Град Ниш
Grad Niš

City of Niš
Panorama of Niš
Niš City Hall
Church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena
Nicknames: 
"Second capital"
"Imperial City"
Niš
Location within Serbia
Niš
Location within Europe
Niš
Niš (Europe)
Coordinates: 43°19′15″N 21°53′45″E / 43.32083°N 21.89583°E / 43.32083; 21.89583
CountrySerbia
Geographical RegionSouthern Serbia
Statistical RegionSouthern and Eastern
DistrictNišava
Municipalities5
First mention2nd century AD
Liberation from Ottomans11 January 1878
Government
 • MayorDragoslav Pavlović (SNS)
 • Ruling partiesSNS/SPS/SRS
 • LegislatureCity Assembly of Niš
Area
 • City
42 km2 (16 sq mi)
 • Urban
596.6 km2 (230.3 sq mi)
 • Rank51st in Serbia
Elevation
195 m (640 ft)
Population
 (2022)
 • City
178,976
 • Rank3rd in Serbia
 • Density4,261/km2 (11,040/sq mi)
 • Urban
249,501
 • Urban density418.2/km2 (1,083/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Nišlijka (female)
Nišlija (male)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
18000
Area code+381(0)18
ISO 3166 codeSRB
Official languagesSerbian
Patron SaintProcopius of Scythopolis
Websitewww.ni.rs
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Niš (/ˈnʃ/; Serbian Cyrillic: Ниш, Serbian pronunciation: [nîːʃ] ; names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in the southern part of Serbia. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a population of 178,976, while its administrative area has a population of 249,501 inhabitants.

Several Roman emperors were born in Niš or used it as a residence: Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor and the founder of Constantinople, Constantius III, Constans, Vetranio, Julian, Valentinian I, Valens; and Justin I. Emperor Claudius Gothicus decisively defeated the Goths at the Battle of Naissus (present-day Niš). 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. Today, 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 Serbian Army.

In 2013, the city was host to the celebration of 1700 years of Constantine's Edict of Milan.