The Fire Tower, București

The Fire Tower is placed at the crossroads between Traian Street with King Ferdinand Boulevard, close to the Oborul – Vechi Church. The Tower was constructed for observation, in the eventuality of fires happening.

The Tower stands at 42 metres high, and it’s the second built in Bucharest, 2 years after the fall of its’ predecessor, Colței Tower. The Tower was constructed following the plans of the architect George Mandrea. The original construction plan had a water tank inside the structure, with the ground floor being reserved for firemen and fire hoses.

Initially, the Fire Tower had to also fulfill the role of a Water Tower, but, after the building was finished, the water plant of Grozăvești didn’t dispose of pumps strong enough to fill the tower with water. The Tower was used until 1935, when the construction of tall buildings in Bucharest really picked up. Also, electrical power lines were built, so the fires could not be observed anymore. A new headquarters was built for the firemen in the Obor area.

In 1963, the Tower becomes a Fireman Museum, at the suggestion of colonel Nicolae Ioanovici. In 1992, it is declared the National Museum of Romanian Firemen, and its’ exhibits consist of different documents, decorations, uniforms and old photographs of firemen, all being shown on 6 different floors. The building is now a historic monument, and presents in of its’ exhibit halls, the contribution of the firemen of Bucharest at the 1848 Revolution, when a firemen company fought the ottoman army on Spirii Hill.

The Fire Tower is one of the structures that reflect perfectly the image of the old Bucharest. Surpassed by the technological improvements, but repurposed as a museum, the Tower is the object of some urban legends, that continue to fascinate some citizens of Bucharest.