Kokhanovo. The Shukhov water tower.

In the Tolochin district of the Vitebsk region, among the leisurely rhythm of the urban village of Kokhanovo, there is an object that architectural critics would call "constructive perfection", and engineers - an example of ingenious economy of materials. This is the Shukhov Water Tower, a testament to the courage of the Soviet avant-garde and the silent guardian of the railway history of Belarus.

History of appearance: thirst for steam locomotives.

The year is 1929. The time of industrialization and the triumph of engineering. The author of the project was Vladimir Shukhov, a genius ahead of his time, whose hyperboloid designs became a symbol of technological progress in the first half of the 20th century.

The place for construction was not chosen by chance. The Kokhanovo railway junction was of strategic importance for steam locomotive traffic. Trains departing from Orsha needed to replenish their water supplies after 25 kilometers of travel. Not a single freight train passed without refueling. The tower regularly provided water to the "heart" of steam locomotives until the very end of the 20th century, remaining in working condition for decades.

How it works: mathematics without the right to make mistakes.

The main visual feature of the tower is its hyperboloid shape. At first glance, it seems that this is a complex "lace" of metal, twisted in a spiral. But in reality, the structure is a mesh shell assembled from rectilinear metal beams connected at nodes.

Why is it brilliant?

1. Economy: it takes significantly less metal to build such a tower than a classic cylindrical one.

2. Stability: Despite its lightness, the structure is phenomenally resistant to wind loads. The higher the wind, the tighter the mesh "grips".

3. Aesthetics: the play of light and shadow on the steel sides makes the tower visually weightless.

There is a legend that the creation of the Shukhov hyperboloid was prompted by an ordinary wicker basket, which has high strength with minimal weight.

Global context and uniqueness.

The Shukhov Tower in Kokhanovo is not just a water tower. It is a part of the world architectural chronicle. Hyperboloid structures were a breakthrough: they were later used to create the famous Shabolovskaya Tower in Moscow, the glass domes of large stadiums, and even elements of modern skyscrapers.

Today, there are only about 11 similar hyperboloid towers of the early period in the world. There were originally four of them in Belarus. Only two have survived to this day in their original form: in Borisov and in Kokhanovo. This makes the Kohanovo object a rare collector's piece of engineering heritage.

Status today: time and status.

The tower is well preserved. It survived the Great Patriotic War, attempted dismantling (there were rumors of attempted bombings in the post-war years) and almost a century of exploitation. Structurally, it has hardly changed since 1929.

A landmark event took place in 2019: the object officially received the status of historical and cultural value. However, despite the protection of the state, the tower looks lonely today. This place is a real godsend for connoisseurs of industrial aesthetics, photographers and historians.

How to get there?

The village of Kokhanovo is located on the Minsk-Moscow highway (M1). The tower is located within walking distance from the railway station. You can see it without special access, it is open for review, but, like any architectural monument, it requires careful treatment.

The Shukhov Tower in Kokhanovo is not just a water tower. This is a monument to an era when engineers thought in cosmic terms, and functional design became a high art.