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Tower of Shuhov

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The century-old water tower at the top of Spassky Hill is a cultural and historic monument.

004 The city recognized the need for such a tower in June of 1904. Proposals were solicited and considered. The selected design was by famed Russian architect and engineer V.G. Shukov. Shukov's hyperboloid design used straight pieces of steel to create a curvilinear appearance. There is a winding stair inside the tower and an iron catwalk around the outside of the tank. The innovations that Shukov pioneered on the Nikolaev tower are visible in his 1919 design for the Moscow radio transmission tower now known as the Shabolovka Tower.

004Between June of 1904 and January 1907, the city spent over 35,000 rubles to construct the tower, a stone fence, and a stone guardhouse.

004 In 1906, wells were bored and pipes were laid to the water tower. In May of 1907, the tower was connected to the city water system.

The tower itself is 25 meters tall; the tank adds another 7 meters for an overall height of 32 meters. Tank capacity is 615 cubic meters.

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During World War II, while the city was occupied by hostile forces, the tower was nearly destroyed by an explosion. But after the war, it was restored. The tower no longer serves as part of the city's water system, but it remains one of Nikolaev's distinctive landmarks.

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