Watertoren

The Watertoren (Water Tower) located in Rotterdam’s De Echt neighborhood, along with the surrounding complex, was designed by architect C.B. van der Tak and constructed between 1871 and 1873. It is the oldest water tower in the Netherlands.

Rising 48 meters high, the Watertoren features seven water tanks. It once held a reservoir at its pinnacle with a capacity exceeding one million liters, ranking among the country’s largest.

The complex was originally used for purifying water from the Maas River to make it suitable for consumption.

The Watertoren exhibits a blend of architectural styles, including neo-Romanesque, neo-Renaissance, and Oriental elements. The upper three floors, above the ground level, have two semi-circular arched windows on each floor, originally serving as living quarters for the machine operators. The tower is crowned with a conical zinc roof, previously covered in slate. Dormer windows have been added throughout the structure. The distinctive dome-shaped lantern is designed in the Moorish style.

Following the relocation of the water facility in 1978, the living quarters and workshops were replaced by a cooperative association, a woodworking and metalworking workshop, a photography studio, and a sound studio. The tower underwent renovation in 1986. Seven residences were created inside the Watertoren, one on the ground floor, two on the first floor, two on the second floor, and two on the third floor. The former water reservoir now serves as office space.

The tower presently houses a café and restaurant known as De Watertoren. Both the water tower and the surrounding complex have been recognized as a National Monument since 1981.

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