Gasometer Pforzheim, Cultural heritage monument and exhibition center in Pforzheim, Germany

Gasometer Pforzheim is a former low-pressure gas holder in eastern Pforzheim, built in 1912 and now used for panoramic exhibitions. Its cylindrical shell is wrapped in a grid of dark metal ribs, rings and diagonal braces, with an external zigzag staircase; the dark panelled base holds a recessed entrance with a red-framed glass door. Inside, a concrete core with stairs and a lift rises to a 35-metre viewing level.

The structure was built in 1912 and served for nearly a century as a balancing tank for the city's gas supply system. In recent decades it was abandoned and later completely converted into a contemporary art exhibition venue.

Inside, large-scale panoramic paintings by artist Yadegar Asisi are displayed, transforming the former industrial building into an exhibition venue. These artworks fill the entire interior space and create a completely new experience of the place.

The site is best reached on foot or by public transportation and sits in an industrial area of the city. Visitors should allow plenty of time to view the large-scale artworks at a leisurely pace, as the works fill the entire space.

The gasometer's steel shell, 40 metres across, once rose up to 40 metres from a water basin; a clock over two metres wide on the guide frame showed how full it was. Filling was controlled from the neighbouring Uhrenhaus. The tank was taken out of service in 2003 and only opened to visitors in 2005, after the storage space had been made gas-free.