Shot Ball Tower

The Shot Ball Tower is an industrial building in Berlin's Victoriastadt that rises 38 meters and resembles medieval towers from Bologna with its brick design. The structure has thick walls and a distinctive appearance that sets it apart from modern buildings in the area.

The building was constructed in 1908 for the Juhl & Sons Lead Foundry and served to manufacture lead shot using a process where molten lead fell from above. The factory stopped production in 1939 and the building remained as a testament to this industrial era.

The tower reflects Berlin's industrial past and shows how factory buildings of that era were designed and constructed. Today, visitors can appreciate the structure and understand how important such places were to the city's development.

The building is normally not open to the public but can be visited during annual heritage day events. Reaching the top involves climbing approximately 200 steps, so visitors should be in reasonable physical condition.

The tower's windows were fitted with wooden slats that created air currents during operation to cool the hot lead as it fell. This simple yet clever cooling system was essential for producing quality shot material.