Water tower

The water tower project in Vladimir was conceived at the end of the 19th century, after the construction of a water pipe in 1864. Originally, it was planned to re-equip the church of the Deposition of the Robe over the Golden Gate for a water tower. However, after at the initial stage of the work several workers were covered with earth, this project was abandoned. In 1868, a water tower, designed by Karl Dill, was constructed on the Kozlov rampart, south of the Golden Gate. The storage tank included eight thousand buckets, the system was serviced by a powerful steam engine, brought from England. The appearance of such a structure was a great event for the inhabitants of Vladimir. In 1912 the old tower was rebuilt according to the project of architect S.M. Zharov in the pseudo-Russian style. This beautiful three-story building in the form of a cistern of red brick, decorated with windows of different shapes in each tier, has come down to our days. 

In the 1950s, when the city's water supply system was renewed, the need for such a structure has disappeared. The water tower, the achievement for one's time, the monument of engineering and technical architecture, was out of work for a while. Further the building was transferred to the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve, and in May 1975 a fascinating exhibition "Old Vladimir" was opened in the renovated rooms. It tells about the life of Vladimir at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries.

The spiral staircase raises the guests higher and higher in a spiral of time. Each floor tells about the everyday life and entertainment of the residents of the provincial Vladimir. Old photographs, newspaper headlines and advertising signboards are formed into a whole and vivid picture of city life. For those who rise to the top, a picturesque panorama of the modern Vladimir will open from the observation deck.

Author: V. Korolkova