On a day-to-day basis, we do not pay attention to them. Urban hydrants are an architectural detail that nevertheless influence how we perceive the whole city. In Poznań, historic hydrants are being renovated to regain their former glory and will return to the street to serve for years to come.
The project has been announced by Aquanet, which manages the water supply system in Poznań. Hydrants on city streets are part of the fire-fighting infrastructure. Those located in the historic housing estates of Poznań look a bit different. They are made of cast iron and painted black. Many of them were made at the turn of the 20th century.
We decided to restore the decommissioned Old Town hydrants. The dismantled devices were not suitable for further use, and their main function is, after all, some fire protection. After complete restoration, they will not only be fully operational, but also aesthetically pleasing to residents and tourists. Such activities are very important as they contribute to the preservation of the history of Poznań,” explains Andrzej Czarnecki, head of the Waterworks Network Department at Aquanet.
The process of renovating historic hydrants will be carried out gradually in order to ensure access to water for firefighters. The hydrants will be replaced one by one and will eventually return to the Old Town and to the streets of the Wilda and Lazarus districts.
Three hydrants in Poznań stand out from the rest. They are the oldest specimens produced by the Aeorgengas factory in Hanover. These hydrants were called candelabra and were commonly used in Poznań at the turn of the 20th century. They were ground-breaking constructions because, in addition to a source of water, they provided light. For in the upper part there were gas lamps.
photos: Aquanet
source: UM Poznań
Read also: Poznań | Detail | City | Monument | Featured | whiteMAD on Instagram
