1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Nikshich

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NIKSHICH (also written Nikshitch and Nikshiti; Croatian, Nikšić), a town of Montenegro, lying in a flat plain enclosed by lofty mountains on the north-west, and watered by the river Zeta. Pop. (1900) about 3500. Owing to the prevalence of floods, a long viaduct, a gift from Russia, was raised between the town and the mountain road which leads to Podgoritsa, 60 m. S.E. Nikshich consists of a mass of white houses, dominated by the belfry and the pale yellow cupola of its cathedral, another gift from Russia. This building is chiefly Byzantine in style, and, though hardly beautiful, is the most impressive and by far the largest of Montenegrin churches. Close by stands a barrack-like royal palace; and a little beyond the town are the ruins of an old castle. As Nikshich possesses a brewery and a clothmill, besides being the chief mart of Western Montenegro for timber, hides, farm-produce and livestock, it ranks second in commercial importance to Podgoritsa. About 12 m. S.E. is the celebrated shrine of Ostrog (see Montenegro). Nikshich was included in the Turkish province of Herzegovina until 1876, in which year it was stormed by the Montenegrins, led by Prince Nicholas in person. In 1878 the Montenegrin possession was ratified by the treaty of Berlin.