PODPEČ TOWER

The tightly built and somewhat secluded village of Podpeč, situated on a steep slope beneath Karst Edge, hides many sights worth exploring. In the center of the village, a small square features a karst spring that provides an inexhaustible supply of refreshing water, particularly appreciated during the hot summer months. Below the village square, you’ll find the Pirkčeva House, which was once the stonemason’s workshop of masters Andrej and Benko from Sočerga, making it a village treasure.

The village’s biggest attraction is the beautifully preserved Venetian tower. The village is believed to have been named after the fortified tower, which stands below it and resembles a furnace when viewed from a distance. The round tower, standing four storeys high with a diameter of seven meters, is constructed from carved white stone with sandstone inlays. The tower stands 17 meters high with walls 1.5 meters thick. The entrance to the ground floor is 4 meters above the ground, accessible only via wooden platforms and ladders.
All four floors of the tower, except the top one, are equipped with arrowslits for defense, while the top floor features eight windows designed for observation and signaling. On the penultimate floor, the preserved fireplace niche and chimney suggest that the tower was occasionally inhabited or could accommodate a small crew for extended stays.