WATER TOWER IN OPOLE

The neo-Gothic water tower in Opole was built between 1892 and 1893 according to a design by architect Walter Pfeffer. Along with its construction, a modern water supply network with underground steel pipes and a new waterworks with a modern intake and water treatment plant, commissioned in 1896, were built in the city.

The Opole tower, built on a circular plan, measuring 51.3 m in height with a 900 m³ water tank mounted on its top, is made entirely of red brick and is distinguished by its rich ornamentation, characteristic of the late 19th-century eclecticism. The property is rich in numerous brick details and architectural elements that give the tower a medieval mystery, with a spiral stone staircase at the front. Above the entrance to the tower, a stone engraved with the year 1896 has been embedded and in the center of the facade there is a concrete coat of arms of Opole In addition, the tower is characterized by elaborately crafted cornices with friezes, window frames and blind arcade friezes, as well as corbels and overhangs protruding from the wall surface.

The tower was in operation until 2009, when it was decommissioned. It has been restored and honored with the “Well-Maintained Monument” award. Currently, the facility is not open to the public. Such an opportunity usually occurs once a year – during the World Water Days, organized in March. However, the Water Supply and Sewage Company in Opole invites you to take a virtual tour of the tower, thanks to which you can see what the water tower and the underground reservoir from 1896 look like inside.