Schanzenturm, Water tower in Sternschanze, Germany
The Schanzenturm is a brick building with a distinctive copper dome and an external spiral staircase that characterizes its appearance. The structure today functions as a hotel across multiple floors while maintaining the form of the original industrial building.
The tower was built between 1907 and 1910 and served Hamburg's water supply with large storage tanks. Its conversion into a hotel in the early 2000s marked a turning point in how the city reused historic industrial buildings.
The tower shapes the character of the Sternschanze neighborhood and is recognized by locals as a landmark that embodies the district's history. Its distinctive red brick form remains visible from many angles across the area and serves as a visual reference point in the urban landscape.
The building is easily accessible by public transit or on foot and sits in an active neighborhood with shops and dining options. Visitors can admire the architecture from the outside or enter the hotel to see how the interior has been transformed.
Beneath the tower lie vaulted chambers from an older 1863 water reservoir that are now used as a themed bar within the hotel. These underground spaces reveal layers of technical development at the same location over decades.
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