Vladimir's Water Tower can be mistaken from afar for a fortress tower, and up close it does not look like an industrial structure at all. It was built in 1868 on Kozlov Val not far from the Golden Gate, and rebuilt in its modern form in 1912 according to the design of the local architect Zharov.
The tower, in pseudo-Gothic style, as tradition dictates, has a circular cross-section and is crowned with a tented roof. The red brick used as the wall material emphasizes the grand silhouette of the three-tier tower, making it truly look like a work of art rather than a utilitarian structure.
In the 1950s, after the reconstruction of the water supply system in Vladimir, the tower lost its functional significance, turning into a monument of engineering and technical architecture.
Nowadays, the building houses a museum featuring the exhibition “Old Vladimir.” At the top there is an observation deck from which you can enjoy an excellent panorama of most of the city.
