The Zadar Sphinx, the largest sphinx in Europe, was built in memory of a beloved wife

It’s an impressive and mysterious sculpture, located in the garden of Villa Attilia in Zadar, and it was commissioned by Giovanni Smirich to honor his late wife, Attilia, who passed away just a year before its creation.

The Sphinx

At about 5 meters long and nearly 3 meters tall, the Zadar Sphinx was built in 1918. It was modeled after an Egyptian sphinx, but with some fascinating modifications by its creator, the Zadar-based artist and conservator, Giovanni Smirich.

The sphinx has a classic human head and a lion’s body, but its front paws are uniquely shaped like human hands. The sphinx’s face conveys an expression of strictness and dignity, and on its head, it wears a traditional Egyptian nemes headdress, decorated with hieroglyphs.

Legend has it that the sphinx was a tribute to Smirich’s wife, Attilia Spineda de Cataneis, who died prematurely. Some believe the sphinx’s face may even be her portrait.

The entire sculpture is made of stone and concrete, with certain parts, like the head, cast separately and then attached to the body. It was then coated with a fine layer of concrete and originally painted a light brown (ochre) color to make it look even more like the Egyptian sphinxes.

It once had a winged eagle relief on its chest and held a dagger in its hands, but these parts are unfortunately now damaged or missing. The sphinx faces east, just like its Egyptian counterparts, and a small, shell-shaped basin sits in front of it.

This sculpture in the garden of Villa Attilia is more than just an art piece; it’s a keeper of secrets and legends. Some say it grants wishes to lovers, which adds to its mystical reputation. Throughout the 20th century, the sphinx was a symbol of romantic love and the artistic spirit of Giovanni Smirich, a significant conservator who left a lasting legacy in Zadar by restoring numerous monuments.

Villa Attilia

Villa Attilia is one of about twenty summer villas with gardens built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the historicist and Art Nouveau styles in the Brodarica neighborhood. It was constructed in 1901 as the first building in the Maestral Bay area (also known as Dražanica Vela). At the time, this area was undeveloped, but Giovanni Smirich saw it as a perfect spot for a family summer house. The family lived in the city during the year and spent their summers here.

The Park of Villa Attilia

The public park of Villa Attilia owes its existence to Giovanni Smirich, who landscaped it as a private garden around his family home, covering an area of 7,152 square meters. Designed in the style of an English garden, it features an informal layout that mimics a natural landscape, in contrast to the symmetrical French gardens.

The garden has a historicist and romantic flair from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, respecting the natural terrain with distinct upper and lower sections connected by a path and a staircase.

The vegetation includes numerous Mediterranean plants like firs, pines, cypresses, laurels, rosemary, and agave. The garden also features a small pond, benches with reliefs, an artificial cave, and its most intriguing element—the sculpture of the Zadar Sphinx, which Smirich had made in honor of his wife. This garden is a blend of art, nature, and history, and it is now open to the public as a valuable piece of Zadar’s cultural and horticultural heritage.