87 Items Tagged

Waterworks

Cave of Hercules

This ancient Roman cistern has been the source of many legends throughout the centuries.

Hope Mill Conservation Area

A 190-year-old water-powered sawmill brought back to life by retirees who refused to let pioneer ingenuity gather dust.

Utrecht, Netherlands

Fish Doorbell at Weerdsluis Lock

The world's first fish doorbell monitors this water passageway.

Sea Water Distilling Plant

Malta’s oldest sea water distillation building is now an architectural anomaly on the Sliema waterfront.

London, England

The London Museum of Water & Steam

The history of West London’s water supply.

North Bonneville, Washington

Bonneville Lock & Dam

Boats and fish both find their way through this massive hydroelectric structure.

The annual pipe walk (shown in red) moves north from the ancient well, through neighborhoods and Victoria Park, before veering west to follow a 19th-century diversion.

This Annual Pipe Walk Maps a Medieval Tradition in Bristol

The St. Mary Redcliffe Pipe Walk honors a legal agreement dating back to the days of Richard the Lionheart.

Frank Jacobs September 18, 2024

San Juan, Philippines

El Deposito Underground

The largest Spanish artifact built in the Philippines and one of the oldest underground reservoirs in the world.

Zaragoza, Spain

Fountain of the Unbelievers

The engineer of the Imperial Canal of Aragon installed this fountain to show skeptics he had achieved his aim.

The Gruba Kaska water filtration station gets assistance from water-monitoring mussels.

These Hardworking Mussels Monitor Poland's Drinking Water

Polish cities trust their water quality to elite shellfish teams.

Cara Giaimo June 14, 2024

Dioklecijanov Akvadukt (Diocletian Aqueduct)

This ancient Roman aqueduct once funneled water to Diocletian's palace.

Castricum, Netherlands

De Kwal (The Jellyfish)

This jellyfish provides clean water for an entire Dutch province.

El Hamma Water Cooler

Hammat-al-jarid, Tunisia

El Hamma Water Cooler

Geothermal resources are cooled in this oddly-shaped structure before being used for irrigation

"The delicate siphonophores and their long tentacles trailing behind painted a picture of delicate grace," says Helynn Ospina. "I loved how these turned out and my special glimpse into the mysteries of the deep ocean."

A Year of Ethereal and Illuminating Photographs

Places and cultures glow and shine around the world in some of our favorite Atlas Obscura shots.

Danielle Hallock December 28, 2023

The Ga Hiti in the Thamel neighborhood is one of many spouts that provide life-giving water to the people of Kathmandu.

The Lost Waters of Kathmandu Are Needed Now More Than Ever

To prevent drought and save water, Nepal is turning back to 1,500-year-old fountains—with the help of a few snakes.

Tulsi Rauniyar September 14, 2023

Elmer's Fountain

A miner's handmade folk art fountains are tucked in the woods off a multilane highway.

Overhead photo of the viewing deck

Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona Falls

A historic hydroelectric power plant serves as the unusual backdrop for a public park.

Shreveport Water Works Museum

Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport Water Works Museum

One of the largest collections of intact Victorian-era waterworks equipment in the world.