The ruins of the castle

The hill Kozlov Rob in the middle of the Tolmin basin presents a colorful history. The ruins on the top of the hill are the remains of the once most important castle in the Tolmin area.

Many powerful feudal lords, the Aquileian Patriarchs, the Counts of Gorizia, the Town of Cividale, the Venetians and finally the Habsburgs, all made a bid for power over the hill Kozlov Rob during the Middle Ages. The oldest source mentioning the first count of the castle dates back to 1188, and in 1194 the St. Martin's Chapel as a part of the castle was mentioned. For the protection of the castle powerful noble families were assigned by the provincial governor. From the fortress of the castle the Tolmin area and especially the importand roads were controlled between the 12th and 17th centuries.

The castle building was damaged by earthquakes in 1348 and 1511. At the end of the 16th century the castle was still being renewed. After 1651, when the Coronini's took over the Tolmin nobility and governorship, the castle was finally abandoned and a new one was built in the town of Tolmin, a part of which now houses the Tolmin museum.

During the World War I the ruins of the castle were arranged as a key observation point for defending the so called Tolmin Bridgehead. Since the 90s of the former century the remains of the castle have been restored and fixed up as a viewpoint, from where there's a breathtaking view on the Tolmin basin and the surrounding hills as well. The ruins of the castle are proclaimed a cultural monument. The entire hill Kozlov Rob became a popular recreation area, binded also with a historical and natural path.