Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Croatia Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Maskeron

Dubrovnik Maskeron

Gargoyle head that brings good luck.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Added By
Stanislav Stanković
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Dubrovnik Maskeron   Dennis Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0
  tjw2158 / Atlas Obscura User
  Rita Willaert
  vlujo2106 / Atlas Obscura User
  jeffinthe9 / Atlas Obscura User
  rosieL / Atlas Obscura User
  nanpalmero / Atlas Obscura User
Maskeron at night   wrreeves2 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

If you enter the Old Town of Dubrovnik by the Pile Gate, as you walk along the Stradun, the main street, look carefully and you might spot a strange gargoyle head protruding from a stone wall.

It's on the left side, just next to the entrance to the Franciscan monastery and the stairway that leads up onto the city's famous walls. The head stands some half a meter above the ground, sticking out barely 15 centimeters. Its top surface is polished like marble. The wall above it is noticeably greasy from the touch of a thousand hands.

Legend has it that if you manage to hop onto the head, keep your balance, and take off your shirt while still standing facing the wall, luck in love will follow you.

The gargoyle head was supposed to represent an owl. It was once the end of a pipe that drained rainwater from the top of the building. The maskeron serves its purpose to the present day distributing rain water from the roof to the ground. When it's raining the the water will be rushing out from its mouth.

Related Tags

Luck Gargoyles Statues Rites And Rituals Ruins
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina

Traverse the beauty and history of the Balkans through locals' stories.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

stanestane

Edited By

vlujo2106, LucyKG, rosieL, nanpalmero...

  • vlujo2106
  • LucyKG
  • rosieL
  • nanpalmero
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • wrreeves2
  • tjw2158
  • elcinco
  • taylambishop
  • jeffinthe9

Published

May 16, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Dubrovnik Maskeron
Dubrovnik, 20000
Croatia
42.641707, 18.107663

Nearby Places

Old Town Walls Basketball Courts

Dubrovnik, Croatia

miles away

Orlando's Column in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik, Croatia

miles away

The Relic of St. Silvan

Dubrovnik, Croatia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Croatia

Places 10
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Old Town Walls Basketball Courts

Dubrovnik, Croatia

miles away

Orlando's Column in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik, Croatia

miles away

The Relic of St. Silvan

Dubrovnik, Croatia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Croatia

Places 10
Stories 1

Related Stories and Lists

13 Places to Get Some Good Luck

List

By Roxanne Hoorn

15 Unlikely Places to Re-Up Your Luck

List

By Kavya Ram Mohan

Related Places

  • Rapa Nui, Chile

    "El Gigante" and the Moai of Rapa Nui

    The largest stone moai on Rapa Nui.

  • The Golden Dove up close

    Darłowo, Poland

    King Eric's Golden Dove

    This statue is said to bring good luck to visiting lovebirds.

  • Detail.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Shibarare Jizoson

    A bizarre object of worship believed to grant wishes to those who tie it up with a rope.

  • Ustka, Poland

    Mermaid of Ustka

    This Baltic beauty is rumored to grant a wish and a half.

  • Our Lady of Hope at Ramla Beach

    Gozo, Malta

    Our Lady of Hope

    One of Malta’s most popular beaches features a seemingly out-of-place statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

  • Cologne, Germany

    Tünnes und Schäl

    Life-sized bronze statues of fictional puppet characters.

  • Look up for curious creatures like this one.

    Oxford, England

    Magdalen College Gargoyles

    A cornucopia of gargoyles adorns the oldest portion of Oxford’s Magdalen College.

  • ‘The Fat Policeman’

    Budapest, Hungary

    ‘The Fat Policeman’

    Also known as Uncle Karl, the beloved bronze copper keeps a watchful eye on St. Stephen’s Basilica while people rub his lucky belly.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.