Koševac

Koševac is a wooded hill in the Bilogora range near the village of Gornji Mosti in northern Croatia, best known for a brick pyramid-shaped triangulation tower hidden among the trees on its summit.

What will you see there?

The main draw of Koševac is a slender brick pyramid-tower roughly 15 metres tall, built during the Austro-Hungarian era. The structure served as a highest-order triangulation point — one of 77 such stations once scattered across the former state. Surveyors used it as a fixed reference for theodolite measurements that formed the basis of cadastral and topographic maps of the wider region. The trigonometric point itself, officially named Koševac, sits at roughly 296 metres above sea level. Today the tower stands abandoned and largely swallowed by the forest canopy, yet it is still possible to walk right up to it — a genuine find for anyone interested in the history of cartography.

How do you get there?

Koševac lies about 3.5 km northeast of Gornji Mosti, deep in the forested hills of Bilogora. The hill sits along a forest track heading toward Novigrad and Stankov vrh, the highest point of Bilogora. The easiest approach is on foot or by bike from Gornji Mosti along the forest roads. The area is popular with local hikers and geocachers, who have placed a cache at a nearby trail junction known as Koševac križanje.

When should you visit?

Because the forest here is dense, spring and autumn are the best seasons, when visibility between the trees is better and temperatures are comfortable for longer walks. In summer, thick foliage almost completely hides the tower, while in winter the forest paths can turn muddy and slippery, so sturdy footwear is a must.

Why visit?

Koševac appeals to travellers who enjoy unusual, history-laden destinations away from the crowds. The geodetic pyramid is a reminder of the era when accurate maps were built by hand through triangulation, and measurements from points like this one stayed classified as a military secret for decades — only becoming public in the mid-1980s. It's a rare piece of century-old surveying engineering that has survived almost unchanged.

Frequently asked questions

What is the tower on Koševac? It's a brick pyramid-tower about 15 metres tall, built as a highest-order triangulation point during the Austro-Hungarian period and used to create cadastral and topographic maps.

How far is Koševac from Gornji Mosti? The hill is about 3.5 km northeast of the village, within the forested Bilogora range.

Can you go inside the tower? No, it's abandoned and partly hidden by forest; visitors can walk up and view it from outside, but there's no organised interior tour.

Are there other attractions nearby? Yes, Stankov vrh, the highest point of Bilogora, is close by, and a forest track connects the area to Novigrad.