Cultural monuments in Niš to be restored for 95,000 euros, while 'Metamorphosis' monument is removed

The city of Niš in Serbia is set to allocate around 95,000 euros for the conservation and restoration of its cultural monuments. The tender for these works has concluded, with "Granit Liješće," a company from Sremska Mitrovica, being the sole bidder and awarded the contract.

A notable aspect of the project involves the temporary relocation of the "Metamorphosis Konstantiana" monument. This sculpture, dedicated to Constantine the Great and erected in 2013 on Kej Kola srpskih sestara, will be carefully removed and stored by "Granit Liješće" until it can be reinstalled. The tender documentation did not specify the reasons for its temporary removal or the timeline for its re-erection. The monument has previously drawn criticism for its appearance, and concerns were raised about stone slabs detaching from its base.

In addition to the "Metamorphosis Konstantiana," "Granit Liješće" will undertake restoration work on several other key sites. These include the Monument to the Liberators of Niš, the monument to the victims of the NATO aggression and the ossuary in the Fortress trench, the grave of Pavle and Natalija Stojković, and the monument to Todor Milovanović at the Old Cemetery.

The scope of work also extends to restoring the busts of Filip Filipović, Jelena Dimitrijević, Ratko Jović, Milka Protić Line, and Branko Miljković. Furthermore, the project covers the graves of 14 fallen soldiers at Sinđelić Square, the memorial plaque for General Milojko Lešjanin, the monument to Pop Melentije and the hanged patriots, and the stone pyramid at Bubanj Memorial Park.

Meanwhile, a separate tender issued by the City Administration for Local Economic Development for the renovation of the Niš Fortress did not receive any bids. This project aimed to reconstruct collapsed sections of the fortress walls, install new waterproofing on the gates, and clear the area in front of the ramparts of installations, advertisements, and informal structures, with an allocated budget of 10,000,000 dinars.