Wasserturm Merzenich

In the 20th century, the water tower of the municipality of Merzenich ensured the water supply within the municipality.

Until around 1910, it was common for only a few houses to have private wells. The majority of the population only received water from public wells. It was not until 1910 that the water supply within the municipality was slowly revolutionized. The municipality acquired the ruins of the mill tower and expanded it. The tower was converted into a water tower with an elevated tank. The water supply network was also expanded to connect more and more households to running water. The water tower was put into operation in 1912. The tower was renovated by the municipality between 1976 and 1977. A green area was also created around the water tower.

There is a permanent exhibition in the water tower that deals with the history of the building. There are also currently two H0 gauge model railroad layouts on display (one Märklin AC and one DC). These railroads refer to the construction of the Neffel Valley Railway, which began in 1906. The railroad line was the central connection between Merzenich and Düren for local rail transport from 1908 to 1963.

Public exhibitions in the water tower in 2025 are planned from 13:00 to 17:00 for

• June 28, 2025 Reptile show in the water tower - "When crocodiles learned to ride on rails"
• September 13, 2025 Open Monument Day in the water tower - "The model railroad as a children's toy"
• November 22, 2025 Early International Model Railway Day in the water tower. "Maintenance and digitization of a Märklin locomotive - We show interested people how it's done"

Today, the tower is no longer responsible for the municipality's water supply. Instead, it is used for exhibitions by the Merzenich History and Local History Association.