# Baumkircher Tower

- **Country:** Slovenia

The Baumkircher Tower, also known as Tabor Castle or Lower Castle, is a historic defensive tower and small fortress situated in the town of Vipava in southwestern Slovenia. Originally constructed in 1342 by Herhlin Kranspergar, the structure was built to serve as a strategic fortification guarding an adjacent stone bridge across the Vipava River. While its specific architectural style reflects its medieval military origins as a watchtower, the site has evolved over centuries through various modifications. Today, the preserved elements include portions of the original main building, the defensive tower itself, and a partial wall featuring a gateway. Above the portal, visitors can still observe a stone relief of the Lanthieri family arms dated 1653, which stands as a testament to the site's long lineage of ownership.

The tower holds significant historical value due to its connection with the Baumkircher knightly family, who received the property as a fief from the Habsburgs and lent the structure its current name. The family retained control until 1471, when its owner, Andreas Baumkircher, led a revolt of the Styrian nobility against Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. Following his execution for treason in Graz, the castle reverted to the Duchy of Carniola. Subsequently, from either 1533 or 1624 until the end of World War I, the property remained in the possession of the prominent Lanthieri family. Currently, the site stands as a protected cultural landmark within Vipava, offering a tangible link to the region's turbulent medieval past and the powerful dynasties that once shaped its destiny.

![Photo of Baumkircher Tower](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Vipava_Tabor_bridge_and_tower_15092007_45.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baumkircher_Tower (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)