Powder tower


A powder tower, occasionally also powder house, was a building used by the military or by mining companies, frequently a tower, to store gunpowder or, later, explosives. They were common until the 20th century, but were increasingly succeeded by gunpowder magazines and ammunition depots. The explosion of a powder tower could be catastrophic as, for example, in the Delft Explosion of 1654.
Buildings formerly used as powder towers include the following:
The Pulverturm, Demmin, bears the name, but was probably not used for this purpose.

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