Museums help to get acquainted with the history of any city, especially if they are located in unusual old buildings. After all, they retain the energy of the era in which they were built. Even a simple stay in such museums can give an unforgettable experience. One of such unusual museums is the water tower in Vladimir. It is to her that our today's article is devoted.
Water tower of Vladimir: history of occurrence
In the second half of the nineteenth century, the city began to lay water pipes, and in connection with this there was a need for the construction of a water tower. Initially, the authorities of Vladimir wanted to save money and implement the project of remaking a tower of an inactive church. However, the idea was unsuccessful: during the construction several workers were killed. Therefore, the project of Karl Dill was taken as the basis of the Vladimir’s water tower. Under his leadership, an unusual structure appeared on Kozlovy Val, decorated with brick in neo-Russian style. The date of completion of construction is considered to be 1868.
The value of the tower for the townspeople
The water tower itself at that time was very noticeable against the background of ordinary city buildings. It contained only eight thousand buckets of water, but its construction was the beginning of a major transformation in Vladimir.
In parallel with the erection of the tower in the city, water folding columns and a stone pool with a fountain were built. The work of all this was provided by the English steam engine, located in the building of the Vladimir’s water tower.
Reconstruction of the tower and its description
In 1912, it was decided to slightly rebuild the construction of Dill. The author of the new project was the local architect Zharov. After that, the water tower became a real decoration of the city. It has three floors, and its shape resembles a tank, which is noticeably expanding at the very top. If you look at the building from afar, it resembles both a tower and a fortress wall. On each floor there are beautiful window openings of different sizes, the walls are decorated with arches and cornices made of red brick.
Period of oblivion
The water tower of Vladimir faithfully served the townspeople until the middle of the last century. During this period, the city had a reconstruction of the water supply system, and the monumental construction lost its significance for Vladimir. The building was abandoned and boarded up, and homeless people and tramps often found shelter in the lower floors.
The city authorities thought for a long time what to do with the water tower. In the sixty-seventh year of the twentieth century, it received the status of a cultural monument, and four years later it became part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve. It is worth noting that all the museums of Vladimir are distinguished by interesting and multifaceted expositions, so it was decided to reconstruct the tower and fill it with unusual exhibits.
Museum Education
The city authorities, having looked at all the museums of Vladimir, decided to turn the former water tower into a special museum dedicated to the life of citizens of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But initially, the building was to undergo reconstruction and be adapted for mass visits of people.
In 1975, all the necessary work was completed, and on May 1, the new city museum "Old Vladimir" was opened. I would like to talk about its exposition in more detail.
Features of the first museum exposition
We have already mentioned that all the exhibits of the Old Vladimir Museum are dedicated to the life of citizens. All kinds of objects are collected here, giving a complete picture of the life of ordinary people in the nineteenth century. It seemed to the first visitors to the museum that they seemed to be in a time machine in long forgotten times, when people lived by completely different rules than today.
It is interesting that not a single exhibit had a signature and description, because under each were genuine newspaper clippings that gave an idea of a particular subject and its purpose.
Reconstruction of the museum and updating of the exposition
In 2009, the city authorities carried out a large-scale reconstruction, it turned the museum into something extraordinary, which almost all city visitors are trying to visit. What so attracts tourists to the former water tower? Let's try to figure it out.
Currently, each floor of the tower is dedicated to a specific topic. The first floor is an immersion in the features of the urban economy and acquaintance with the external appearance of the city. On the second you can find out how the people of Vladimir lived and what they did in their free time. The third floor is dedicated to the spiritual life of the townspeople, and the fourth is equipped with a beautiful observation deck with a magnificent view of the whole of Vladimir and its surroundings.
What can be seen in the museum?
Almost all the walls of the water tower are completely covered with newspaper clippings, postcards and photographs. Thanks to this, the first floor resembles the usual city streets of Vladimir at the end of the nineteenth century. Museum workers accurately recreated the interiors of merchant houses, theaters and churches. Such an excursion literally immerses visitors in the color of a bygone era.
On the second and third floor, more than eight hundred different exhibits are collected, which further reveal the features of the life of Vladimir citizens. For example, the prison lattice, which stood in the window opening in the chamber of the Vladimir Central, is of particular interest to tourists. These and other items are genuine and therefore so interesting to museum visitors.
Vladimir, water tower: museum address
If you find yourself in Vladimir, then be sure to visit the exposition of this museum. It is located on 14. Kozlov Val Street, 14. The closest stop to the water tower is called the Golden Gate. You can get here by trolley and bus. The most convenient bus routes are number 15 and 25, and if you prefer a trolley bus, then take a number 5. Any of them will quickly take you to the right place.
Schedule
The water tower of Vladimir opening hours is quite convenient to visit. You can get here from Tuesday to Sunday, from ten in the morning until six in the evening. Monday is a day off, and the last Wednesday of the month is a sanitary day.
An entrance ticket costs about eighty rubles for all categories of the population, except for pensioners. A discount ticket for fifty rubles is available for them.
Museum reviews
If you look a bit for information about the museum in the water tower on the Internet, you will come across numerous reviews about visiting this place. Already the first enthusiastic comments are enough to start dreaming of a trip to Vladimir and excursions to this museum.
All tourists, without exception, noted the beautiful observation deck located on the fourth floor of the museum. Visitors are breathtaking from the view of the city from such a height, in addition, the constant wind that always accompanies those who risk climbing to the observation deck of the tower causes a special sensation.
Many guests of Vladimir recognize that the museum is very romantic. It is covered with the spirit of antiquity and becomes a real surprise for visitors. On the ground floor of the tower, you can buy copies of old newspapers, which described city news, posted marriage announcements and funny stories of writers of those years.
The reviews also mention museum employees who are dedicated and can spend hours talking about the exposition. Therefore, if you have such an opportunity, be sure to take the time to inspect the water tower. Judging by the comments of tourists, this tour will be interesting for both children and adults.