King Milan Square
Today King Milan Square, once Liberation Square, began its development in 1718 when Turks started building the Fortress. During its construction Niš started expanding along the right bank of the river Nišava quite rapidly. Thus, by 1720 a number of shops and caravanserai were built, while the central part of the square hosted the Landowners’ Marketplace, where Turkish landowners sold surplus products they had collected from the people as tax. By mid 18th century the Square was renamed as Bit Marketplace, where previously-used items were sold.
After the liberation from Turks in 1879, the square was prepared for the process of urban planning. Newcomers arrived – traders, officers, and intellectuals from Belgrade and northern Serbia, and they wished to build new houses here. Thus, the square was transformed from a “Turkish mahalla” into a modern “European style” location. We can witness the spirit of those times by observing some preserved buildings spanning the part of the square from Vozdova Street to the Quay along the Nišava River.
