Esbjerg Water Tower
The watertower was built in 189G97on a
BronzeAge burial mound on the cliff top,
directly oppositethe newly contructed
harbour.As the tower standson the town's
highestpoint, Bavnehoj,facing the sea,it
quickly becamethe symbolof the town.
The architectwas C. H. Clausen(1866l94l) who was clearlyinspiredby a
previousGermanbuilding - HausNassau
in Nurenburg- with which he was familiar
through contemporaryGermanworks on
architecture.
ln I89495the 9,000 inhabitantswere still
without a waterworks.Water was supplied
by meansof wells and handpumpsspread
of a
aroundthe town. The establishment
public waterworks was subsequentlya
pressingnecessity,especiallyas the
populationincreasedrapidly.Following a
numberof unsuccessfultrial drillings,
water of a satisfactoryquality was found at
the Vognsb@l
Park.
The averageconsumptionin 1897was31
litres per inhabitantper day. Already a year
later hadconsumptionper inhabitantrisen
to 5l litresper day. By comparisonthe
averagedaily consumptionin Copenhagen
in 1993is around 150litres per inhabitant,
though.this is also consideredsomewhat
exces$ve.
Despitethe fact that in 1894,following a
public meeting,it was decidedto postpone
the buildingof Esbjerg'smuch required
gasworks(presumablyon financial
grounds),the rationalityof laying both
water and gasmains at the sametime was
recognisedalreadyin 1895.In December
1895the ParishCouncil approvedthe
building of both a gasworksand a
waterworks.
The capacityof the water tower was no
more than 1,000barrelsof water (131 cubic
metres).The annualconsumptionof water
in 1897was more than a million barrels
(around130,000cubic metres)increasing
by 4O0Voduing the next sevenyears.Thi$
led to the constructiopof the "large" 4,000
barrel(around525 cubic metres)water tank
nearNygirdsvej in 1904.The watertower
date:T7.juli 1993
in the Town Park was thereforealreadytoo
small from the beginning- seenin relation
to a developmentwhich no one could
foresee:a populationincreasefrom 9,?80 in
1895to 14,022in l%)2. The methodof
water supply alteredwith time to direct
pumping to the consumer,with only
surpluswater being storedin the tanks.
The populationincreasewas quite
unexpectedby the ParishCouncil, and
during the five year period 189+l8W it
was necessaryto build a gasworks,a
waterworks,3 new schools,a morgue,a
cemetaryand a fire station,as well as to
constructsewersand lay asphaltand
cobblesto road surfaces,costingin all
nearly one million Danish kroner.Both the
scaleof the building work and the size of
the budgetshow the ParishCouncil's
commitment to providing Esbjergwith a
modern urban infrastrucfure.
//texts for objectsexhibited//:
Original drawing of the water tower, 1897.
Architect C. H. Clausen(1866-1941).
The drawing is a gift to EsbjergMuseum
from architect Knud Thomsen,OksbOl,
who took over Harald Peters'architectural
practicein 1951.Severalof Clausens
original drawingswere found in the office
archives.
Original sheetfrom "Bilder Atlas zum
Gebrauchftir Bau - und Gerwerbeschulen",
Verlag E. A. Seemann,Leipzig,1883,- a
typical contemporarypattembook. The
inspirationfor Esbjerg'sWater Tower,
Haus Nassau,can be seenin the lower left
hand corner.
The sheetwas found among documents
previously belongingto architectHarald
Peters.Petershad presumablyobtainedit
from C. H. Clausen.The documentis a gift
to Bbjerg Museum from architectKnud
Thomsen,Oksbgl.
Part of a constructiondrawing of the Water
Tower, drawn on linen. The drawinghas
beenmounted,probablyon a wooden
board,and usedas a site drawing.
Coloured drawing of the distribution of gas
p. 1
mains and water mains, 1896.The stamp
showsthat it was drawn by the firm T. R.
English(engineers).Donationfrom the City
Architects Office, Town Planning
Department,Esbjerg,to EsbjergMuseum.
The Water Tower underconstructionin
t897.
The WaterTower on the hill,.view over the
newly laid out Town Parkwith its Pavilion,
the harbour'srailwav lines can be seenalso
in the picture.
The Water Tower seenfrom the harbour
area.Town Park and Pavilion.
around 1930.
Photographed
WaterTower and Pavilionin the Town
Park.
View from the WaterTower over the newlv
laid out town park, around 19@. To the teit
is Havnegade,with Englandsgadein the
centre.In the backgroundare the numerous
brickworksin Mide which suppliedbricks
to the hecticbuilding industry in the town.
View from the WaterTower towardsthe
north.The distinctivewhite buildingin the
centreof the picture is Axelborg in
(L922),to the right is the
Kongensgade
Zion Church.The smokeproducedby the
many chimneysillustratesthe extentof the
town'sindustrialactivity.
l-ater Clausencameto express"the
EuropeanSchool",with suchdiverse
buildings as the art nouveaubuilding at
Kirkegade 49 (1905), a "gothicisedcastle"
at Kronprinsensgade32 (1914), the
"English" villa at Nygirdsvej 65 (1908),
the neo-classicalelectricity works in
Kirkegade (1907). A lavish contemporary
study in the languageof the form books is
the apartmentbuilding at Kongensgade100
(1911-12)with its wide variety of detailsin
differing styles.
late in his careerClausendesignedthe
functionalistRorkjer School( 1930-33).
The product of Clausen'slabours provide a
living illustration of architectural
developmentfrom the beginningof the
1890'suntil the 1930's.
lltextsfor objectsexhibited//:
Vestre School, Spangsbjerggade,
at the
corner of Islandsgade,now the West
Jutland Musical Conservatorv.Erectedin
1896.@streSchoolin @sterladeis
identical.
The Architect Behind the
Water Tower
Architect C. H. Clausen(1865-1941)was
educatedat HorsensTechnicalSchoolin the
middle of the 1880's.He moved to Esbjerg
in 1890,andimmediatelyreceived
commissions.
Clausendesignedall kinds of buildings,
and wasavery productivearchitect.In the
1890'shewasinspired,likemany of his
1' :;
conternporaries,
by the architectural
expressionsof previo-useras.
Borgergade19 from 1896in the Dutch
Renaissancestyle. In Denmark this style
was often referred to as the Rosenborg
Style.The building is now demolished.
Bank building, Torvet 18. Erected1896.
The little connectingbqilding to the right
was designedby Clausenin 1907.
Ostergade4, erected1898,partly repeats
the rangeof motifs from Kongensgade41.
Kongensgade4l,erected 1897.Features
Someexamplesof his early work in
date:27.juli 1993
Esbjerg are the Ostre School and Vestre
Schoolbuilt in Danishgothicised
brickwork. An apartmentbuilding at
Borgergade19 (18%) in the Dutch
renaissancestyle (often referredto at the
time as the Rosenborgstyle).The bank at
Torvet 18 (1897)partly in the style of
Italian medieval architecture.Aslergade4
(18%) with strongassociations
to the
northernItalian renaissancestyle, also seen
in the small apartmentbuilding at
Kongensgade
41.
.:.,
p.2
from NorthernItalian renaissance,but with
referencesto Venetiandetailing.The
elevationhasbeenchanged.
around1900.Esbjerg
Glassworks,
Museum'scollection.
Souvenirs.
Kirkegade49, villa from 1905with a
Vienneseart nouveaucharacter.
32, I9I4. Variationson
Kronprinsensgade
the theme,"medievalcastle".
Nygtrdsvej 65, Englishinspiredvilla, built
in 1908.
Electricity works, Kirkegade63, 1907,
with
strict compositionin neo-classicism,
clear Vienneseinfluences.
Westend,Kongensgade100-102,erected
1912.Mansion-stylecornerbuilding
composedof various detailstakenfrom
pattem books.A commonpracticearound
the turn of the century.
RprkjaerSchool,designed1930.Clausen's
later worksdisplay his ability to also
producesobrietyof design- using
functionalism.
The Water Towerrs Later Use
as a Lookout Tower
Many of Esbjerg'sinhabitantscan still
rememberwhen the Water Tower was a
public attraction.l.abourer SorenT0nder
(1907-78)relatesin his memoirs:
"Just behindstood the Water Tower, which
was the centreof attraction,all the turists
who cometo town wantedto go up the
WaterTower and seeout, it cost 10 @reto
go up and seeout, and folk could rent an
eyeglassfor 25 @re,but they didn't have so
many.Therewas a kiosk wherea woman
satand took the money.shesold a lot
souvenirs...
"
//textsfor objectserJribited//:
!. ,
Glasswith the water tower as an engraved
motif. The glassis so-calledFlensborg
glass,becauseit was producedat Flensborg
date:TT.juli 1993
Water Tower Engineering,
Around 1900
Public water supply using large scalewater
towers originatesfrom the urban society of
the 1800's.Public water supplyfirst began
to be seriouslydevelopedin connection
with the rapid urban growth experiencedby
larger towns throughoutEuropefollowing
industrialisation.
The initial principle involved an ordinary
cylindrical tank of modestsize.At the end
of the 1870'sa German engineer,Otto
Intze, deviseda structurewhich in its
simplicity meansthat the internal water
pressurecan be transferredvertically
towardsthe ground.This meantthat the
sloping bricliwork which gave mairy towers
a conical appearencewas no longer
necessary.
The Intze principle was predominantin
water tower constructionup until the First
World War. However, alreadyby the
beginningof the 1900'sother principles
were becomingpopular,largely due to the
fact that water towerswere increasingly
being built of concrete- for instanceusing
the Hennebiqueprinciple. The French
engineerFrancoisHennebiquepresenteda
techniquefor castingiron reinforced
concretebeams at the Paris World
Exhibition in 1900.The Nygirdsvej tank
was a modified Hennebiquetower.
//texts for objectsexhibited//:
Crosssectionsof various forms of water
tanks.Seenfrom left to right diagramsno.
3 and no.4 representthe two Intze
principles which appearedin the 1870'sand
'
1880's.
Adolfshiihe,Wiesbaden,Germany.Cross
p.3
sectionof an Intze tower, 18%-n, the size
of the tank, etc. is not known. The tower is
a typicalexampleof Intze'sprinciples.
Giersbergtower in Braunschweig,18991901.A typical turn of the century2,000
cubic metretower constructedin
brickwork. Elevationand crosssection.
Nysted.Water tower designedby architect
Alf Jorgensen
and engineerGeorg
Jochumsenof Copenhagen,1912.The
original drawing showingelevation,plan
and crosssection.
Tpnder water tower, original drawing from
around 1902,the year in which the tower
was erected.The convex baseof the tank
illustratesa stagein the development
betweenEsbjerg'scylindrical tank and the
proper Intze structures.There are plans to
convertthe tower into exhibition spacefor ,
museumsin Tonder.
Madrid, part of the IsabelII water supply
system,constructed1908-11-Crosssection
of the tower's original structure,36 metres
high, capacity1,500cubic metres.
Madrid, part of the IsabelII water supply
system,constructed1908-11. Cross
section.
Contemporary Danish water
towers
Public water supply becamewidespread
during the yearsup to and immediately
following the turn of the century.A number
of water towers were constructedin
medieval style brickwork, sirnilar to
Clausen'stower in Esbjeig- for examplein
Roskilde(demolished),Arhus, T6ndei,
Kolding and NykObingFalster.
Despitethe fact that nearlyall of these
towers turnedout to be too small to satisfv
the increasingwater consumption,they
have nontheless
madean impressionas '' "
powerful works of arghitecture.
The watertower in NykObingFalstermade
date:77.juli 19P3
so strong an impressionon the polar
explorer and quiz championPeterFreuchen
in his childhood, that he later relatedthat it
was the tallestin the world, and that it was
so cold at the top that one had to wear
mittens in summer,and a scarf over the
mouth in order to avoid contracting
pneumonia,This was probablydue to the
fact, he thought, that the spire was
occasionallyshroudedby clouds !
lltextsfor objectsexhibited//:
NykObing Falster,@stergade.
Octagonalwater tower in rendered
brickwork. Designedby architectEinar
Ambt, constructedin 1908.
Kolding, Gohlmannsvej.
Constructedin 7917,designedby architect
AndreasThomsenHagerup( 1856-1919).
Octagonaltower in brickwork toppedwith a
lookout lantern. Inspired by the water tower
in NykObingFalster.Still in usein 1993.
Skjern.Railway water tower with a circular
plan, built around 1920.
Roskilde,Jerbanegade.
Twin towers. The smaller tower on the
right was built in 1881,with a capacityof
only about 5Ocubic metres.The larger
water tower with a capacityof around300
cubic metreson the left was subsequently
addedin 1889.Both towerswere designed
by architect V. Mgrk-Hansen(18%-1929)
and were demolished around 1972.
@lgod
Constructedin 1914in reinforcedconcrete
by Chistiani& Nielsen.This type of tower
was colloquially dubbed"the uprighttube".
The tower is to be usedfor museum
pu{poses,and will accomrnodate
exhibition
activities.
Nysted.
The water tower was designedby architect
Alf Jorgensenand engineerGeorg
Jochumsenof Copenhagenin I9IZ.The
tower ceasedto function as a water tower in
1976,and is today,usedas a lookout tower,
in addition to housingart exhibitions.
p.4
T4nderwatertower,erectedin 1902.The
in Tonderhaveplans(1993)to
museums
utilisethederelecttowerfor exhibition
purposes.
Contemporary Water Towers
Abroad
The largeGerman cities,which expanded
rapidly from the earliestdays of
industrialisation,provide many good
exarnplesof water towersdating from the
end of the 1800's.Most are considerably
largerthanthe WaterTower in Esbjerg.
| | textsfor objects exhibited//:
Adolfshdhe, Wiesbaden,Gernany. Cross
sectionof an lntze tower, 18%-W, the size
of the tank, etc. is not known. The tower is
a typical example of Intze'sprinciples.
Gienberg tower in Braunschweig,18991901.A typical turn of the century 2,000
cubic metretower constructedin
brickwork.
Sternschanze,
Hamburg.Octagonalplan,
60 metreshigh,32 metresin diameter,with
a total capacityof 43C0 cubic metresin two
tanks.Constructedin 1907-08using the
new techniquesofa steeland concrete
structure,but with brick cladding
displayingtypical local detailing.The tower
is no longer used as a water tower, and
there are various plansfor its future use.
Speyer,1882-83.A circulartower with a
wall thicknessof 2.80 metresat the base.
Constructedin brickwork and still in use as
a water tower (1989).
'Worms,
erectedin IWL The proximity of
the cathedralin Worms led to the tower
being constructedin the samematerial- a
local red sandstone.The Ciw A,rchitectwas
of the opinionthat thereshouldbe no 1':?
"eyesoresamonqthe citv's wealth of
RomanesquearChiteitutl". Th. tower is 52
metreshigh, 13 metresin diameter,and has
date:?il.juli1993
a capacityof 1200cubic metres.
Mannheim water tower, competitionfrom
1855(architectHalmhuber)which aimedat
Construotedin
a castle-likeappearence.
local red sandstone.Rebuilt after
destructionduring the SecondWorld War.
The tower had a capacityof 2,000 cubic
metres,and a height of 60 metres.
Miinchengladbachwater tower, situatedin a
new industrial area.The City Architect
declaredthat he wishedthat this part of the
town should expressitself through its
architecturaldesign.This led to the local
authority producing a contemporarydesign
- an art nouveau-likestructure- shortly after
1900.Capacity 2,300 cubic metres,height
almost 6O metres.
Watpr tower, Karl-B onhoefferNervenklinih Berlin-Reinickendorf.One of
the few towers with a squareplan, as in
Esbjerg.Built to servea lunatic asylum
during the years l8i77-W (Stadbaurat
Blankenstein).
Water tower in The Criminal Court Moabit,
Berlin-Tiergarten.Suppliedthe former
prison, a visual counterpartfor another
tower in the institution - not a genuinewater
tower, but rather a tower with a concealed
function.
Two water towers alongsidethe
railwaystationin Antwerp,Belgium,built
1898.
Water tower in Landskrona,Sweden.
Constructedin 1903,designedby architect
Fredrik Sundbiirg.
Converted Water Towers in
Denmark and Abroad
withintherealmof public
Developments
water supply hasmeantthat many water
towers can no longer fulfill their role. Many
of them have beendemolishedafter they
have beentakeu out of service.A number
of towers still remain standing,however,-
p.5
though servinga completelydifferent
function.
A problernwith tower conservationhas
beento find a suitableuse.Smaller towers
have in many casesbeenconvertedto
dwellingsor offices, whilst larger towers
have beenusedfor exhibitionpurposes.
The railway water tower in Skjern hasbeen
taken over by Skjern-EgvadMuseum and
will later be usedfor an exhibition on the
historyof the railway system.@lgodwater
tower (1914)is to be usedfor an exhibition
on the town of Qlgod and its water supply.
There areplansto fit out Tonder water
tower for museumpurposes,whilst Nysted
water toweron l-olland alreadyhouses
changingart exhibitions.
Numeroustowers have beenconvertedinto
private dwellings,a few to young pe,rsons'
flats, and one large tower in Colognehas
even beenconvertedinto a 90-room hotel
with 4,800 squaremetresof floor area.
//texts for objectsexhibited//:
Water towerin the Fidicinstrasse,BerlinKreuzberg.The locality was previously
called TempelhoferBerge.26 metreshigh
with a capacityof 4O0cubic metres.
Circular plan,medievalcastle-like
appearencs,built in red brick. The tower
datesfrom 18&7-88(architectHartung).
Convertedand today usedfor leisure
purposes.
Water towerin the Schmidt'Ott-Strasse,
Berlin-Stegli tz. Fichtenberge.\W0 cubic
metre capacity,4O metrehigh, circular
tower. Oddly thickset and crownedwith a
cupola, the tower datesfrom 1884-86.
Convertedand used today as the
MeterologicalInstitute of Freies
Universitiit,Berlin, hencethe istallationof
an antennaand extra windows in the
cupola.
Hamburghasseveralwatertowersdating,
from the turn of the century, but a
particularlyinterestingtower is
Sternschanze.l9O7-8.built in a Germanic
date:?,,7.juli1993
style reminiscentof the Vienna school.
Height 60 metres.The large tower could
hold 4,200 cubic metresof water in two
tanks! There are plans for the future useof
the tower, but thesehave not yet been
realisedin 1991.
Madrid, part of the IsabelII water supply
system,constructed1908-11. Converted
into exhibition spacein 1987.Changing
exhibitions - mainly art - are held in the
tower on built-in steeldecks.
Landskrona water tower, Sweden.Erected
1903,designedby architectFredrik
Sundb2irg.Now convertedinto young
people'sflats by ulf rossarkitektgrupp,
Landskrona.
The railway water tower in Skjern has been
taken over by Skjern-EgvadMuseum and
will later be usedfor an exhibition on the
history of the local railway system.
@lgodwater tower (I9I4) is to be usedfor
an exhibition on the town of @Igodand its
water supply.
Nysted water tower on l,olland today
houseschanging art exhibitions.
Concrete Beams for the
Watercontainer
The water tower originally coniaineda
small cylindrical tank. The massivesteel
and concretebeamswhich supportedthe
tank can still be seenhere.The tank itself
was probably designedby one of the gas
engineersworking in the town at the time, it
is unlikely that it was designedby a water
supply engineeras the cylinderprinciple
was alreadyoutdatedin the 1880's.
@ Mich. Ottosen,curator, Esbjerg
Museum, N/rregade 25,
DK-6700 Esbjerg, Denmark,
phone: (45) 75.12.78.I 1,
fax: (45) 75.13.59.49
p.6