Here stands the Wasserturm, a testament to Hamburg’s ingenuity. Once, Hamburg boasted 43 water towers but now only three survive. This Wasserturm, however, stands out. It has been transformed into the Mövenpick hotel. The hotel opened its doors on June 17, 2007, featuring 226 rooms.
Let’s take a step back in time. After the devastating Hamburg fire of 1841, the city needed a modern water system. British engineer William Lindley was tasked with rebuilding it. In 1863, he constructed a subterranean reservoir in Sternschanzen Park. This reservoir served its purpose until it was decommissioned in March 1905.
Between 1907 and 1910, architect Wilhelm Schwarz designed this Wasserturm. At the time, it was the largest of its kind in Europe. It cost 697,000 gold marks to build. The Wasserturm is an impressive structure. It stands 189 feet tall with a diameter of 105 feet. The octagonal brick tower held two dished water storage tanks, one above the other.
During World War II, bombs partially destroyed the roof. But the Wasserturm returned to service. However, Hamburg’s water authorities stopped using it in 1956. It was finally decommissioned in 1961.
Fast forward to July 16, 1990. Ernest-Jo Storr from Munich purchased the Wasserturm for DM 39,200. In 1993, Patrizia Project Development GmbH proposed converting the tower into a hotel. Falk von Tettenborn designed the conversion. The original plan was to lift off the steel roof with a crane and reuse it. But the roof was in poor condition and had to be dismantled.
The internals were removed. A new reinforced concrete core was poured using a sliding shuttering technique. This process moved at a rate of 5.5 inches per hour and lasted 18 days. The pre-cast concrete floors were lifted into the Wasserturm. They were supported by the former water-tank supports.
Much of the façade was retained. An emergency elevator was added. This negated the need for an external emergency staircase. A new roof was built using concrete and steel. It resembled the original but included more windows. The conversion also incorporated the older covered reservoir. Today, that is where the hotel lobby is situated. The entire conversion took about two years.
The Wasserturm stands in Sternschanzen Park. It is located one kilometer northwest of Hamburg’s city center. Its coordinates are 53° 31′ 53″ North, 9° 58′ 14″ East. It once had a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons.
Today, the Wasserturm is celebrated. It was once the German International Water-Tower Society’s “Tower of the Month.” It even featured on the cover of the April edition of Der Wasserturm. As you stand here, imagine the Wasserturm in its former glory. See it not just as a hotel but as a vital part of Hamburg’s history.