Aljaž Tower
On July 30, 2026, restorers Gorazd Lemajič (National Museum of Slovenia) and Dr. Martin Kavčič (ZVKDS Restoration Center) carried out an inspection and ongoing maintenance work on the Aljaž Column.
No major changes in the painting due to the weather conditions at the top of Triglav, especially in winter, were observed; only minor, most likely unintentional scratches were found on the panorama, which were caused by less attentive visitors when moving inside the tower.
The main intervention on the Aljaž Tower was the painting of the entire exterior surface of the roof with a dark grey special paint, as it had become slightly faded; this was mainly due to the accumulation of numerous scratches on it. Most of the scratches are the result of walking with crampons. In snowy winters, when the tower is hidden under a thick layer of snow, documented practices may have also occurred through the impact of a pickaxe. In places where the paint had cracked, a flag was painted over; for the same reason, the inscription »Aljaž Tower« above the door was completely refreshed. Other more exposed parts of the tower, such as the diagonal supports and the threshold, were also repainted. Before returning to the valley, all the stickers that had already almost completely covered the tower were removed from the supporting frame.
The tower and its surroundings were both thoroughly renovated before the anniversary of its installation on August 7 (1895) and the day for which the proposal to make it a Slovenian holiday, Triglava Day, was submitted.
Author of the text: Dr. Martin Kavčič
Inspection and maintenance work on the Aljaž Tower, July 2026
