Gospić — Echo of Tesla's Lost Secret

Your quest begins at Trg Stjepana Radića, the central square of Gospić. This is where the Nikola Tesla monument stands, a 1.2-ton, 3-meter-high bronze, the first of its kind in Croatia. Every year, from July 8 to 10, this square comes alive during the 'Tesla – Power of Lights' event, celebrating Tesla's birthday. In 2023, it marked his 167th. Observe the details of this statue: it contains the first keys to unlock the inventor's secrets, whose ideas began to germinate in this very Lika town.

A short walk from the main square, Gimnazija Gospić, a high school located in the historic district, was a crucial place of learning. Although Nikola Tesla did not study there directly, this key educational building represents the intellectual ferment of Gospić during his youth. Its walls have seen generations of bright minds, and it was in this atmosphere that the ideas that would later transform the world developed. Look for hidden symbols on its facade, discreet clues left by a brilliant mind.

Your journey then takes you to Most Novčica, a bridge crossing the Novčica River, essential to the 1.5 km pedestrian route in central Gospić. This bridge, a local architectural element, connects the central areas of the city, symbolizing the connections and flows that Tesla would later master in his work on alternating current. Under the arch of this bridge, encrypted messages, linked to young Nikola's early engineering dreams, await decryption, revealing the power of the natural forces that inspired him.

Continue towards Crkva Navještenja Blažene Djevice Marije, the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the main parish church of Gospić. Located in the heart of the city center, within walking distance of Trg Stjepana Radića, this historic Lika religious building is integrated into the old urban fabric. The bell towers and stained-glass windows of this church, silent witnesses to Gospić's history, may well hide mathematical symbols or stellar coordinates, as Tesla was also a man of faith and science, seeking to understand the universe.

Finally, your exploration will lead you to Vidikovac Cvituša, a viewpoint accessible on foot from the center, offering a panoramic view of Gospić and its surroundings. This natural observation point, linked to the landscapes of Lika, is close to the Tesla sites. From here, you can contemplate the expanse of the territory where Nikola Tesla was born and grew up. Look up at the horizon, for it is here that the last fragment of the lost secret will be revealed, connecting the stars to earthly inventions. Your thematic circuit in Gospić will have allowed you to unravel the mystery of his genius, from Lika to the Nikola Tesla Memorial Center in Smiljan, just 7 km from Gospić, his birthplace on July 10, 1856, and the center of the 'Tesla Power of Lights' event.