The Grisly Skull Tower in Niš.

December 2023.

So how about that time Sladja and I went on a Christmas Eve walk to see an historic stone structure embedded with human skulls? Ho, ho, ho, etc. It was a crisp morning in the Serbian city of Niš as we set off on a walking route to visit one of the city’s grisliest sites.

Located on the outskirts of the city centre, it took us around forty minutes to reach our destination. Along the way, we found our attention drawn to a pair of curious murals celebrating the lives of two notable Nišians (I just made that word up, not sure if it’s a thing).

The Skull Tower in Niš.

The first depicts one of Serbia’s most celebrated boxers, Dragiša Stanković Čelik. As a sportsman he was an absolute powerhouse, winning 512 of his 520 career fights. Famously, he once refused to take a bribe for a fight in Germany and proceeded to win the bout by knockout. Ballsy.

Dragiša Stanković Čelik.                               On the way to the Skull Tower in Niš.

However, it was his patriotism and kindheartedness that ultimately won Stanković a place in the hearts of many Serbians. After retiring from boxing, he launched his own brand of coffee and a number of successful restaurants. During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia he donated over 30 tonnes of coffee to the army and even gave his pension back to the state.

Dragisa “Steel” Stanković in his prime.

Moreover, he became known as one of Serbia’s luckiest men after twice winning the top prize in the national lottery. A keen gambler, he also scooped no less than 14 large payouts from sports bets. He pᴀssed away in Niš in 2015 aged 75 following a stroke.

A Serbian Legend.

Dragisa Stanković (1939-2015).

The other mural remembers the service of Miodrag Lazić, a decorated war surgeon. He rose to fame in the early 1990s after volunteering to treat soldiers wounded in The Croatian War of Independence.

Doctor Miodrag Lazić.                                                                                On the way to the Skull Tower in Niš.

By the spring of 2020 Lazić was just a few months shy of retirement at the age of 64. But against his wife and doctor’s wishes, he insisted on treating COVID-19 patients in a hospital ward in Niš.

He did this despite the fact that in the past he’d suffered from bronchitis, obstructive pulmonary disease and high sugar levels. Sadly, he quickly contracted COVID and pᴀssed away on April the 20th shortly after penning a heartbreaking farewell letter.

Dr. Miodrag Lazić (1955-2020).

No wonder we were in a reflective mood as we arrived at the Skull Tower (Ćele Kula) ticket office. The woman behind the counter accepted our cash (just under $6) and pointed us toward the gate and garden path that lead to the tower.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

Skull Tower ticket office.

The Skull Tower enjoys a discreet location inside a pretty, church-like structure. The Ottomans built the tower after the dramatic events of The Battle of Čegar on the 31st of May 1809. Taking place on land near Niš Fortress, Serbian revolutionaries found themselves heavily outnumbered by their Ottoman aggressors.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

In the face of an inevitable defeat, Serbian Commander Stevan Sinđelić decided to take drastic action.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

In fact, with hordes of soldiers pouring into his trench, he quickly aimed his pistol at a stockpile of gunpowder. Then sH๏τ into it at just the perfect moment, killing himself and hundreds of people on both sides.

Stevan Sinđelić in his final moments by the painter Pavle Čortanović.

When Turkish general Hurshid Pasha heard the news he was furious. In order to send a message to the Serbs, he instructed his soldiers to round up all the enemies who had died in the blast.

A sculpted skull above the entrance door to the tower.

Stripping their heads of any remaining flesh and hair, the skulls were stacked into building blocks for a grisly tower placed at the entrance of the city. A message, if you will, that this is the fate that awaits anyone else who fancied themselves a rebel.

Ćele Kula.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

There was certainly a creepy feeling in the air that day as we entered the silent tower and came face to face with the skulls. Apparently over 950 went into the structure when it was made. Over the centuries that have since pᴀssed the vast majority have broken off or dissolved. As a result, just 58 remain on display today.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

Historians also believe that family members succeeded in dislodging skulls of their loved ones so that they could give them proper burials. Today you can see plenty of empty head-shaped spaces where those skulls used to be.

Ćele Kula.

As the orchestrator of the blast, Stevan Sinđelić’s skull sat on top of the tower when it was first unveiled. Now it resides in a glᴀss case to the side of the structure.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

An accompanying text describes Sinđelić as a brave national hero who “chose an honourable death over slavery”.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

There is also a weathered statue of Sinđelić outside in the garden. It seems to be popular with the local birds.

Stevan Sinđelić (1771-1809).

The Turk’s intention to scare off any more would-be rebels failed miserably. The next large scale rebellion came in 1815 during which the Serbs succeeded in driving the Turks out. This led to the eventual independence of Serbia in 1830 when the Ottomans finally granted them full autonomy. The congress of Berlin later recognised the independence formally in 1878.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

In 1833 a special visitor came to visit the tower. His name was Alphonse de Lamartine, a renowned French romantic poet, writer and statesman. “My eyes and heart greeted the remains of those brave men whose cut off heads made the cornerstone of their homeland’s independence” he exclaimed in a written account of the visit.

Alphonse de Lamartine: Doesn’t look very impressed by my article.

“May the Serbs keep this monument!” he continued. “It will always teach their children the value of their  independence, showing them the real price their fathers had to pay for it”. According to several historians, Lamartine’s visit was largely responsible for international interest in the tower and the subsequent wave of visitors from abroad. 

The Skull Tower in Niš.

A plaque in the chapel pays tribute to Lamartine’s visit and kind words.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

In 1894 local authorities constructed the small chapel that holds today’s restored tower. Declared a monument of exceptional cultural importance in 1948, the tower has been well looked after with numerous renovations. The latest of which came in 1989.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

It was time for us to move on. The Skull Tower had been yet another exceptional historic site in Niš. And we weren’t done yet, because next we’d be stopping by the remains of a grand villa once home to the Roman emperor Constantine The Great.

The Skull Tower in Niš.

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