The Roman Wall - Claustra Alpium Iuliarum
Discover the green corners of Vrhnika and its surroundings and explore valuable findings which withstand the test of time since antiquity.
The remains of one the towers of the Roman Wall in Vrhnika cemetery.
The reconstructed tower at Vrhnika
Zaplana is a village west of Vrhnika in the eastern Rovte Hills; it consists
of a group of small settlements. The region has had an important strategic military position since antiquity. Remnants of a Roman defensive
wall (Claustra Alpinum Iuliarum) can
still be seen; it was built in the 3rd to 4th century, and it protected
the Roman Empire from invasion by eastern tribes. In the area around Vrhnika (between Verd
and Zaplana) the wall was over 10 km long, 1 m wide, and 2 to 3 m high.
Near 'Štampetov' Bridge stands the only reconstructed defensive tower that protected the Roman road.
The remains of a Roman camp in Vrhnika cemetery
In the 3rd century the Roman Empire increased the number of troops and military strongholds in the provinces due to the continuous invasions of barbarian tribes against the heart of the empire. At Vrhnika cemetery a part of a corner tower of a fortress is preserved. The fortress protected the Roman settlement which existed in the area under Gradišče and Church of St. Paul (Church of 'Sv. Pavel').
Turnovše
At Turnovše remains of the Roman reconstructed lookout tower can be seen. The lookout tower had a strategic importance in turbulent times of the 3rd century. From the tower a beautiful view on Vrhnika and the road between Aquileia and Emona opens up.