Stjepan Radic Square - Malik’s Tree (Murvica)

Stjepan Radic Square links the harbour waterfront with the streets and green spaces of central Crikvenica.

A large old Mediterranean mulberry grows on Stjepan Radic Square and is locally known by the diminutive name Murvica. Despite that name, it has an exceptionally broad branching trunk and substantial crown. The tree was retained during reconstruction of the square and surrounded by a stone edge and structural supports, preserving one of the few living elements of the earlier townscape.

Murvica is associated with Malik, a mischievous little being from the oral tradition of the Croatian Littoral. Stories place him inside the tree trunk, helping good people but playing tricks on others. The landmark is therefore not a small urban sculpture but a real tree and a setting for local storytelling.

The stone inscription at the trunk recalls the 600th anniversary of Crikvenica’s first written mention, celebrated in 2012. The tree consequently combines two kinds of memory: the folk story of Malik and a modern commemoration of the town’s history.

Murvica stands where the open square, café terraces and the Park of the Fallen meet. Another important Malik location is in Croatian Defenders Park at Petak, where the story has also been presented as a cultural activity for children.