The origin of the tower´s name
In order to find a suitable name for the observation tower, which is located in the middle of the Lendava vineyards, we turned to historic sources referring to wine-growing, connecting and introduction of winegrowers in this area.
On the territory of the former Roman Empire on the upper sleeve of the Tiber River there was a very fertile area, which created the perfect conditions for the development of agricultural activities, such as wine-growing, gardening (vegetable growing), livestock, brick, stone and wood production. The bottom of the Tiber River was flowing through a swamp area, therefore the settlements were built in the hilly part of the landscape.1 According to the first written records from the year 68 A.D. the logistics of high quality wines (e.g. falernum, caecubum) was running through so called »wine harbours« or »portus vinarius« as the Romans used to call them. Besides »wine harbours« the area was also known for its wine markets (forum vinarium2)3.
Lendava with its nearby and surrounding vineyards as well as its geographic location represents a crossing point of different cultures and culinary specialities, with wine playing a central role. The tower is located in the heart of the vineyards and with its offer of local and foreign wines it symbolises the “wine market” or the »forum vinarium« of the ancient Roman Times. And that is how the observation town in the center of the picturesque hills of Lendavske gorice was given the name Vinarium Lendava.
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1 Grüll T (2013). 5. Gazdakföldrajz. Egyetemi egyzet. Pécsi Tudományegyetem Történettudományi Intézet Ókortörténeti Tanszék
2 A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Samuel Ball Platner. Thomas Ashby. London: Humphrey Milford. Oxford University Press. 1929.
3 Romakor.hu (2015).