Vandtårnet på Møllebakken, Kalundborg

From windy hill of mills to city landmark

Møllebakken was once a bare, windswept ridge rising above Kalundborg’s main street, purpose‑made for harnessing the power of the wind. In the 18th and early 19th centuries as many as seven windmills stood here, their sails turning above a reeling ground and workshops. The hill quickly became known simply as the mill hill, and artists were drawn to the dramatic outline of mills against the sky and the five‑towered church below. By the late 1800s the age of wind power on the ridge was fading. The last mills were dismantled or destroyed by fire, and their plots were sold off. A pleasure pavilion with a striking exotic lookout tower rose on one of the sites, turning the hill into a fashionable excursion spot with music, dances and summer festivities overlooking town and fjord. When the pavilion later burned, the stage was set for a new kind of tower to define the skyline.

The octagonal red water tower

In the 1930s Kalundborg constructed a new water tower on the highest point of Møllebakken, replacing an older reservoir and securing the town’s drinking water supply. The building that survives today is a stout, red‑painted, octagonal structure that quickly became one of Kalundborg’s most recognisable silhouettes. Its simple geometric form and brick expression reflect the pragmatic architecture of the interwar years, yet it has a certain elegance when seen against the sky. The tower no longer serves as an active water reservoir, but its structure remains intact and is now primarily used for technical equipment and antennas. On selected days it has been opened for visits, with people climbing to the upper levels for the far‑reaching view. Even when closed, it functions as a strong visual marker that helps orient you within the town and ties together the surrounding park landscape.

A green park wrapped around the tower

Around the tower, Møllebakken has evolved into a multi‑layered urban park. A wide grassy plateau just below is known locally as the circus lawn, still used as a flat, open space for visiting big tops and occasional outdoor events. To one side lie tennis courts, echoing the recreational character that has shaped the hill since the days of the pavilion. On the slopes and edges of the ridge, mixed woodland and shrub planting create shady paths and quieter corners. Because the hill rises so steeply above the town centre, short walks here quickly exchange the bustle of the shopping street for birdsong and the rustle of leaves. Informal paths connect viewpoints, benches and open lawns, while the gradient offers small changes of perspective: one moment you look along the canopy tops, the next you are eye‑level with church towers and rooftops. It is an easy place to combine a brief nature break with cultural sightseeing.

Views over medieval Kalundborg and fjord

The main draw of the water tower’s surroundings is the panorama. From the higher parts of Møllebakken you gain an almost aerial sense of Kalundborg’s unique medieval layout, with its five‑towered church and compact historic quarters stepping down towards the harbour. On clear days the water of Kalundborg Fjord glints beyond the roofs, and you can follow the curve of the coastline as it disappears into the distance. Light changes the experience throughout the day: morning brings soft illumination from across the fjord, while late afternoon and evening often set the red tower and church spires glowing warmly. Cloudy or windy days can be just as atmospheric, with fast‑moving skies and the exposed character of the hill reminding you of the time when seven windmills needed this exact location for uninterrupted gusts.

Quiet everyday escape above the town

Despite its historic significance and strong profile, the water tower on Møllebakken remains a modest, everyday sort of attraction. Locals use the lawns for casual ball games, dog walks and picnics, while runners trace loops that incorporate the climb up from the lower streets. For visitors, the appeal lies in how close it sits to the centre while feeling distinctly separate: a vantage point, a green breathing space and a tangible link between industrial, recreational and urban history. There are no elaborate exhibitions or facilities inside the tower itself, so the experience is about place rather than programmed activities. Bring a book, a thermos or a camera, linger on a bench or the grass, and let the red tower serve as your companion while you look out over layers of Kalundborg’s past and present spread beneath your feet.