Water Tower

Gdańsk & Pomerania


Across the main road from the cathedral, down in the town, this water tower was built in 1571 making it Europe's oldest. It was used for two centuries to provide Cathedral Hill with water through oak pipes – the pumping mechanism was made by none other than composer Handel's great grandfather! The admission fee gets you to the top and there’s a cafe on the ground floor serving Frombork's best cakes.

On the way up the walls are lined with pictures of every castle and mansion in Warmia and Masuria, the jolly music of Handel piped throughout as you ascend slowly.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Gdańsk & Pomerania attractions

1. Copernicus Tower

0.07 MILES

At the northwestern corner of the complex is this 14th-century tower (Wieża Kopernika), believed to be the place from which the astronomer took some of…

2. Cathedral

0.08 MILES

Filling the middle of the courtyard with its huge Gothic-brick facade and with a slim octagonal tower at each corner, this impressive building was erected…

3. Belfry

0.1 MILES

The high tower at the southwestern corner of the defensive walls is the former cathedral belfry, which can be ascended for cracking views of Cathedral…

4. Planetarium

0.11 MILES

At the base of the belfry, the planetarium presents half-hour shows in Polish up to nine times daily. Get there at least 10 minutes before the shows start.

5. Nicolaus Copernicus Museum

0.12 MILES

The Cathedral Hill complex (Wzgórze Katedralne) is today the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum. It covers several sights within the fortified complex, each…

6. Old Bishops' Palace

0.13 MILES

The museum’s main exhibition space can be found in the southeastern corner of the complex, though the entrance can take a bit of finding. The ground floor…

7. Hospital of the Holy Ghost

0.3 MILES

The 15th-century Hospital of the Holy Ghost, formerly St Anne’s Chapel, contains exhibitions of religious art and medical history. It’s a short and well…

8. Market Gate

17.83 MILES

The northern entrance to the Old Town was once through the Market Gate, the only surviving gate from the medieval fortifications. In front of it is a…