Aljaž Tower, Storm shelter tower at Mount Triglav, Slovenia

Aljaž Tower is a small cylindrical metal structure placed at the summit of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, at 9,396 feet (2,864 meters) above sea level. It functions both as a shelter for mountaineers and as a triangulation station.

In 1895, Jakob Aljaž, a Slovenian priest and mountaineer, bought the summit of Triglav for a token sum and immediately commissioned the construction of the tower. It has stood at the top ever since, and was restored during the 20th century to keep it close to its original form.

The tower bears the name of Jakob Aljaž, the Dovje priest who had it erected in 1895. Its first inscription, "Aljažev stolp", was the earliest Slovene inscription on Triglav and its surroundings. Aljaž furnished the interior with three round stools, two samovars, six tin cups, a barometer, a thermometer and a summit register; a copy of Marko Pernhart's Triglav panorama hangs inside.

Reaching the tower requires hiking on high mountain trails that demand physical fitness and experience in alpine terrain. Weather at the summit can shift very quickly, so proper gear and careful planning are essential before setting out.

When the tower was brought up to the summit in 1895, workers carried every single piece by hand and assembled the whole structure in just five hours. The speed of the assembly at that altitude, without any mechanical equipment, still surprises those who learn about it.