Once, a city’s thirst was quenched here at the Altes Wasserwerk. Today, it stands as a testament to Bonn’s history. The Altes Wasserwerk served as the provisional seat of the German Bundestag from 1986 to 1992. This was during the construction of the new Plenarsaal.
The Altes Wasserwerk has witnessed pivotal moments in German history. The announcement of the fall of the Berlin Wall was made here. The first joint session after reunification took place within these walls. The decision to make Berlin the capital was also made here in 1991.
Originally constructed between 1873 and 1875, the Altes Wasserwerk was designed in the neogothic style. It was built by the Rheinische Wasserwerksgesellschaft. The purpose was to supply the city with water. The Altes Wasserwerk extracted and filtered water from the Rhine.
The complex initially included a machine house. A boiler house was added at a right angle. There was also a chimney, a well, and a residence for the machinist. In 1891, the boiler house was expanded to the north. The city of Bonn acquired the facility in 1900. A second well was built, including a pump house. Two additional piston pumps and two compound steam engines were installed.
By the early 1950s, Bonn was supplied with water from the Wahnbach Dam. The Altes Wasserwerk was decommissioned in 1958. In 1965, the Federal Republic of Germany purchased the buildings. Most of the technical equipment was dismantled. Until a replacement building was constructed in 1984/85, the Altes Wasserwerk served as a backup water treatment facility.
When the parliament’s plenary hall was demolished in the late 1980s, the Bundestag needed temporary space. The pump house of the former Altes Wasserwerk Gronau was chosen. It was located between the Bundeshaus and the Langer Eugen office building. It was converted into a session hall known as the Ersatzplenarsaal. A connecting passage called the Löwengang was built. It linked the pump house to the machine and boiler house.
The German Bundestag first convened in the Altes Wasserwerk on September 9, 1986. The building has about half the floor space of the old and new plenary halls. Some participants said the sessions were unusually peaceful due to the close quarters. After reunification, the lack of space became even more acute.
The last Bundestag session was initially scheduled for October 29, 1992. However, due to technical issues with the new plenary hall, it was used again. It served as a meeting place from November 24, 1992, to September 10, 1993.
The city of Bonn took over the usage rights for the buildings from the federal government in 1999. They made it available to the International Congress Center Bundeshaus Bonn. Today, it’s known as the World Conference Center Bonn.
As you stand here, you’re standing on hallowed ground. The Altes Wasserwerk is now part of the UN campus. It’s a reminder of Bonn’s role as a center for international affairs and a witness to German history. The Altes Wasserwerk remains a protected historical landmark. It stands as a significant landmark along the Path of Democracy.