Wroclaw-water-tower

This historic Wrocław water tower is situated in Borek, the district of Krzyki that is the southern borough of Wrocław, Poland.

The water tower at Sudecka Street in Wrocław was designed by Karl Klimm, a reputed local architect. Famed at the beginning of the 20th century, Klimm also designed the impressive building of the High School of Construction Engineering and Machinery (the today’s Faculty of Architecture of the Wrocław University of Technology) and the Zwierzyniecki Bridge (formerly known as the Pass Bridge).

Built 1904-1905 beside Wiśniowa Avenue and Sudecka Street junction, the tower supplied water to the residents of the southern districts of Wrocław for many years. The tower is 63 meters high. It was equipped with an electric lift from the very beginning. From June 1906 the lift allowed people to reach an observation deck situated at a height of 42 meters (the ticket cost 10 pfennig), from which one could admire the vista of Wrocław, its surroundings and Mount Ślęża. Two years later a red flag used to be hung at the top to inform people about very good viewing of the Sudety Mountains on a given day.

Two sculptors, Taschner and Bednorz, decorated the lower part of the building with bas-reliefs in sandstone, representing fantastic creatures reminiscent of medieval bestiaries. From a fountain situated on the north-eastern façade flowed crystal clear water that had its source in the tower’s vault. The fountain once depicted a nymph mounting Triton.

A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system.

Pressurization occurs through the hydrostatic pressure of the elevation of water; for every 10.20 centimetres (4.016 in) of elevation, it produces 1 kilopascal (0.145 psi) of pressure. 30 m (98.43 ft) of elevation produces roughly 300 kPa (43.511 psi), which is enough pressure to operate and provide for most domestic water pressure and distribution system requirements.

Many water towers were constructed during the Industrial Revolution; some are now considered architectural landmarks and monuments, and may not be demolished. Some are converted to apartments or exclusive penthouses.^{[citation needed]}

In certain areas, such as New York City in the United States, smaller water towers are constructed for individual buildings.

Wrocław ([ˈvrɔt​͡swaf] ( listen); German: Breslau ( listen); Czech: Vratislav), situated on the River Oder (Polish: Odra), is the main city of southwestern Poland.

Wrocław is the historical capital of Silesia and today is the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945 it has become again part of Poland as a result of post-World War Two border changes. According to official population figures for 2010, its population is 632,996, making it the fourth largest city in Poland.

Wrocław has been selected as a European Capital of Culture for 2016. It will share the title with San Sebastián, Spain.