Birthplace of Andrija Mohorovičić

Volosko is a small and very photogenic former fishing village at the northern end of the Opatija Riviera, now part of the town of Opatija, and it is the birthplace of Andrija Mohorovičić, one of the most important Croatian scientists. He was born here in 1857, and a marker on the house and a monument in the village commemorate him. The house itself is not a museum, so a visit is a short stop to see the plaque and the memorial and to think about what the man achieved, set within a pleasant walk through the old streets of Volosko.

Mohorovičić became a geophysicist and meteorologist, studying in Prague and working as a teacher before he took a post at the nautical school in Bakar, a nearby port, where he began serious meteorological observations. He later moved to Zagreb, where he directed the meteorological observatory. His fame rests on a discovery made in 1909, after an earthquake that struck the Kupa valley, south of Zagreb. By studying the seismograms from different stations, he realised that seismic waves travelled faster after reaching a certain depth, which meant that the Earth's crust was separated from the denser mantle below by a distinct boundary. This boundary, now called the Mohorovičić discontinuity, or simply the Moho, is a fundamental concept in geology, and it is known to scientists all over the world. It marks the base of the crust, which lies at a few kilometres under the oceans and several tens of kilometres under the continents.

It is worth knowing this story when you stand in front of the plaque, because it gives the visit a purpose. A man born in a small fishing village on the Adriatic made a discovery about the structure of the whole planet. The monument and the surroundings make a modest but meaningful stop for visitors interested in science, and for Croatians it is a point of national pride.

Volosko itself deserves more time. The village has narrow stepped lanes, stone houses, a small harbour called Mandrać with fishing boats, and several well-regarded restaurants and wine bars, and it has a quiet artistic life, with galleries and occasional performances. The Lungomare coastal promenade starts here and runs along the shore to Opatija and on to Lovran, so you can combine the visit with a walk. The harbour is especially pleasant in the evening, when the lights come on.

Plan fifteen minutes for the birthplace and an hour or two for the village. The route involves some steps and steep lanes, so wear comfortable shoes. The stop suits curious travellers, families with older children interested in science and anyone who enjoys the atmosphere of small harbour villages.