Taking a break from your cruise in Mali Lošinj (Little Lošinj) and looking for a worthwhile excursion destination? SeaHelp visited the Museum of Apoxyomenos, which is located directly on the left side of the city harbor – our excursion tip for big and small boaters.
For sports skippers who are traveling along the island of Lošinj, a stopover in the picturesque town of Mali Lošinj is a must. The harbor and the marina, which is located a little to the north, are embedded in an attractive town with a wide promenade and offer protection against the bora and jugo (see our Mali Lošinj cruise tip). What many people don’t know is that just a few meters from the mooring – within easy walking distance – is a unique Croatian archaeological and architectural cultural institution.
Located directly on the northern promenade, which is called Riva lošinjskih kapetana here, and right between the restaurants Bocca Vera and Orhideja, is the Museum of Apoxymenos, which is dedicated to a single exhibit – the bronze statue of the young athlete Apoxyomenos.
The statue was discovered by chance by a recreational diver at a depth of 45 meters southeast of the island
The statue, which is around two thousand years old, was discovered in 1997 at a depth of 45 meters in the sea just southeast of the island of Lošinj by a tourist from Belgium, carefully recovered and subsequently painstakingly reconstructed. The name – Apoxyomenos – is the Greek term for the depiction of an athlete who cleanses his body of oil, sweat and sand with a small scraper after a sporting exercise or a fight.
The Croatian Adriatic coast was ruled by several Greek colonies from the sixth century BC to the late antiquity in the fifth century AD. Today’s Croatian cities and islands of Trogir (Greek Tragurion), Vis (Greek Issa), Korčula (Greek Korkyra) and others were Greek colonies and settlements.
The athlete from Lošinj is a testament to Greek culture on the eastern Adriatic coast. The bronze analysis revealed a high lead content, which is characteristic of the end of the fourth and beginning of the third century BC.
The statue was not in good condition when it was discovered – but it was almost completely intact
The statue is completely intact – when it was discovered, only the little finger on the left hand, the eyes and the scraper were missing. A part of the original bronze base was attached to the right foot. The conservation and restoration work on the statue after its recovery was entrusted to the Croatian Institute for Conservation in Zagreb and took a full six years. After that, the statue was exhibited in some of the world’s largest museums, including the Louvre, the British Museum and the J.P. Getty Museum.
The Museum of Apoxyomenos is dedicated to this unique archaeological find from the Adriatic and its history. It was officially opened in May 2016 in the Kvarner Palace, right in the center of the town of Mali Lošinj. Since then, the beautiful ancient sculpture has become a trademark of the small port town. The timeless beauty of the Apoxyomenos, its unusual and mysterious history, and the creatively designed exhibition captivate young and old alike.
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Information: open January – December, Riva lošinjskih kapetana 13, Tel. +385 51 734 260, Mail info@muzejapoksiomena.hr, Web: muzejapoksiomena.hr.
