Maiden with the Seagull Statue

The Maiden with the Seagull (Djevojka s galebom) stands on a rock beside the sea in Opatija, on the Lungomare, the long seaside promenade that runs along the Kvarner coast, with Kvarner Bay opening out below. It is a bronze figure of a young woman with her arm raised toward a gull, and it has become the best-known symbol of Opatija, appearing on postcards, posters and souvenirs. It is also known as the Statue of the Girl with the Seagull. The sculpture is the work of the Croatian artist Zvonko Car, and it dates from 1956.

The statue replaced an older monument on the same rock. In the late 19th century, a statue of the Madonna, called Madonna del Mare, stood here as a memorial to Count Arthur Kesselstadt, who was said to have drowned in a storm in 1891. The sea air and the weather damaged the Madonna over the years, and the Maiden with the Seagull took her place. The original Madonna is said to have been preserved and displayed in the Croatian Museum of Tourism in Villa Angiolina, with a copy placed near St. James' Church. The story gives the rock a sense of continuity as a place with a view out to sea, where people have long paused to look over the water.

The sculpture itself is a graceful, simple piece. The girl stands in a relaxed pose, with the sea behind her, and the seagull seems to be in flight at her fingertips. The subject, a young woman who connects land and water, suits a town that grew up as a place to enjoy the shore, and it has been interpreted as a symbol of the town's relationship with the sea and of hope for sailors. Visitors often photograph the figure with the Adriatic and passing boats in the background, and the evening light gives the bronze a warm glow.

The statue is reached by walking along the Lungomare from the centre of Opatija, and the walk is pleasant in itself, with villas, gardens, rocky coves and sea views along the way. It is free to see and accessible at any time. On warm days the surrounding area can be crowded, so go early in the morning or later in the evening for a calmer experience. Nearby sights include Park Angiolina, the Port of Opatija, the Croatian Walk of Fame, St. James' Park, Casino Rosalia and the Carmen Sylva Forest Promenade.

The statue suits couples, families and photographers, and any traveller who wants to see Opatija's best-loved landmark on a walk by the sea.