The authorities of the town of Śrem have begun the revitalisation of the historic water tower and the surrounding area. The investment has been supported by European funds and is being carried out in cooperation with the Śrem Museum. Ultimately, the work is intended to transform this somewhat forgotten, over 100-year-old monument associated with the local waterworks into an expanded cultural and educational space. The water tower in Śrem is a very important building in the history of the town.
The water tower in Śrem revisited
The project developed by Pl.architekci involves transforming the historic building into a multifunctional centre for cultural and tourist activities. The tower will house a café, a projection room and a viewing gallery, while at its base there will be museum facilities, exhibition spaces, an information centre and an education zone. The whole complex will be integrated into the earth embankment surrounding the building, which will become an integral part of the entire project. The investment is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the city every year and create a meeting place for the residents of Śrem and visitors alike.
Financing and scale of the project
After 16 years of preparation, the city has obtained significant financial support from EU funds. The value of the project is nearly PLN 31 million, of which over PLN 21.6 million comes from European funding granted under an agreement signed in September 2025 with the Wielkopolska Province Management Board. The scope of work goes beyond the conservation of the historic substance and includes a comprehensive modernisation of the tower and two adjacent buildings. The interiors will be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities through the construction of a new staircase and the installation of a lift.
The water tower in Śrem – history and architecture
The water tower in Śrem was built in 1908-1909 by Gustaw Wild’s company according to a design by engineer Ksawery Geisler, as a central element of the municipal water supply system developed together with the gasworks. Located on the left bank of the Warta River, the structure is almost 44 metres high, and at its highest level there is a reservoir with a capacity of 250 cubic metres of water. The brick, four-storey tower on a square plan is characterised by an overhanging top floor based on an impressive cornice, stepped gables and octagonal turrets in the corners. The whole structure is crowned with a high tented roof with a lantern and a pointed dome, and the entrance from the north is accentuated by a Neo-Romanesque portal.
Symbolic significance and protection of the monument
The tower went down in the history of Śrem as a place of special significance during the Greater Poland Uprising. After the capitulation of the German garrison at the end of December 1918, scouts from the Tadeusz Rejtan troop, led by Marian Kujawski, hung the first Polish flag on it. In 2007, a plaque commemorating this event and the scouts who participated in the action was unveiled next to the building. The building was entered in the register of monuments in 1985 and remains the property of the municipality of Śrem. The first stage of renovation work was completed in 2010, paving the way for the current, more advanced metamorphosis. A building of such significance and unusual architecture deserves to be the subject of major projects, which are now being turned into reality.
Source: Śrem Town Hall
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