In the village Vrtovin, just below the top of St. Paul, is preserved a water tower from the Roman age, which is the highest technical Roman fort in Slovenia, as it reaches the height of 11 meters. It is an exceptional architectural memorial. The tower was built in 5th century. Water tower was erected above the water spring in crag of southern slope of ascent St. Paul. It is presumed that this place already had in earlier period the function of a shrine. Even before the arrival of Roman soldiers and people, who run before Huns, Goths and Lombards, to the mountain.  Later they sought refuge in the mountain also because the Turks who tried to penetrate through here to Padua plain and further towards Italy.

Archaeologists P. Petru and D. Svoljšak were in year 1966 researching the fortress on a basis of photogrammatical recording of crate and probings and with this came to some interesting discoveries.

The permanent water spring on Školj was of a great importance for the settlement in times of war. Because of that the spring was expanded into reservoir, above it they erected the mighty tower. The water was brought to the settlement on steep stairs through southern edge of rocks. The access was protected with transverse wall on north-east corner of the tower. On the southern side is arched cistern that is leaned on the tower and closed with the wall, which was later probably intentionally demolished. Water in the cistern is stands today half a meter below the level of trapping. It is presumed that in the tower once were wooden storey stages, on the bottom of the stairs was a landing for scooping the water. The water surface was once undoubtedly higher.

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Vrtovin
Vrtovin belongs among the most elongated counties in Ajdovščina. It is characterised by reminders of the past that locals included into contemporarily life. Vrtovin is a middle sized village, located north of the main road, which runs through Vipava valley. The territory of Vrtovin is pulled in direction north – south. [_Read more_]