September the 6th, 2025 – You’ve likely noticed a rather unusual looking monument near Podgora when travelling along the Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala). The bizarre Seagull Wings monument has a fascinating story behind it.
As Putni kofer/Lana Mindoljevic writes, one of the most beautiful roads in all of Croatia, the Adriatic Highway, boasts some absolutely astonishing views, passes by the most beautiful coastal towns, heavenly beaches, and also some unexpected things. One of them catches many passing eyes along the Makarska Riviera, above the stunning little coastal town of Podgora. From a distance, the Seagull Wings Monument simply looks like two needles, one upright and the other bent, but it hides a fascinating story and is really worth seeing up close.
The Seagull Wings Monument is located above the aforementioned highway and it only takes about ten minutes of easy walking from the waterfront in Podgora to get up to it. The monument is more than 20 metres high and, as its name suggests, represents a stylised seagull’s wings in flight. The left wing is upright and the right wing is bent downwards.
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The monument is a symbol of victory over fascism in Dalmatia and each wing has its own symbolism. In addition to celebrating victory, it also pays tribute to those who lost their lives in the fight for freedom, which is why one wing is bent, or broken. The author of the monument is well known sculptor Rajko Radović, and the monument itself was unveiled in September 1962.
There are several plaques dotted around the monument, the most fascinating of which is the one on which verses by the beloved Croatian poet Jure Kaštelan are carved. At the base of the monument are two long bronze reliefs with scenes of historical naval battles that took place on the sea around Podgora. Today, the Seagull Wings monument is one of the symbols of Podgora and a place where concerts and entertainment events are held in the summer.
Podgora itself is a stunningly picturesque and peaceful place, ideal for those looking for peace and authenticity when visiting authentic Dalmatia. When it comes to Podgora’s beaches, they’re typical representatives of the famous Makarska Riviera. The beaches are long, pebbly, and on some of them you can find your own piece of shade even in the middle of the hot summer day. It got its name, of course, because it is located just below Biokovo, “under the mountain” with which it has forever been inextricably linked.
In addition to its stunning beaches, the town of Podgora boasts numerous ancient churches, the remains of a defensive tower, and a lighthouse with a chapel. This is of course the Ijak chapel-lighthouse, located on the cape of the same name and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. Even the oldest locals cannot say exactly when it was built, and in some places it is even mentioned as one of the oldest preserved lighthouses in the entire Mediterranean.
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