Wasserhebewerk Passek

Wasserhebewerk Passek is a pump building complex in Šilheřovice, Czech Republic, consisting of several brick structures. The chimney with neo-Gothic decorative elements rises from the flat landscape and defines the appearance of the site.

The Rothschild family commissioned the pump station between 1862 and 1863 to secure the water supply for the nearby Julianka Tower. The facility was equipped with a steam engine and later replaced by more modern technology.

The facility takes its name from the builder and its carefully designed facade shows that industrial buildings were once meant to represent status. Visitors can see today how engineering and architecture worked together in the 19th century.

The complex sits slightly outside the village and is best reached on foot or by bicycle. Renovations in the 2000s stabilized the buildings, while the original brick chimney was preserved.

The chimney displays six rows of blind arches and circular windows, an unusual ornament for an industrial structure from the mid-19th century. Only a few such chimneys from this era have survived without major alterations.