Vukovar water tower, Water tower in Mitnica, Vukovar, Croatia
The Vukovar Water Tower is a 50-metre concrete structure in the Mitnica district, built from 1962 and operating as a reservoir from early 1968. Its narrow lower shaft flares outward into a wider upper section that once held a 2,200 m³ tank; a red-brick band with rectangular openings and a metal railing ring the top, and a flag flies above. Vertical ribs and dark circular openings mark the concrete, which is pitted with shell damage.
Construction began in 1962 and the tower entered service in early 1968, built by Hidrotehna Zagreb to a design by architects Petar Kušan and Sergej Kolobov, replacing an undersized tower in the city centre. During the 1991 siege it was struck by roughly 640 projectiles, and 23-year-old Ivica Ivanika repeatedly raised the Croatian flag on it under fire.
The tower today carries visible scars from the 640 direct artillery strikes it received during the siege, which have been left in place as a testament to the city's experience. Its presence in the Mitnica district skyline serves as a daily reminder for residents and visitors of the events of the early 1990s.
Access to the memorial is through the former Najpar-bašća city park, where the museum and restaurant are now located. The surrounding area allows visitors to view the preserved facade from different angles.
The tower's upper section is pitted with irregular shell holes that were deliberately left unrepaired; they sit behind glass panels as a permanent record of the 1991 bombardment. Look for the small plaques on the lower front face near the ground.
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