The Slovenian town of Trbovlje is not a tourist destination. Most people know it for its heavy industry, and Europe’s tallest smokestack, which towers above the community, serves a potent symbol of its industrial past. Even though some consider it an example of communist-era blight, the structure has now gotten an unexpected second life.

Built in 1976 for a local power plant, the smokestack raises 360 meters above Trbovlje. It measures 27 meters in diameter in the bottom and then tapers down to less than 8 meters at the top. It rocks back and forth up to a meter in high winds, and is designed to withstand even a powerful earthquake. Its height makes it without equal in Europe and the seventh tallest smokestack in the world.

Its original purpose was to reduce pollution in Trbovlje and surrounding communities. While it did have some effects, it mainly just redistributed the pollution. While the residents of Trbovlje could breathe a little easier, air in a neighboring valley and several mountain villages actually became more polluted after the giant chimney was constructed.

In recent years, pollution ceased to be a problem in the area after financial difficulties led the power plant to shut down. In an era when several historic smokestacks elsewhere in Slovenia were torn down, the Trbovlje giant somehow managed to survive – and that survival got it a new lease on life.

Recently, enthusiasts have organized several climbing expeditions to the top of the chimney. They stress that the events are strictly at the participant’ own risk, but the dangers did not stop daring climbers from around the country from making their way to the top of the record-breaking smokestack. Base jumpers have also discovered that the structure is perfect for their thrill-seeking pursuits. The unexpected interest is giving a new life to an almost-forgotten relic from Trbovlje’s industrial era, and some local promoters hope that adrenaline chasers will help to put this often-forgotten part of Slovenia on the tourist map.