Fancy a castle that is full of drinking water? Here we are at the Freiburger Wasserschlössle. This isn’t just a pretty facade. It’s a vital part of Freiburg’s water supply.
The Freiburger Wasserschlössle sits in the Sternwald above Wiehre. It may look like a castle but it is a water reservoir. Bn Netze operates this important water supply facility.
Let’s step back in time to when this “little water castle” was built. Between 1895 and 1896 this system was created. The Freiburger Wasserschlössle has supplied the city with drinking water ever since. The sandstone and concrete facade is castle-like. It shows how much the city values clean drinking water.
Did you know the design was inspired by Freiburg’s city seal from 1245? You can still see this seal on the city’s manhole covers today. The Freiburg company Brenzinger & Cie built the Wasserschlössle.
For over 100 years the eastern part of the city got its water from here. As the population grew in the late 19th century a new waterworks was needed. It was built near Ebnet between 1872 and 1876.
From the Ebnet waterworks the water flows naturally to the Wasserschlössle. The Freiburger Wasserschlössle sits at 314 meters above sea level. The water goes through a preliminary chamber into the main water chamber. This chamber is 45 meters long. It is 33 meters deep and 6 meters high. Its capacity is 3800 cubic meters. From here the water flows to homes without pumps. Gravity does the work.
As Freiburg grew the water supply faced challenges. Especially in the Wiehre district water pressure was low. A new elevated tank was built in 2001. It sits 600 meters from the Freiburger Wasserschlössle and is 42 meters higher. This new tank is 42 meters long. It is 27 meters deep and 8 meters high. It can hold 6000 cubic meters.
The installation of water meters helped reduce water consumption.
Near the Freiburger Wasserschlössle you can find the Stephanienbrunnen. It’s a lovely spot to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
So next time you turn on the tap think of this place. Think of the Freiburger Wasserschlössle high above the city. It is a symbol of Freiburg’s commitment to providing clean water for all. A beautiful facade hides an engineering marvel that keeps Freiburg hydrated.