Wasserwerk Hinkelstein

Wasserwerk Hinkelstein is a water extraction facility in Frankfurt that supplies groundwater to the city's residents. The operation uses ten wells at varying depths to secure the daily water supply for the municipal area.

The facility was built from 1890 to 1893 under city architect William Heerlein Lindley and opened in 1894 as the third groundwater source in Frankfurt's municipal forest. The construction responded to the city's growing need for reliable drinking water supply.

The protected machine house features neo-Romanesque windows and a dome topped with a cast-iron structure, reflecting industrial design from the late 1800s. The building represents how engineering and craftsmanship came together to shape the city's infrastructure during that era.

The site is located in Frankfurt's municipal forest and operates as an active technical facility working around the clock. Access to the grounds may be restricted since it serves as working infrastructure rather than a public venue.

The name Hinkelstein comes from a large prehistoric stone monument whose pieces were scattered as boundary markers throughout the forest. This connection between an ancient monument and modern infrastructure often surprises visitors exploring the site.