Name and Location

Svjetionik Rt Vošćica (Cape Vošćica Lighthouse) is an active coastal lighthouse located on the northern shore of the island of Krk, near the town of Omišalj in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia.

Construction and History

The lighthouse was first established in 1875 under Austro-Hungarian administration. Although it has undergone changes over the years, it remains a vital aid to navigation in the Kvarner Gulf. The site is now operated by the Croatian maritime authority Plovput.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is a cylindrical masonry structure, plastered and painted white. The lantern room with watch-room gallery is original cast-iron and painted dark red. The keepers' quarters are a single-storey masonry annex attached to the tower base. Construction materials include locally quarried limestone and brick, with an interior steel stair.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse remains fully automated and is managed by Plovput. The light characteristic is not publicly recorded, but mariners should consult official Croatian Light Lists for up-to-date information. Range and focal height are not specified in open-source data, although it is known to cover traffic entering northern Kvarner Bay.

Accessibility and Visiting

The site is not staffed, and interior access is restricted. Visitors may view the tower from a coastal road pull-off, which offers panoramic views of the Kvarner Gulf, the Krk Bridge to the southeast, and the industrial port of Omišalj below. No on-site facilities or guided tours are available.

Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape features rocky limestone cliffs with Mediterranean scrub and occasional olive trees, offering sweeping sea vistas. The site is also near the Omišalj old town (medieval core), Tomaševac viewpoint for the Krk Bridge, Rijeka Airport, and beaches and coves along the eastern Krk coastline.

Anecdotes and Folklore

While no major shipwrecks are directly associated with Vošćica headland in the historical record, the lighthouse has long served small-boat traffic and larger merchant vessels navigating into the port of Rijeka. Oral histories in Omišalj recall that keeper families lived on site until the mid-20th century; some local elders still speak of the foghorn's plaintive blast on misty mornings.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is fully automated, with no shore-based AIS or radar installations reported at this site. Nautical chart references include Croatian Hydrographic Institute charts for "Vošćica" or Admiralty List of Lights volume covering the Adriatic.

Further Information

• https://www.plovput.hr/pomorska-signalizacija/svjetionici/svjetionik/a/view/id/29">https://www.plovput.hr/pomorska-signalizacija/svjetionici/svjetionik/a/view/id/29
• hr:Svjetionik Rt Vošćica
• Q55434935
• OpenStreetMap (way/231346847)