Once necessity, now nostalgia!
The colourful history of Frankfurt’s famous “water-houses”
Whether you want to call it a kiosk, snack bar, newsstand, booth or stall – there are many names for these small, cult-like meeting places found randomly throughout Frankfurt. For locals, there’s only one name – “Wasserhäuschen”; in English, “water-houses". And that fairly well describes what they are, or were. Back in the mid-19th century, Frankfurt’s drinking water was not of the highest quality; in fact, it only became halfway palatable after it was boiled. As a result, pharmacists began to produce artificial mineral water, which was sold to Frankfurt’s population in bottles rubber-sealed with a small, round, hinged glass stopper.
The public response was one of great enthusiasm, and thus the City of Frankfurt wasted no time in issuing licenses for the kiosks to sell this new, untainted bottled water. Better than everyone drinking beer or schnaps, they must have thought. The number of Frankfurt watering-houses increased steadily over the years; by the 1970s, there were some 800 of them spread across the city. Today, approximately 300 remain. They are popular meeting places for Frankfurt locals of all ages and walks of life.
