Eber’s water towers – Hungary

The leading trade journal in Sweden, VA-tidskriften Cirkulation has since 1998 an article series under the heading Ebers vattentorn (Eber’s water towers), where Eber Ohlsson with text and photo presents interesting water towers in the world (except Scania and Sweden). Below is a free translation to English of these texts.


Eber’s water towers in Cirkulation 5/2010

A free translation to English:

Csepel is an island and district in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It lies on the eastern flat Pest side of the Danube River; there a branch of the river east of the island is reunited with the Danube. There is since a long time industries and low buildings in the district, but in the 1980s there was even built residential tower blocks.

To also be able to supply adequate pressure to the upper floors, a water tower here was built 1980-84, designed by Lázló Tóth and Imre Pálfy. It was a classical ground cast striped mushroom water tower, 70 meter high and with a reservoir capacity of 3 000 m³. The design was apparently good, since it was build three sister towers.

Published 2010-08-25


Eber’s water towers in Cirkulation 6/2007

A free translation to English:

The Hungarian capital Budapest is divided of the tremendous river Danube. Once time it was two cities, Buda and Pest. Pest on the east side, there the Hungarian flat land spread, and Buda on the west side of Danube, there the hilly landscape begins.

On one of the heights here, which has got the sacral name the Hill of God, were there built an octagonal water tower after drawings from the architect professor Szilárd Zielinsky. He drew many water towers and was one of the pioneers of the reinforced concrete. The tower at Buda got a total height of ca. 33 m and a reservoir with the diameter 6,2 meter and a volume of 200 m³.

Published 2007-10-03


Eber’s water towers in Cirkulation 8/2001

A free translation to English:

On an island, surrounded by the next largest river in Europe, is there since 1911 standing a water tower in concrete. From the belvedere of the octagonal water tower on the Margaret Island is there a good view in all directions over the Hungarian capital Budapest. The tower is 55 meter high, and had a reservoir on 502 m³ and a highest water level on 40 meter before it was out of order circa 1960.

The tower is designed by Doctor Zielinski Szilárd. He’s pencil has even sign drawings to other water towers at that time. Under the Second Word War was the tower heavily damaged, but is restored and is now protected by the UNESCO.

In the entrance of the tower is there a marble tablet that in gold letters state technical facts, among other things the indication of heights related to both the Danube and the Adriatic Sea, which indicate that the Hungary before the Treaty of Trianon was a considerable larger country. The island is an oasis to the people of Budapest; there it is possible to both slacken the thirst and to visit outdoor swimming-pools with water from mineral-rich springs of the island.

Published 2001-12-12