Skull Tower (Serbian Cyrillic: Ћеле кула, romanized: Ćele kula) is a stone structure embedded with human skulls, located in Niš, Serbia. This macabre monument was constructed by the Ottoman Empire following the Battle of Čegar in May 1809, during the First Serbian Uprising against Ottoman rule.
The Battle of Čegar and the Birth of Skull Tower
In the battle, Serbian rebels under the command of Stevan Sinđelić were surrounded by the Ottomans on Čegar Hill, near Niš. Knowing that capture would mean certain death by impalement, Sinđelić made the ultimate sacrifice – he detonated a powder magazine within the rebel entrenchment, killing himself, his subordinates, and the encroaching Ottoman soldiers. The governor of the Rumelia Eyalet, Hurshid Pasha, then ordered that a tower be constructed from the skulls of the fallen Serbian rebels.
The Tower’s Rise and Fall
The Skull Tower stood 4.5 meters (15 feet) tall and originally contained 952 skulls embedded on its four sides in 14 rows. Over the years, many skulls fell out or were taken by relatives and souvenir hunters. In 1861, the last Ottoman governor of Niš, Midhat Pasha, ordered the tower to be dismantled, realizing it no longer served as an effective deterrent against rebellion.
A Symbol of Serbian Independence
After the Ottomans withdrew from Niš in 1878, the structure was partially restored, and a chapel was built to enclose it. Skull Tower has since become a potent symbol of Serbia’s struggle for independence, with thousands of visitors annually paying homage to the sacrifices of the Serbian rebels. Today, only 58 skulls remain embedded in the tower’s walls, with the one thought to belong to Stevan Sinđelić encased in a glass container nearby.
Skull Tower stands as a grim reminder of the high price the Serbian people paid for their independence from Ottoman rule. This macabre monument has become a powerful symbol of Serbian national identity, inspiring artists, poets, and musicians to commemorate the heroism and suffering of the country’s past. As Serbia continues to grapple with its history, Skull Tower remains a haunting testament to the enduring spirit of the Serbian people.