Water tower Finow

The Finower Wasserturm stands in the former Messingwerk settlement in Eberswalde-Finow, built early in the 20th century to supply water to the brass works. Its architect was Paul Mebes, who designed the 48.6-metre tower in expressionist style with gothic details such as pointed arches and buttresses. The brick structure once held 200 cubic metres of water and fed both factory and workers’ houses until it was retired in 1964.

The tower is worth visiting for its engineering story and its role in local history. During the Second World War a Wehrmacht demolition expert, Gerhard Kessler, refused to blow up the tower in April 1945, saving it from destruction. After years of disuse, a local association restored the building and in 2009 opened a museum inside the old water tank. Exhibits tell the story of the brass works, the tower’s technical function, and the community’s war memorial plaques installed in 1930.

Visitors climb 261 steps to a gallery at 44 metres for wide views across the surrounding area. The main floor houses the permanent exhibition on the brass works, while the floor below shows how the tower worked and the early history of Finow. A lift has been added in one corner for barrier-free access. Outside, the building’s reflection shimmers in its garden pond, and the memorial plaques honour those lost in the First World War.