Foișorul de Foc

Foișorul de Foc during the Night of Museums, 2014

Foișorul de Foc (literally The Fire Tower) is a 42 metres (138 feet) high building in Bucharest, Romania, between Obor, Calea Moșilor, and Nerva-Traian. It was used in the past as an observation tower by the firemen.

In September 2024, the museum was reopened, the building having undergone restoration, starting from 2021.[1]

Background

It was built in 1890, two years after the previous watchtower, Turnul Colței, built in 1715, was demolished. The plans were made by George Mandrea, back then the chief-architect of Bucharest.[citation needed]

Foișorul de Foc had a double role, as it was also designed to be a water tower, too. However, after the building was finished, the local water utility company (Uzina de Apă Grozăvești) had no pumps powerful enough to fill it with water.[citation needed]

Foișorul de Foc was used by the firefighters until 1935, when it became ineffective, as more and more high-rise buildings were built in Bucharest, and the introduction of the telephone reduced the need for a watchtower. In 1963, it was turned into a Firefighters' Museum.[2]

References

  1. ^ Visit Bucharest. Today (16 September 2024). "Bucharest's Historic Fire Tower Reopens - National Firefighters Museum - Visit Bucharest". Visit Bucharest. Today. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Ultimul Foișor de Foc al Bucureștiului". Institutul de Memorie Culturală (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 7 March 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

44°26′25.20″N 26°7′14.12″E / 44.4403333°N 26.1205889°E / 44.4403333; 26.1205889