Esbjerg Water Tower

Esbjerg Water Tower - the city's landmark on Bavnehøj. The tower is not open to the public.

In the first many years after the city's construction, Esbjerg wanted to show itself with impressive architecture. It had to look like what you could find in other European cities, with towers, spires and fine details. Later, it was progress that was emphasized and motifs from the modern industrial city were shown with functional buildings, tourist attractions and of course a lively port, which they were proud to show off.

As the tower is located on the city's significant peak, Bavnehøj, facing the sea, it very quickly became the city's landmark. The architect behind it was CH Clausen (1866-1941), who was clearly inspired by a German building: the Nassauer Haus in Nuremberg, which he knew from contemporary German architectural works.

Esbjerg's water supply
In 1894-1895 they had approx. 9.000 inhabitants have not yet been watered. The water supply was cleared by wells and water outlets spread over the city. Obtaining a public water supply was thus quite intrusive, especially as the population increased very rapidly. After several unsuccessful wells, usable water was found in the Vognsbølparken.

The annual consumption in 1897 for each inhabitant was 31 liters per liter. day. Already the following year, consumption per persona had increased to 51 liters per liter. day. By comparison, the average daily consumption of household water in 1995 was 145 liters per liter. person.

Despite the fact that in Esbjerg in the year 1894, after a bourgeois meeting, the construction of the desired gas plant had been postponed, in 1895 it was sensible to shut down water and gas pipes in the same workflow. In December 1895, the parish council decided to build both gas and water works. The water tower contained no more than 131 m3 water. The annual consumption was more than 1897 m130.000 in 3, which increased by more than 400% in the following seven years. Therefore, the large container of approx. 525 m3 built at Nygårdsvej already in 1904.
Thus, the water tower in the city park was already too small from the outset in relation to a development that no one could foresee: the population increased from 9.280 in 1895 to 14.022 in 1902. Since then, the water supply was such that the water was pumped directly to consumers, and only that. excess water went to the two water tanks.

On the whole, the increase in population probably fell somewhat behind the parish council, because in the five-year period 1894-1899 alone, gasworks, waterworks, 3 new schools, a chapel, cemetery, fire station, sewerage pipes had to be built and asphalting and paving for almost 1 million. crowns.

Both the amount and the size of the facilities show that the parish council found it necessary to provide Esbjerg with a modern city infrastructure. 

 

 

Updated by: Wadden Sea Coast | info@vadehavskysten.dk