Večka Tower and the Legend of the Dog-Headed King

Večka Tower, situated on the edge of Večko polje, belongs to a series of Venetian fortifications built along the Podvelebit Channel during the 16th century to defend against the Turks. It is believed to have belonged to the medieval village of Veče (Veche), first mentioned in 1508. The village stood in the area of today's Seline, and it is thought that the Romanesque Church of St Peter also belonged to it. Unfortunately, apart from mentions in historical sources, no trace of their existence remains today.

The tower's position on the edge of Večko polje was of strategic importance, as it allowed control of shipping along the Podvelebit Channel. One important route led from here across the channel to Vinjerac and on towards the Zadar hinterland. Another led across Velebit into Lika through the valley of Velika Paklenica, whose strategic importance is shown by the Paklarić fort above the entrance to the canyon. The Veče harbour is mentioned in the second half of the 17th century as the main port for exporting timber felled in Paklenica. Alongside it, the ruined and abandoned Večka Tower is also mentioned. It is assumed that by then the village of Veče had already vanished under the blows of Turkish incursions. Judging by the visible remains, the tower was surrounded by a rectangular courtyard, part of which now lies under the sea. The tower itself was built of weathered ashlar stone. On the inner face of the wall, holes can be seen where wooden beams once rested, suggesting that it had three storeys. On the top floor, narrow loophole windows with strongly angled side notches can still be seen. Many legends are told about Večka Tower, the most common being the Legend of the Dog-Headed King.

The Legend of the Dog-Headed King

Once there was a king who had the head of a dog but the body of a man. Each time, a different young man would shave him, whom the king would afterwards have killed so that his secret would not be discovered. One mother thought of a way to save her only son from death when his turn came to go and shave the king. She kneaded bread with her own remedy and had her son offer it to the king. The king ate the bread, and the young man then told him what made it so sweet. Since they had now become milk-brothers through the young man's mother, the king decided to let the young man live, but ordered him never to reveal to anyone the secret of his dog's head. The young man kept the secret for a long time, but one day he still had to speak. So he decided to entrust the secret to the black earth. He dug a hole, bent down and whispered: "Black earth, our king has a dog's head". As chance would have it, an elder tree (bazga) grew up on that very spot, from which a shepherd made a small pipe. When he played the pipe, instead of a tune, these words were heard: "Our king has a dog's head!". The secret spread through the whole kingdom, so the king was left to live unshaven and in solitude until his death, while the young men of the kingdom were freed from the fear of dying in his tower.