Water Tower Freising

The Wasserturm Freising stands on the Wehrberg in the Bavarian town of Freising. Built in 1906 as a reinforced-concrete structure, it was designed to resemble a Baroque pavilion. The tower rises 46 metres above the city, making it the tallest point in Freising. It was added to the list of protected monuments in recognition of its role in the town’s history. The tower was commissioned when the Jäger-Kaserne, now the Vimy-Kaserne, was constructed. Before its building, an underground drinking-water tank already stood on the site. The tower’s most important feature is its water tank, which holds 100 cubic metres of water. This sits on the eighth floor, while the seventh floor provides a circular viewing gallery. The city’s water supply had begun in 1888, but the new tower allowed higher districts to be connected. By the time of its centenary in 2006, the Stadtwerke had the tower repaired while it remained in service. Workers removed bullet holes in the roof from the world wars and renewed the render on the exterior. Visitors who reach the top find a quiet round walkway with wide views over Freising and the surrounding countryside. The tower’s octagonal shape and plain stonework give it a calm presence. The Wehrberg itself is a gentle hill, easy to climb from the town centre. The restored tower now stands empty after its 2010 shutdown, yet its architecture and history remain clearly visible. The circular gallery offers a place to pause and look out over the rooftops and distant fields.