Nikšić (
Cyrillic
The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...
: Никшић, ), is the second largest city in
Montenegro
, image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg
, coa_size = 80
, national_motto =
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map = Europe-Mont ...
, with a total population of 32,046 (2023 census) located in the west of the country, in the centre of the spacious Nikšić field at the foot of Trebjesa Hill. It is the center of
Nikšić Municipality
Nikšić (Serbo-Croatian: Opština Nikšić / Општина Никшић) is one of the municipalities of Montenegro. The municipality is located in the central and northwestern region of Montenegro. The administrative centre of the municipality ...
with population of 65,705 according to 2023 census, which is the largest municipality by area and second most inhabited after
Podgorica
Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...
. It was also the largest municipality by area in the former Yugoslavia. It is an important industrial, cultural, and educational center.
Name
In classical antiquity, the area of Nikšić was the site of the settlement of the
Illyrian tribe of the Endirudini and was known in sources of the time as Anderba or Enderon.
The Roman Empire built a
military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent military base, for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large cam ...
(''castrum Anderba'') in the 4th century AD, which was known as the Ostrogothic fortress ''Anagastum'' (after 459. AD). After Slavic settlement in the region, Anagastum became Slavic ''Onogošt'', which was the name of the town and ''
župa
A župa, or zhupa, is a historical type of administrative division in Southeast Europe and Central Europe, that originated in medieval South Slavs, South Slavic culture, commonly translated as "county" or "parish". It was mentioned for the first t ...
'' (county) in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. Onogošt was renamed as Nikšić in the middle of 15th century after the
Nikšići
Nikšići is a village in Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hu ...
, a
Montenegrin tribe.
History
Antiquity
The region formed one of the core areas of the
Illyrian kingdom
The Illyrian kingdom was an Illyrian political entity that existed on the western part of the Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. Regardless of the number of the alternately ruling dynasties, of their tribal affiliation, and of the actual ex ...
with its capital in
Rhizon Rhizon was the capital of the Illyrian kingdom under the Ardiaei. During the Ancient Rome, Roman rule it was known as Rhizinium. Rhizon is the oldest settlement in the Bay of Kotor and the modern town of Risan (modern Montenegro) stands near the ol ...
. It was inhabited by the Endirudini, who figure in the list of tribes which surrendered to
Octavian
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in ...
in 33 BC. The Endirudini were one of the tribes who were included in the administrative reorganization of the tribal units in the early Roman Empire and became part of the Docleatae with
Doclea as their administrative center.
Middle Ages

During the Early Middle Ages, it was located within the South Slavic (
Sklavenoi
The ' (in Latin) or ' ( various forms in Greek) were early Slavic tribes that raided, invaded and settled in the Balkans in the Early Middle Ages and eventually became one of the progenitors of modern South Slavs. They were mentioned by early By ...
) tribal provinces of
Travunia
Travunia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Travunija, Травунија; ; ; ) was a South Slavic medieval principality that was part of Medieval Serbia (850–1371), and later the Medieval Bosnia (1373–1482). The principality became hereditar ...
or
Duklja
Duklja ( sr-Cyrl, Дукља; ; ) was a medieval South Slavs, South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana river in the east, and to the sou ...
(which were under the authority of the
Serbian Principality of the
Vlastimirović dynasty
The House of Vlastimirović ( sr-Cyrl, Властимировић, Vlastimirovići / Властимировићи) was the first Serbian royal dynasty, named after Prince Vlastimir (ruled c. 831–851), who was recognized by the Byzantine Em ...
). With the fall of the Vlastimirovići and the hinterland regions in the second half of the 10th century, Doclea was resurrected with
Stefan Vojislav
Stefan Vojislav ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Војислав, ; 1034–d. 1043) was the Prince of Duklja from 1018 to 1043. Beginning in the year 1018, he served as a Byzantine governor, until 1034 when he led an unsuccessful revolt that landed him i ...
and his
Vojislavljević dynasty, succeeded by
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...
and his
Nemanjić dynasty
The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced List of Serbian monarchs, twelv ...
, at which time the Onogošt župa existed. With the
fall of the Serbian Empire
The fall of the Serbian Empire was a decades-long process in the late 14th century. Following the death of the childless Emperor of the Serbs, Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1371, the Serbian Empire was left without an heir and the magnates, ''velika� ...
, Onogošt came under the rule of
Kingdom of Bosnia
The Kingdom of Bosnia ( / Краљевина Босна), or Bosnian Kingdom (''Bosansko kraljevstvo'' / Босанско краљевство), was a medieval kingdom that lasted for nearly a century, from 1377 to 1463, and evolved out of the ...
in 1373, and was under the rule of the
Kosača noble family, which held territory in
Herzegovina
Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia (reg ...
from 1448 until Herzegovina fell to the Ottomans.
Ottoman Empire
The
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
took control of Onogošt in 1465, and it stayed under control of the Turks for more than four hundred years, as a part of
Herzegovina Province. Onogošt was first referred to as "Nikšić" in a document titled ''Radonia Pribisalich de Nichsich'' printed in 1518.
Evliya Çelebi
Dervish Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi (), was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman explorer who travelled through his home country during its cultural zenith as well as neighboring lands. He travelled for over 40 years, rec ...
mentioned Serbs who live in the villages around Nikšić. The name "Nikšić" was used alongside Onogošt until 1767, when the name Nikšić was officially implemented after an
ayan council, a high-profile meeting of Ottoman feudal lords which was relatively common at the time.
During the later years of Ottoman occupation, the town served as a significant fortified military stronghold. During the course of Ottoman rule, a total of four
mosque
A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard.
Originally, mosques were si ...
s were built in Nikšić.
The first one, ''Donjogradska'', was constructed between 1695 and 1703.
A second mosque called ''Hadžidanuša'' was constructed sometime in the early 1700s by an Ottoman military captain, Hadži-Husejin Danević; it was colloquially known as the "short mosque" because it had no
minarets
A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...
.
A third mosque, known simply as "Pasha's mosque", was the largest in Nikšić. It was said to be architecturally similar to
Jashar Pasha Mosque in
Pristina
Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and District of Pristina, district.
In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdo ...
.
A fourth mosque called ''Hadži-Ismail's mosque'' was erected in 1807, and was the only mosque to survive the departure of the Ottoman Empire from Nikšić later that century.
Under the influence of the
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising (; sr-Cyrl, Први српски устанак; ) was an uprising of Serbs in Orašac (Aranđelovac), Orašac against the Ottoman Empire from 14 February 1804 to 7 October 1813. The uprising began as a local revolt ...
, in the summer of 1805, the movement of Herzegovinian Serbs wanting to start an uprising appeared in Nikšić.
The people of Nikšić relied on and cooperated with the
harambašas from
Popovo Polje
Popovo Polje ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Popovo polje, Попово поље, , is a '' polje'' (karstic field) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in a southernmost region of the country, near the Adriatic coast. Its size is .
Popovo polje ...
,
Trebinje
Trebinje ( sr-Cyrl, Требиње, ) is a city and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated on the banks of the Trebišnjica river in the region of East Her ...
and Trebinje Šuma, (), and calculated that 19,000 Serbs could rise up in revolt, while weapons were to arrive from Russia, via Greece. The Turks reacted to that by sending 10,000 soldiers led by pasha Kauzlarić to quell the rebellion. After the suppression of the uprising by the Turks, in which local Slavic Muslims probably took part, there was no more mention of the wider rebellion in historical sources.
In 1807, armed forces led by
Petar I Petrović-Njegoš
Petar I Petrović-Njegoš (; 1748 – 31 October 1830) was the Prince-Bishop of Montenegro from 1784 to 1830 and Exarch (legate) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. He was the most popular spiritual and military leader from the Petro ...
along with 1,000
Russian troops attempted to take Nikšić, but Ottoman forces prevailed.
On July 18, 1876, the
Principality of Montenegro
The Principality of Montenegro () was a principality in Southeastern Europe that existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a Kingdom of Montenegro, kingdom by Nikola I of Montenegro, Nikola I, who then became King of M ...
defeated Ottoman forces in the
Battle of Vučji Do in the western edge of the
municipality of Nikšić. On 27 August 1877, the rest of Nikšić was taken by the
Montenegrin Army under the command of Vojvoda
Mašo Vrbica after a 47-day siege against the Ottoman authorities.
English archaeologist
Arthur Evans
Sir Arthur John Evans (8 July 1851 – 11 July 1941) was a British archaeologist and pioneer in the study of Aegean civilization in the Bronze Age.
The first excavations at the Minoan palace of Knossos on the List of islands of Greece, Gree ...
witnessed the negotiations between
Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš ( sr-Cyrl, Никола I Петровић-Његош; – 1 March 1921) was the last monarch of Montenegro from 1860 to 1918, reigning as Principality of Montenegro, prince from 1860 to 1910 and as the country's first ...
(Nikola I) and the remaining Bosniaks (Muslims) after the siege, and subsequently wrote about them in his diary:
Principality and Kingdom of Montenegro (1877–1918)
Nikšić was officially recognized as a part of the
Principality of Montenegro
The Principality of Montenegro () was a principality in Southeastern Europe that existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a Kingdom of Montenegro, kingdom by Nikola I of Montenegro, Nikola I, who then became King of M ...
in the
Treaty of Berlin. The small Ottoman hamlet began to transform into a modern urban settlement. The first urban plan was adopted in 1883, commissioned by
King Nikola, who appointed
Croatian architect Josip Slade to develop the city planning.
In addition to designing contemporary Nikšić, he also designed the monumental
Carev Most nearby.
Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941)
The ousting of
King Nikola and the context of the transition to the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes resulted in considerable tension and even violence in Nikšić. On December 23, 1918, Nikšić was the site of a skirmish between
Montenegrin Greens
The Greens ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Зеленаши, Zelenaši) were a group of loyalists of Nicholas I of Montenegro, King Nikola of Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro. They originated from the members of the True People's Party and were most notable for ...
and Serbian troops under the command of Dragan Milutinović. The Greens had launched an attack on Nikšić during the
Christmas Uprising, although Serbian forces prevailed.
Živko Andrijašević
Živko M. Andrijašević (born 24 February 1967) is a Montenegrin historian and writer.
He is the author of the standard historical dictionary of Montenegro.
Biography
Živko Andrijašević was born on February 24, 1967 in Bar. He graduated ...
. ''Istorija Crne Gore''. July 2015. p. 261. Even after the Christmas Uprising ended, some Montenegrin Greens continued resisting the Yugoslav government for many years. On December 28, 1923, 11 Montenegrin "Komiti" who continued guerilla activities after the Christmas Uprising were executed in Nikšić by the Serbian Gendarmery.
Nikšić saw the establishment of rail transport during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. On July 12, 1938, after thirteen years of on-and-off construction, the first train arrived from
Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 7,476 inhabitants, while the municipality has 10,807 inhabitants.
History
The first traces of ci ...
at the newly constructed railway station in Nikšić.
A gate was decorated in front of the new station, on which a portrait of
King Petar II was installed with "Long Live Yugoslavia!" written under the portrait.
Approximately 5,000 people waited for the first train to arrive, even when its arrival was delayed by two hours on a hot day.
During the delay, much of the public was reportedly impatient, with two war veterans leading a
kolo dance on the railroad tracks before the train arrived.
World War II
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Nikšić was first occupied by the
Italian governorate in Montenegro. The occupation resulted in several insurrections, with one of the earliest started by the
Yugoslav Partisans
The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...
. The first Partisan advances were violently repressed, as Nikšić became the site of a large number of
public executions, including those of notable communists
Ljubo Čupić and 16-year old Joka Baletić.
Over the course of April 7–8, 1944, Nikšić was bombed by the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
, using
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington (nicknamed the Wimpy) is a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of t ...
long-range bombers.
One of the
Yugoslav Partisans
The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...
' commanders in Montenegro,
Peko Dapčević
Peko Dapčević (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Пеко Дапчевић; 25 June 1913 – 10 February 1999) was a Yugoslav communist who fought as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, joined the Partisan uprising in Montenegro, and became com ...
, requested to
Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...
that
allied forces bomb Nikšić in order to force out the
Nazi occupation.
The recorded number of casualties from the bombing raid vary depending on different sources, ranging from approximately 200
to 500 killed.
SFR Yugoslavia (1945–1991)
After the end of World War II, Nikšić became the site of unprecedented industrial and political developments. On September 24, 1948, six unmarked
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...
aircraft landed at
Kapino Polje Airport, where they were retrofitted and delivered to the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...
in a secret operation.
During the operation, the airport was quarantined from the public by
Yugoslavia's State Security Administration.
The unmarked aircraft were flown by pilots from the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...
, and three of them were used in the
1948 Arab–Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, also known as the First Arab–Israeli War, followed the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine, civil war in Mandatory Palestine as the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. The civil war becam ...
less than a month later.
One of the biggest changes in Nikšić were the construction of new factories, particularly the metal processing plant "Boris Kidrič", which
Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...
first visited in May 1959. Tito visited the Boris Kidrič plant again on May 12, 1969, after it was reported that the plant recorded a positive net revenue for the previous quarter-year for the first time since its establishment.
During his second visit to Nikšić, Tito insisted that negative business results be addressed by modernizing machinery in the factory, as opposed to placing responsibility solely on workers.
By 1985, the Boris Kidrič metal works employed over 6,500 workers, although that year two
strikes took place.
Chronic inflation of the Yugoslav dinar had already begun, and the metal works were dependent on imports in order to produce. This added pressure to raise prices of steel products, which in turn made them less competitive with steel from western Europe.
The city population was increased tenfold, and Nikšić became the heart of Montenegrin industrial complex. During the
socialist republic era, the city flourished, as
steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
and
iron
Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
works,
bauxite
Bauxite () is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)), and diaspore (α-AlO(OH) ...
mines, electricity production,
brewery
A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of b ...
and
wood processing
Wood processing is an engineering discipline in the wood industry comprising the production of forest products, such as pulp and paper, construction materials, and tall oil. Paper engineering is a subfield of wood processing.
The major wo ...
industries were set up in and around the city.
During the Yugoslav Wars
With the
breakup of Yugoslavia
After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved issues from the breakup caused a series of inter-ethnic Yugoslav ...
, Nikšić was hit hard with the hyperinflation of the
Yugoslav dinar
The dinar ( sh-Cyrl, динар) was the currency of Yugoslavia. It was introduced in 1920 in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was replaced by the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Th ...
,
international sanctions
International sanctions are political and economic decisions that are part of diplomatic efforts by countries, multilateral or regional organizations against states or organizations either to protect national security interests, or to protect i ...
, and overall decline throughout Yugoslavia during the 1990s. Nikšić had a large amount of reservists in the
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA/; Macedonian language, Macedonian, Montenegrin language, Montenegrin and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian language, Croatian and ; , J ...
. Between 62
and 77
JNA soldiers killed in the
Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of ...
were from Nikšić alone.
Political tension in Nikšić was polarized between Serbian nationalist and Montenegrin secessionist groups. Although Nikšić did not experience violence from the war in neighboring Bosnia, there were some extraordinary incidents. In the fall of 1992,
Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj ( sr-Cyrl, Војислав Шешељ, ; born 11 October 1954) is a Serbian politician and convicted war criminal. He is the founder and president of the far-right Serbian Radical Party (SRS). Between 1998 and 2000, he was a D ...
planned to hold a
Serbian Radical Party rally in Nikšić.
However, a local named Brano Mićunović plotted to assassinate Šešelj outside of a tunnel upon entering Nikšić, and Šešelj ultimately cancelled the meeting after hearing about the plot.
In June 1993, Hadži-Ismail's mosque was destroyed during unrest.
['']Vreme
is a weekly news magazine based in Belgrade, Serbia.
History
In 1990, dissatisfied with the media climate in SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia's largest constituent unit, a group of liberal Serbian intellectuals, including prominent lawyer Srđa Popovi ...
''. June 7, 1993. p. 29
Years of wartime tension and widespread poverty took a toll on the city. In 1996, Nikšić recorded the second-most suicides out of any city in
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
.
After a period of twenty days during which six suicides and two murders took place, clergymen in Nikšić decided to start an annual public liturgy, or ''Litija'', which was attended by tens of thousands of worshipers who walked all the way from
Ostrog Monastery in May 1996.
Local administration
City Assembly (2025–2029)
Mayor
''Mayor of Nikšić'' is the head of the town and municipality of Nikšić. He acts on behalf of the town, and performs an executive function in the municipality of Nikšić. Current mayor is
Marko Kovačević
Marko Kovačević (; born 9 May 1988) is a Montenegrin Serb politician serving as the mayor of Nikšić since 10 May 2021 and the spokesperson of the New Serb Democracy. Prior to this he was a member of the Parliament of Montenegro.
Biography E ...
, member of the right-wing
Democratic Front.
''List of Mayors since introduction of multi-party system (1990–present):''
* Milorad Drljević (
DPS) (1990–2002)
* Vera Miljanić (
LSCG) (2002–2003)
* Labud Šljukić (
LSCG) (2003–2005)
* Nebojša Radojičić (
DPS) (2005–2014)
* Veselin Grbović (
DPS) (2014–2020)
*
Milutin Simović (
DPS) (2020–2021)
*
Marko Kovačević
Marko Kovačević (; born 9 May 1988) is a Montenegrin Serb politician serving as the mayor of Nikšić since 10 May 2021 and the spokesperson of the New Serb Democracy. Prior to this he was a member of the Parliament of Montenegro.
Biography E ...
(
DF) (2020–present)
Geography
Nikšić is situated in north-central Montenegro. It is located at the centre of the spacious ''Nikšić field'' (''Nikšićko polje''), a
karst plain with an area of 48 km
2, and an elevation of 640 m
AMSL
Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level v ...
. The plain is surrounded by inhospitable rocky mountainous terrain, a typical landscape of western Montenegro. The city itself is located at the foot of the ''Trebjesa'' hill.
Zeta
Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...
river originates in the ''Nikšić field'', and flows near the city of Nikšić, before it becomes a
subterranean river
A subterranean river (also known as an underground river) is a river or watercourse that runs wholly or partly beneath the ground, one where the riverbed does not represent the surface of the Earth. It is distinct from an aquifer, which may flow ...
south of the city. The river caused frequent flooding of the plain, until the construction of
Hydroelectric power plant
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
''Perućica'' in 1960. The construction of the power plant resulted in creation of three large
artificial lakes
Artificiality (the state of being artificial, anthropogenic, or man-made) is the state of being the product of intentional human manufacture, rather than occurring nature, naturally through processes not involving or requiring human activity.
Co ...
near the city - ''Krupac Lake'', ''Slano Lake'' and ''Vrtac Lake''. Today, the lakes are a popular recreation and relaxation retreats for the citizens of Nikšić.
Climate
Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Nikšić has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
(''Cfb''), which is influenced by the
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
drying trend during summer.
The average temperature in January is , while in July it is . Average humidity amounts to 69%. Nikšić receives 2,238 hours of sunshine per year, with warm and moderately wet summers, and cool and rainy winters. On average, there are 19 days per year with snowfall.
Cityscape

Although Nikšić area has seen human settlements since antiquity, most of the modern Nikšić is a
planned city
A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
. Very little remains of the
Ottoman architectural heritage, despite the long presence of
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
in the area. The city layout visible today still follows the 1883 urban plan commissioned by
King Nicholas and designed by
Croatian architect Josip Slade.
According to this plan, the streets of Nikšić radiate to the north and east from the central city square (today a
roundabout
A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
), locally known as ''Skver''. The radial streets are intersected by circumferential streets and avenues, thus creating a half-
spider web
A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb (from the archaic word ''Wikt:coppe, coppe'', meaning 'spider') is a structure created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey ...
-like street layout.
Layers of different architectural styles and urban patterns are evident along the radial network of streets. Thus, closest to the central roundabout is the historical core of Nikšić, formed after the liberation from Ottoman Empire, and serving as a nucleus for Slade's urban plan. This area, on the foot of ''Trebjesa Hill'', is home to ''
King Nicholas Palace'', City Park, and ''
Freedom Square'', main city square located along the central ''
Njegoševa Street''. The area is composed of mostly single or two storey
row housing with basic designs, an architecture typical for late 19th and early 20th centuries Montenegro. The roundabout and the surrounding area is still the focal point of activities in the city, as bus and train stations, as well as commercial and civic services are located in the area.

Farther from the central roundabout, the historical core is encircled with a layer of mass residential blocks, built during the
SFRY
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
era. The building of the highrise residential blocks facilitated housing of the large population drawn to the city by rapid post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
industrialisation. The SFRY era apartment blocks are still home for the majority of residents of Nikšić.
Beyond the blocks, the city expanded in form of a
suburban
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
sprawl, that consists of
detached housing. Close to the city blocks and major industrial areas, the lowrise single home suburbs are built with well executed urban plans, but farther away from the center, the city expanded in a chaotic and informal way. In addition, the rural areas south of Nikšić have merged with the city, so low density suburbs extend from the city in every direction, covering much of the ''Nikšić Field''.
Culture

Although mostly perceived as an industrial center, Nikšić is also a city of rich cultural heritage. The most significant cultural institution in the city is ''Centar Za Kulturu'' (''Cultural Center''), which incorporates the city's major public cultural establishments:
* ''Zavičajni Muzej'' (''County Museum''), situated in
the former royal Palace of King Nikola, documents the historical development of the city.
* ''Nikšić art gallery''
* ''Public library'' and ''Public archive''
* ''Nikšić theater''
* ''Zahumlje'' folk music society
* ''Stari Grad Anderva'' art society
The most significant cultural event in the city is ''Septembarski Dani Kulture'' (''September days of Culture''), that is one of the most recognizable cultural happenings in Montenegro. Other annual artistic events include ''Pjesnik na korzu'' (''Poet on the promenade''), ''Međunarodni festival glumca'' (''International actors festival''), ''Međunarodni festival kamerne muzike'' (''International festival of chamber music''), ''Međunarodni festival gitare'' (''International guitar festival''). ''Lake Fest'' rock festival, held annually at Krupac lake and ''Bedem Fest'' rock festival, held at Bedem Castle are gaining ground as one of the most recognizable music festivals in the former Yugoslav region.
Nikšić is known for its distinctive cultural atmosphere and
bohemian
Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to:
*Anything of or relating to Bohemia
Culture and arts
* Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, originally practised by 19th–20th century European and American artists and writers.
* Bohemian style, a ...
art scene, with poet
Vitomir Nikolić and singers/songwriters like
Miladin Šobić
Miladin Šobić (, born 7 January 1956) is a Montenegrin poet, singer and songwriter.
He was an active performer during the late 1970s and early 1980s in SFR Yugoslavia where his prominence had a regional character with popularity across Yugosl ...
or
Marinko Pavićević as prominent representatives of the Nikšić bohemian spirit.
Živko Nikolić, a native of Nikšić, is considered the most significant Montenegrin movie director.
Media scene of Nikšić is mostly confined to
public broadcasters ''TV Nikšić'' and ''Radio Nikšić'', and a number of commercial radio stations. ''Riječ'' and ''Luča'' magazines, published by the ''Faculty of Philology'' and the ''Faculty of Philosophy'' respectively, as well as ''Poznanstva'' children magazine, are also a part of Nikšić cultural scene.
Education
Nikšić is home to 40 educational institutions. Among those are 11 nurseries, 25 elementary schools of which one is elementary music school and 4 high schools, including the Stojan Cerović Gymnasium.
Nikšić is also home to three faculties of the
University of Montenegro:
*''
Faculty of Philosophy
A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In North America, academic divisions are sometimes titled colleges, sc ...
'' - a complex educational and scientific institution which organizes undergraduate, specialist and postgraduate studies as well as doctoral studies within its main activities. Two institutes operate within the faculty:
**''Institute of philosophy and sociology'' and
**''Institute of geography''
*''
Faculty of Philology''
**''Institute of language and literature''
*''
Faculty of sports and physical education''
Sports
Nikšić is regarded as one of the centers of Montenegrin sport. The
combat sports
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opponent (''knocko ...
are particularly popular in Nikšić, with a strong tradition in
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...
,
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...
and
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
. Nikšić judokas have been exceptionally successful at international competitions.
Sutjeska football club is the pillar of the city
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
tradition. The club has risen to the
Yugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League ( Bosnian: Prva savezna liga u fudbalu, sr-Cyrl-Latn, Прва савезна лига у фудбалу, Prva savezna liga u fudbalu, , , , , ) was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941) ...
during the
SFRY era, and is one of the most successful clubs since the
Montenegrin First League
The Montenegrin First League (Montenegrin language, Montenegrin: ''Prva crnogorska fudbalska liga'' — ''Prva CFL'' — ''1. CFL''; ), referred to as the Meridianbet 1. CFL for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional Association football, ...
was established in 2006.
City Stadium is the club's home field.
FK Čelik is also becoming more prominent as it has reached the
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
qualifying phase.
In basketball, not only has Nikšić produced great players (Bojan Dubljevic or Ana Pocek for example), but the local team
KK Sutjeska Nikšić became champions of the
Montenegrin Basketball Cup in 2013.
Other team sports, particularly
handball
Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...
and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
, are also popular in Nikšić.
Besides
City Stadium, other significant sporting venue is the ''Nikšić Sports Center''. This facility features a 3,000 seat indoor sports hall,
olympic-size swimming pool
An Olympic-size swimming pool is a swimming pool which conforms to the regulations for length, breadth, and depth made by World Aquatics (formerly FINA) for swimming at the Summer Olympics and the swimming events at the World Aquatics Champions ...
, 6-lane
bowling alley
A bowling alley (also known as a bowling center, bowling lounge, bowling arena, or historically bowling club) is a facility where the sport of bowling is played. It can be a dedicated facility or part of another, such as a clubhouse or dwelling ...
, sports
shooting range
A shooting range, firing range, gun range or shooting ground is a specialized facility, venue, or field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice, or competitions. Some shooting ranges are operated by milita ...
,
tennis
Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
and
futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football played between two teams of five players each on a court smaller than a football pitch. Its rules are based on the Laws of the Game (association football), Laws of the Game of association football, and i ...
courts, and various other facilities.
Vučje ski resort is 18 km away from the city center, making winter sports a popular recreation among the citizens of Nikšić.
Demographics
Population (city)
Nikšić is administrative centre of
Nikšić Municipality
Nikšić (Serbo-Croatian: Opština Nikšić / Општина Никшић) is one of the municipalities of Montenegro. The municipality is located in the central and northwestern region of Montenegro. The administrative centre of the municipality ...
, which incorporates a densely populated fertile plain called "Župa", and has a population of 65,705 (2023. census).
Nikšić Municipality can be viewed as a
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
of the city of Nikšić.
Settlements
There are 129 settlements in the municipality of Nikšić with a total population of 65,705 (2023).
Ethnicity
Source: Statistical Office of Montenegro - MONSTAT, Census 2011
Religion
Source: Statistical Office of Montenegro - MONSTAT, Census 2011
Economy
Nikšić is, alongside Podgorica, one of the biggest industrial centres of Montenegro. A
steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-fini ...
(''Nikšićka Željezara''),
bauxite
Bauxite () is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)), and diaspore (α-AlO(OH) ...
mine, the
Trebjesa brewery (''Nikšićka Pivara''), and many more are concentrated in this city.
These big industries had struggled to survive the collapse of the
socialist economy
Socialist economics comprises the economic theories, practices and norms of hypothetical and existing socialist economic systems. A socialist economic system is characterized by social ownership and operation of the means of production that m ...
, but have since recovered. The process of
privatization
Privatization (rendered privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation w ...
is either finished or still in progress for some of these industries.
Today those industry giants cannot employ as many workers as they could back in the days of
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
, and the economy of Nikšić is slowly transforming into one that is more service-oriented. In 1981 Niksic's GDP per capita was 91% of the Yugoslav average.
Transport
Road
Nikšić's main road connection is
E762 highway, which connects Nikšić with Podgorica to the southeast, and with
Plužine and on to the
Foča
Foča ( sr-Cyrl, Фоча, ) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the south-east on the banks of Drina river. As of 2013, the town has a population of 12,234 inhabitants, while the municipality has 1 ...
and
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
(
Bosnia and Hercegovina) to the northwest. Another recently reconstructed north/south Montenegrin road corridor passes through Nikšić, the
Risan/
Trebinje
Trebinje ( sr-Cyrl, Требиње, ) is a city and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated on the banks of the Trebišnjica river in the region of East Her ...
-Nikšić-
Šavnik
Šavnik (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Шавник, ) is a town in Montenegro in the Northern Montenegro, northern region and administrative center of the Šavnik Municipality. It is located at the confluence of three rivers - Bukovica (Komarnica), ...
-
Žabljak
Žabljak (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Жабљак, ) is a small town in Montenegro in the Northern Montenegro, northern region. It has a population of 1,723.
Žabljak is the seat of Žabljak Municipality (2011 population: 3,569). The town is in ...
road. This road is the shortest connection Nikšić has with
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Boka kotorska, Бока которска, separator=" / ", ), also known as the Boka ( sh-Cyrl, Бока), is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated a ...
and Montenegrin coast. Nikšić also has the distinction of being one of the first Montenegrin towns to have a
bypass road. The bypass, built during the
SFRY
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
era, has been upgraded in 2011, and now services every transit corridor of Nikšić, directing all transit traffic away from the urban core. Like many cities in the former Yugoslavia, Nikšić is the hub of multiple
intercity bus companies, the largest of them being
Glušica Nikšić and
4 Decembar Nikšić which operate to destinations as far as
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
and
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
.
Rail

Nikšić is the terminus of
Nikšić-Podgorica railway, which is sole rail connection of the city. This railway line connects with
Belgrade-Bar and
Podgorica–Shkodër lines in Podgorica.
This rail link has been used mainly to transport bauxite from Nikšić bauxite mine to
Podgorica Aluminium Plant. It is currently under reconstruction and electrification, and passenger service will be reintroduced once the reconstruction is completed. Three
CAF Civity EMUs have been ordered by
Railways of Montenegro specifically to serve this railway, cutting the travel time between Nikšić and Podgorica to only 50 minutes. The first of the new trains will go into service on June 1, 2013.
Nikšić obtained its
narrow-gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curv ...
() railway connection with
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
via
Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 7,476 inhabitants, while the municipality has 10,807 inhabitants.
History
The first traces of ci ...
and
Trebinje
Trebinje ( sr-Cyrl, Требиње, ) is a city and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated on the banks of the Trebišnjica river in the region of East Her ...
when the railway line was extended from Bileća and opened in 1938. Not far from Trebinje, the narrow-gauge line used to branch off in three directions: towards
Čapljina
Čapljina ( cyrl, Чапљина, ) is a city located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on the border with Croatia a mere from the Adriatic Sea.
The rive ...
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zelenika, Herceg Novi, Zelenika in
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Boka kotorska, Бока которска, separator=" / ", ), also known as the Boka ( sh-Cyrl, Бока), is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated a ...
in Montenegro (a dead end), and Dubrovnik in Croatia (also a dead end). After reaching Čapljina, the line used to run to the south, to the Ploče harbour in Croatia, and to the north, to the rest of the world via Mostar and
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
.
The narrow-gauge extension from Nikšić to Titograd (Podgorica), built by youth work brigades, was opened in 1948. That extension was converted to standard gauge () in 1965.
The narrow-gauge line from Nikšić to Čapljina was closed down in 1976 and dismantled soon after.
Air
Nikšić Airport is located on the western outskirts of the city. It is a small sport airport, that caters to needs of general aviation, and of local enthusiast aviation club. After significant reconstruction and expansion, the airport was chosen to be a host of 2010 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, FAI World Parachuting Championships. Scheduled passenger service has yet to be introduced.
Podgorica Airport is some away from Nikšić, and has regular flights to
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
,
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...
, Budapest, Zürich, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome and Vienna. Both Tivat Airport, Tivat and Dubrovnik Airport, Dubrovnik airports are some away, and offer regular services to major European destinations.
International cooperation
Nikšić is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:
* Arilje, Serbia
*
Bileća
Bileća ( sr-cyrl, Билећа) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 7,476 inhabitants, while the municipality has 10,807 inhabitants.
History
The first traces of ci ...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bovec, Slovenia
* Brindisi, Italy
* Chifeng, China
*
Foča
Foča ( sr-Cyrl, Фоча, ) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the south-east on the banks of Drina river. As of 2013, the town has a population of 12,234 inhabitants, while the municipality has 1 ...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Gacko, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Girona, Spain
* Gradačac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Istočno Novo Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Koper, Slovenia
* Koprivnica, Croatia
* Kumanovo, North Macedonia
* Lazarevac, Serbia
* Murska Sobota, Slovenia
* Nevesinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* New Belgrade, Serbia
* Ohrid, North Macedonia
* Prilep, North Macedonia
* Rab (town), Rab, Croatia
* Ražanj, Serbia
* Strumica, North Macedonia
*
Trebinje
Trebinje ( sr-Cyrl, Требиње, ) is a city and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated on the banks of the Trebišnjica river in the region of East Her ...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Valjevo, Serbia
* Vrbas, Serbia, Vrbas, Serbia
* Zadar, Croatia
* Želino, North Macedonia
Notable individuals
* Dragomir Bečanović, judoka, 1989 World Judo Championships, World champion
* Andrija Delibašić, footballer
* Bojan Dubljević, basketball player
* Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro
* Grdan (fl. 1596–d. 1612), vojvoda of Nikšić and rebel leader
* Goran Jeretin, basketball player
* Zdravko Krivokapić, Prime Minister of Montenegro
* Radmila Miljanić-Petrović, handball player, Olympic silver medalist and European champion
* Milomir Miljanić, singer
* Andrija Milošević, actor
* Alen Muratović, handball player
*
Vitomir Nikolić, poet
*
Živko Nikolić, movie director
* Milosava Perunović (ca. 1900 - 1945), war heroine
* Vukan Perović, football player
* Željko Petrović, footballer
* Milisav Popović, fantasy author
* Nataša Popović, basketball player
* Silvija Popović, Serbian volleyball player, silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, World and 2011 Women's European Volleyball Championship, European champion
* Zdravko Radulović, basketball player, silver medalist at the 1988 Summer Olympics and EuroBasket 1989, European champion
*
Miladin Šobić
Miladin Šobić (, born 7 January 1956) is a Montenegrin poet, singer and songwriter.
He was an active performer during the late 1970s and early 1980s in SFR Yugoslavia where his prominence had a regional character with popularity across Yugosl ...
, musician
* Željko Šturanović, former Prime Minister of Montenegro
* Mirko Vučinić, footballer
* Filip Vujanović, former President of Montenegro
* Miljan Zeković, football player
* Rajko Žižić, basketball player, three-time Olympic medalist and 1980 Summer Olympics, 1980 Olympic champion
* Milorad Žižić, boxer
* Vesna Zmijanac, singer
Notes
References
Books
External links
Official website of the municipality of Nikšić
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niksic
Nikšić,
Populated places in Nikšić Municipality
Illyrian Montenegro