Judgement Tower

The Judgement Tower, Sodni stolp in Slovene, is one of the surviving towers of the medieval fortifications of Maribor, and it stands in the Lent district on the bank of the Drava, a short distance from the Water Tower and the house with the Old Vine. Maribor was a walled town from the Middle Ages, and the walls with their towers and gates protected it against raids and sieges, including the Ottoman threats of the sixteenth century. When the town grew and the threat faded, the defences lost their purpose, and most of the circuit disappeared, but a few towers on the river side were kept and remain among the most characteristic sights of Lent. The Judgement Tower is a sturdy, two-storey structure with thick walls, a pitched roof and small windows, and its plain, practical architecture is typical of late medieval military building.

The name recalls its other function. In the Middle Ages and early modern period, towers on the walls were sometimes used for municipal purposes, and this one is said to have been connected with the town's court, where sentences were pronounced, including those handed down in the witch trials that swept through Central Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The tradition gives the tower a somewhat dark reputation, though documentation of individual cases is thin. Over the centuries the building served as a store and was damaged by fire and rebuilt, and it was restored in the twentieth century and renovated again in recent years.

Today the tower is used as a venue for cultural events and exhibitions, which brings it back into the life of the quarter, and the arrangements for visits vary with the programme, so it is best to check locally whether it is open and when. Even when closed, the exterior is worth a look, and the setting by the water, with the promenade, the old houses and the bridge nearby, is one of the most photogenic in Maribor.

The tower is one stop on a walk through Lent, the oldest quarter of the city. A few steps away stands the Old Vine, which is among the oldest grapevines still bearing fruit in the world and is harvested each autumn with a ceremony, and the Water Tower, which once guarded the river front, stands close by. The riverside promenade has cafes and restaurants, and in summer the Lent Festival fills the quarter with music and performances. Maribor Castle, the cathedral and the main square are a short walk uphill.

The tower suits history lovers, photographers and anyone exploring Maribor on foot. It takes only a few minutes to see, but it makes a good start to a longer walk along the Drava.