MADRID, Spain.- In the city of Coral Gables, Florida, stands the Alhambra Water Tower (Torre de Agua de Alhambra), whose lighthouse shape, curiously, has no lighthouse function; but it was a water reservoir. Its lighthouse-shaped design had the objective of, with this architectural work, covering the water tank in an attractive way.
The tower was built in 1923, before the founding of the city (1925), at the behest of the developer and founder of Coral Gables, George Merrick, to supply water to the people who began to build houses at that time.
The inner circle tank, purely utilitarian in appearance and purpose, was encased in a concrete and timber frame structure designed to resemble a lighthouse.
It operated as part of the city’s domestic water supply system until 1931, when it was closed and Coral Gables residents began receiving water from the city of Miami.
The Alhambra Water Tower, surrounded by trees, in Spanish style with Moorish airs, was designed by Denman Fink, city Art Advisor, and is located on Alhambra Circle street.
At the end of the 50s the tower was about to be destroyed, but thanks to requests from the population it was bought by the City Council and managed to be preserved. In 1993 it was completely restored, based on photographs from 1924. The Alhambra Water Tower was included in the Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Among others, also belonging to this registry is the Freedom Tower (Freedom Tower), the Lily Lawrence Bow Library and the Lyric Theatre.
