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All Latvia Daugavpils Daugavpils Shot Tower

Daugavpils Shot Tower

This Latvian shot factory is still used twice a year to manufacture bullets the old-fashioned way.

Daugavpils, Latvia

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ahvenas
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View down from the tower   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
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First sorting phase - lead drops that are not perfect will tilt away and do not fall through this hole between storeys in the tower.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
A sieve up in the tower. Melted lead is let to rain through this   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Machine for sorting shots   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
View to the well   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This old shot factory tower, located in the Latvian city of Daugavpils, is still used nowadays to cast shots the old-fashioned way. 

The old shot casting method is used only once or twice in a year, during which melted lead is poured through sieves of different sizes to create shots with the desired diameter. At other times the tower is opened for visitors.

The tower was built on the highest and driest spot in Daugavpils in 1886. The original construction was made of wood and unfortunately was burned down. It was replaced by the current red brick tower in 1911.

The tower itself is 28 meters high, which is not tall enough for forming bullets during the fall. So a well 20 meters deep was made under the tower to make the fall longer. The factory has also other old instruments and machines used in sorting and packing shots. All are in working order, although most of the production today is made mechanically and the original tower and equipment are kept to preserve this historical place. 

Related Tags

Shot Towers Machines Military History Weapons Technology Engineering Towers Military

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See website for visiting times.

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Added By

ahvenas

Edited By

Blindcolour

  • Blindcolour

Published

August 2, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.dsr.lv/visitors/
  • http://www.dsr.lv/about-factory/
Daugavpils Shot Tower
28 Varšavas iela
Daugavpils
Latvia
55.874844, 26.534934
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

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Photo of Daugavpils

Daugavpils

Latvia

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