Draft:Vartovka

Vartovka is an anti-Ottoman watchtower located outside of main part of the city of Krupina. It was built as means to watch over the area and alerting the city guard, when there was upcoming danger.

First recordings can be traced to year 1564. While not the only one of it's kind, it's the sole anti-Ottoman watchtower, out of 40, that is still standing in Slovakia. This makes it the oldest remaining watchtower in the country. The structure is made of cobblestone and wood. The height of the watchtower is about 13 meters, the width is about 3 meters.

The watchtower in Krupina was guarded by a crew of 20 soldiers and two messengers. Each town resident was obliged to pay 2 zlotys per year for their maintenance.

History
During the 17th century, the Vartovka tower loomed over Krupina, serving as a crucial vantage point to monitor the activities of both insurgent and imperial forces amidst various anti-Habsburg uprisings. In 1663, it fell into the hands of the Turks, only to be reclaimed by Charles of Lorraine's troops in 1685. The Turkish presence in Krupina waned by the 1680s, marking the end of that particular threat. After serving its purpose until the early 18th century, the tower fell into disuse and was eventually abandoned. In 1960s it underwent reconstruction.