Visit Niksic

Niksic is the second biggest city in Montenegro important in the industrial sphere, a city often named the “beer” capital of Montenegro, due to the brewery of the same name.

The city is located at the foot of mountain Trebjasa, apx 50 km from the countries capital – Podgorica. Niksic is the place of the connection of many roads leading to the center of the country and connecting it with nearby countries. The city is the industrial heart of Montenegro due to the integrated iron-and-steel works, the biggest bauxite mine and the brewery, that made Niksic famous not only in Montenegro but in the nearby countries.

The city was founded in the IV century by the Romans and was called Anagastum at that time. After the Turks came it became their castle and than got its present-day name. An important period in the cities development occurred after the banishment of the Turks during reign of king Nikola I Petrovic Negus. The architectural plan of the city was developed and within three decades many cultural and historical buildings were built and commerce began promoting. During the First and the Second World Wars Niksic wasn’t completely destroyed however needed reconstruction. The city population afterwards grew 10 times as big and Niksic became the industrial center of the country. During the disintegration of the former Jugoslavia many factories came to a loss and manufacture stopped. Nowadays many of the factories are privatized and the city recovers.

There are many places worth seeing in the city. The central square – Sloboda – from which six main roads of the city begin. The royal place of king Nikola I Petrovic Negus, was built in Revival style and now holds the museum of local lore. The church of Saint Basil, built in the 19th century in memory of Montenegrian heroes, who gave their lives for the countries freedom. There are also the old Turkish castle Bedem, mosque of Haji-Smailova, several parks, bridges.

Niksic is worth seeing to get to know that the country doesn’t live only by the sea and tourism.