The anti-fascist legacy
When you're on a road trip through Makarska Riviera, you'll definitely notice a huge block of concrete raising from the forest above the village of Podgora. We're, of course, talking about the 'Seagull's wing' or 'Galebovo krilo' monument!
It is a well-known fact that people of Podgora were always very much in touch with the sea - great navigators and extraordinary fishermen came from there. So it is no wonder that a center of partisan navy in 1942. was formed right there. And so was the first official navy unit of the time. Eventually, with great effort, the local partisan navy units managed to win battles across the Adriatic, and liberated the area from a much more technically advanced enemy. In their honor, at the 20th anniversary (in 1962), a spectacular monument was erected above Podgora: The Broken Seagull's wing.
It is a fantastic work of art, raising over 20 meters into the sky. Apart from being just wonderful to look at, there is a nice symbolism wrapped around it as well: the seagull is a symbol of freedom in general, and the wing standing up is for all the fighters who came back alive and well from WW2, and the 'broken' one is for all of those who died during the war. Today, the monument serves as a stage for many important gatherings, art exhibitions and concerts that happen in Podgora.
If the road takes you there around St Vincent's day (August 21st), make sure you drop by the Seagull's wing and enjoy a music festival in a very unique setting!
Spomenik Galebova krila, or in English: The Seagull Wing Monument, was solemnly revealed by Yugoslavian president Josip Broz Tito in 1962. This masterpiece was made by sculptor Rajko Radovic, influenced by yugoslavian "geometry and symbolic expressionism in statuary". After the breakup of Yugoslavia, The Seagull Wing Monument, like many other monuments, remained preserved as a witness of the past times as much as reminder of all those people who gave their lives for freedom.
How to get here? Our mobile app All in Makarska Riviera, available for Android and iOS smartphones, will help you wander around Makarska Riviera, providing all the necessary information about this monument and other top sights you should visit. Navigation and basic guides included!
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