Hamburg-Winterhude water tower
| Hamburg-Winterhude water tower | |
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| Data | |
| Construction year: | 1916 |
| Tower height: | 64.5 m |
| Usable height: | 45 m |
| Container type: |
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| Volume of the container: | 3000 m³ |
| Shutdown: | 1944 |
| Original use: | Urban water supply |
| Todays use: | planetarium |
| Monument protection: | Cultural monument since 1981 |
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The former water tower in Hamburg-Winterhude stands at the northwest end of the main visual axis in Hamburg's city park . The 64.5 m high brick building was the last water tower that was built in Hamburg for the public water supply .
Today it is used as the Hamburg planetarium and offers visitors the opportunity to step onto the viewing terrace at a height of 42 meters.
History of origin
At the beginning of the 20th century, Hamburg needed more water towers for a smooth supply: Higher-lying parts of the city had been settled and higher houses were also being built. In 1907, the waterworks put out an ideas competition for three new water towers with the locations Uhlenhorst, Sternschanze and Winterhude.
The Dresden architect Oskar Menzel won the competition for the construction of the water tower in the Winterhude district. The realization was delayed by several years because the building was to be integrated into the city park, which is currently being planned. Finally, the tower was built from 1912 to 1915 under the supervision of Fritz Schumacher and put into operation in 1916. The location was determined to be the north-western end of the 1400 m long main axis of the city park rising towards the tower.
Architecture and technology
Except for the limestone pedestal , the entire building is made of red brick . The circular shape of the upper part is elongated in the lower area towards the front. Seen from the front, the result is a solid looking block with a circular top. This side - which is visible from afar from the main axis of the city park - is structured by colossal arches and niches. At the bottom, the structure widens through an open walkway several meters high. A large well system adjoins it to the east. The water flows through open cascades on the tower wall into the lower basin.
Stylistically, the building cannot be clearly classified: it still shows elements of the Wilhelmine monumental style such as the dome roof and colossal arch in the east. The brick construction and sparingly used decorative elements are characteristics of reform architecture .
A wrought iron spherical bottom container served as the water tank . It has a diameter of 23 m and originally held 3000 m³ of water. The usable height was 45 m, that is, the highest water level was 45 m above the level. It was 62.5 m above sea level and was suitable for the network of the Hamburg high pressure zone. In terms of capacity, this was the second largest of the Hamburg water towers after the water tower in Sternschanzenpark , which was equipped with two containers of 2300 m³ each.
Empty water tank seen from above
Bottom of the water tank
use
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Observation tower
From the beginning, the building not only served as a water supply, but also as an observation tower . For this purpose, an elevator was installed in the large right corner pillar that led to the 42 m high viewing platform . -
Planetarium
(see main article: Planetarium Hamburg )
From 1926 planning began for a planetarium in Hamburg. Because the finances were insufficient for a new building, the Hamburg Senate decided to set up the planetarium in the Winterhuder water tower. Extensive modifications were necessary for this. In the lower part of the tower, a cylindrical room with a diameter of 22 m was created with a dome to project the starry sky. The planetarium was opened in 1930. -
Water supply
The tower was only able to fulfill its originally intended function for 8 years. It was taken out of the network as early as 1924 because the high-pressure and low-pressure networks in Hamburg were interconnected. The now lower water pressure was not enough to fill the water tank from the network. A newly installed filling pump ensured that the tower could still be used as a water reservoir. The main pipes were destroyed in an air raid in 1944. Because of the high repair costs, the waterworks decided not to restore the water system after the war. From that time on, the building only served as a viewing tower and planetarium. -
Military use
During the Second World War , parts of the building served as a flak observation station and accommodation for soldiers. -
Amateur observatory
From 1970 to 2002, some rooms on both sides of the central balcony were opened by the Society for Folk Astronomy. V. used as an amateur observatory and event room. -
Book hall
From April 1946, part of the planetarium's exhibition rooms, initially intended as a temporary facility, and from 1949 to 1966, the Winterhude book hall was permanently housed in all exhibition rooms.
Reconstruction in the base area 2015–2017
The base of the tower, established from the outside, was redesigned between 2015 and 2017 in such a way that level access from the city park is possible. This also resulted in new usable areas at city park level. In September 2015, the earthworks and demolition work began on the base and the existing structure. The planetarium has been open again since February 14, 2017.
See also
literature
- Jens U. Schmidt: Water towers in Bremen and Hamburg. Hanseatic water towers . Regia-Verlag, Cottbus 2011, ISBN 978-3-86929-190-1 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ History of the planetarium on the publisher's page of the book Stars about Hamburg
- ↑ Manfred Holl: The GvA and the Planetarium: The end of an era . In: De Sternkieker . No. 190 , 2002, ZDB -ID 267819-6 , p. 121 ff .
- ^ History of the Winterhude Book Hall
- ↑ Press release of the Hamburg Planetarium from February 13, 2017; Hamburg's most beautiful stars shine again . ( planetarium-hamburg.de [accessed on March 8, 2017]).
Coordinates: 53 ° 35 ′ 50 ″ N , 10 ° 0 ′ 32 ″ E