The water tower of Yekaterinburg is rightfully considered a symbol of the city. The construction was practically not reconstructed, although it was almost a century and a half. Now in the turret there is a museum where visitors can learn and see a lot of interesting things.
Excursion into the past
The historical square is the place where the beginning of the Ural capital was laid. From 1723 to the middle of the twentieth century, industrial enterprises operated on the territory of the present Historical Square. In the nineteenth century, where the water tower is now located, the Mint and the state-owned mechanical factory worked.
In 1878, the Gornozavodskaya Railway passed through Yekaterinburg. From 1883-1885, railway workshops began to work on Plotinka. In the late 1880s, the Water Tower of Yekaterinburg on Plotinka was built for the needs of workshops. The project was selected as a standard.
Water was also used to refuel steam engine boilers. Water carriers arrived on horse-drawn carts, filled barrels and carried water around the city.
By the beginning of the war, the tower no longer performed its basic functions. During the war, the tank factory number 37, evacuated from Moscow, works in the workshops on Plotinka.
In the post-war years, there was not enough housing, so the second floor of the water tower on Plotinka in Yekaterinburg became a refuge for several families. In the post-war period, it was the workers of the plant who converted the tower into a residential building.
How they lived in the tower
In order to adapt the tower to housing, they redeveloped inside - built partitions. The result was tiny apartments of three rooms. Between the floors was a tank. It no longer worked, so it was used as a "subfloor". There was light in the tower, a pipe was drawn from the plant, so the building was heated with steam.
Former residents remembered that when hot steam was released, the walls of the pipe expanded, and the metal let out a roar as if the gunfire rattled. After the steam heating was turned off, the furnace began to be heated. At the top of the tower was a pipe. It can be seen in photographs of that period.
Life in the city center had advantages - it was possible to observe the visits of Fidel Castro and Nikita Khrushchev.
In the spring, according to the recollections of former tenants, it was very beautiful. A lilac blossomed all around, the whole district was buried in verdure. And in the days of mass festivities, it was necessary to lock the doors, because the amused walkers wanted to climb into the tower. Many simply did not know that people live in a water tower in Yekaterinburg. Historical background gives information that they settled them only after a quarter of a century.
"Metal Shop" by Victor Mahotin
In the early seventies, the tower was put in order and a small store was opened, where they sold souvenirs.
The Ural blacksmith Alexander Lysyakov became the ideological inspirer of the first permanent exhibition of the water tower of Yekaterinburg. The city department of culture instructed him in collaboration with the Museum of History to prepare an exhibition of products from the Ural metal. The selection turned out to be interesting.
"Metal shop" received its registration in the water tower of Yekaterinburg. The museum organized a permanent exhibition, which was led by such an extraordinary person as the famous Ural artist Viktor Mahotin, who was called the legend man. He put his whole soul into the development of the museum.
Residents carried here old metal things. Each was a place in a small room. Victor Mahotin was called a good brownie, he breathed his soul into this unique historical place. Every day he opened the doors of the tower for visitors from March 15 to November 15.
Unfortunately, the artist, creator and creator died in 2002. But the remarkable work was continued by Ivan Ryzhkov. A wonderful artist, a connoisseur of history, he continued to replenish the collection. The museum was popular, the townspeople and guests did not ignore the old tower on Plotinka.
But in 2009, a tragedy occurred - Ivan Ryzhkov died. There were no more enthusiasts, and the tower on Plotinka stood closed for about four years.
Water tower today
The water tower now looks almost the same as in the late nineteenth century. Two floors have been preserved. The upper floor is made of wooden beams. You can get into it by a spiral staircase located outside. The material from which the lower floor is made is granite blocks. As in its original form, a lantern is placed on top of the tower. The water tower of Yekaterinburg is part of the Historical Square.
After a major reconstruction, after replacing the dilapidated and dangerous stairs with a new, modern one, in 2018 the second floor is finally open, where the new museum exposition is located.
Now the building is officially transferred to the city Museum of History. The tower operates as a branch of the museum. There is a permanent exhibition where metal products are presented. The name "Metal Shop" has remained the same. Visitors will be able to see an incredible amount of unique metal products, they can be touched and even worked on a manual drilling machine. The museum offers excursions, you can just buy a ticket and familiarize yourself with the exposition.
The plans of the new tower superintendent Elena Tavrina include the development of theatrical excursions about the first tower superintendent, artist Viktor Mahotin, and about the life of a girl who lives in an amazing tower house.
The first floor of the tower works as a guest center. Here you can select the "Guest Card" and learn in detail about the sights and sightseeing tours of the city.
The souvenir shop offers all kinds of crafts with the symbols of the city and Ural souvenirs.
A cozy coffee house is famous for the fact that such aromatic and tasty coffee is not served anywhere else in the city.
