Water tower of Plzeňský Prazdroj, Water tower of a brewery in Pilsen, Czech Republic
The water tower of Plzeňský Prazdroj stands on the highest point of the former Měšťanský pivovar complex. Its lower section is masonry, its upper part steel with a thin concrete shell, and it is topped by a 7.8 m iron dome clad in copper sheet, ending in a lookout lantern with a lightning rod and a weather vane statue of King Gambrinus. At its base the tower measures 13.34 m in diameter; the masonry height is 25.5 m and the total height about 50 m.
In 1901 chief engineer František Spalek proposed a water system to make the brewery independent of outside sources. The project was drawn up in 1905, builder Eduard Kroh began work that year, and the tower was completed and commissioned on 20 December 1907. It remained in service until 2005 and was listed as a cultural monument in 2008.
The tower's copper-clad dome carries a lookout lantern topped by a weather vane in the shape of King Gambrinus, the legendary patron of brewers. Historical sources note that in its first years the lantern held a searchlight. A local tale claims the tower copies a Dutch lighthouse, though no matching lighthouse has been found.
The tower is located within the brewery grounds in the Východní Předměstí district and can be viewed during guided tours. Access is typically restricted to organized visits of the site.
The tower's copper-clad iron dome, 7.8 m high, is topped by a lookout lantern with a lightning rod and a weather vane in the shape of King Gambrinus. Sources note the lantern was fitted with a searchlight in the first years after completion.
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