Water tower

Piotrkowska 282

One of the most characteristic features of the White Factory is its high water tower piercing the sky. But it was not always there. On 8 August 1901, a fire broke out at the plant, consuming the southern wing of the building and all the machinery inside it. Several fire-brigade units worked to put out the fire. Even crews from the rival Scheibler and Poznański factories provided assistance.

Just a month after the fire, intensive rebuilding efforts began, including the installation of appropriate fire prevention solutions. The factory halls now featured a special installation which required water under significant pressure. To achieve this, on the roof, above the staircase, a three-storey water tower was built with a water tank at the very top.

The four-sided tower with plastered walls was envisioned to match the Classicist design of the factory. However, Neo-Renaissance influences are also evident. The rectangular windows of the middle floor are crowned with decorative tympanums. The upper level features small semi-circular windows which make the tower look more refined and graceful, slightly reminiscent of a Renaissance-era palace or city hall tower. The structure is covered by a pyramid roof with a tall spire.