Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Everything at Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is served in takeout containers.
Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe
The fried green tomato sandwich comes on jalapeño cornbread toast.
Café Reconcile
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
15 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
15 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
16 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
17 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Estonia Lasva Lasva Water Tower

Lasva Water Tower

This old and disused water tower has received a new life as an art gallery with a piano staircase.

Lasva, Estonia

Added By
ahvenas
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Outside view of the water tower   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Outside view of the water tower   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
The old water cistern   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Stairs as a piano   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The old water tower that once stood empty and rusting in the small village of Lasva, Estonia, has been transformed into a wonderfully creative gallery space. The rectangular brick building is painted all white except for a striking red and blue traditional pattern across the center of the tower. It's your first sign that there's something worth visiting here.

The most interesting thing about the new space is the musical spiral staircase that's modeled after a piano. The steps run circularly over the middle atrium and include all the notes of the scale, so if you plan your steps accordingly you can play a melody. (Though probably you will need someone else to help hit all the right keys as the stairs run up for many floors.) Along with the different tones, the stairs are programmed with some electronic sounds like wild animals or an opera singer, so you can create a unique soundscape as you walk. 

Upstairs is a former metal water tank, now an exhibition space hosting a photography exhibit where you can learn about the local area. And on top of it is grass roof with a good viewing platform, that's even equipped with a telescope.

Related Tags

Water Towers Art Gallery Music Stairs

Know Before You Go

The Lasva Village Wood Park is located nearby, featuring several stone sculptures of animals.

Lasva is connected by public transport with Võru that is the closest main hub for busses. The water tower is open to visitors in summer period (from June to September).

Community Contributors

Added By

ahvenas

Published

November 16, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRrbLHPKzbE
  • http://lasva.kovtp.ee/vaatamisvaarsused/-/asset_publisher/zOmbbKSO85uv/content/lasva-veetorni-galerii-water-tower-gallery-in-lasva
Lasva Water Tower
2 Torni tee
Lasva
Estonia
57.86364, 27.178941
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Piusa Sand Caves

Piusa, Estonia

miles away

The Tree Crosses of Rosma Forest

Põlva Parish, Estonia

miles away

Pesapuu Watchtower

Rõuge, Estonia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Estonia

Estonia

Europe

Places 92
Stories 7

Nearby Places

Piusa Sand Caves

Piusa, Estonia

miles away

The Tree Crosses of Rosma Forest

Põlva Parish, Estonia

miles away

Pesapuu Watchtower

Rõuge, Estonia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Estonia

Estonia

Europe

Places 92
Stories 7

Related Places

  • The spiral staircase.

    Glasgow, Scotland

    The Lighthouse

    Climb this overlooked gem's spiral staircase and you'll be rewarded with spectacular views of Glasgow.

  • Chiang Mai, Thailand

    John Gallery The Tree House

    A local Thai artist started building this gallery in 1980.

  • Munich, Germany

    Alte Utting

    From open waters to open dance floors—this decommissioned ferry has been transformed into a lively nightclub.

  • Teruel, Spain

    Escalinata del Óvalo

    This grandiose staircase was part of the revival of a medieval Spanish architectural style combining Christian and Islamic influences.

  • Courtesy National Gallery of Art

    Washington, D.C.

    'Ginevra de’ Benci' Portrait

    The only Leonardo Da Vinci painting in the Western Hemisphere.

  • A white suspension bridge across a large river

    Poughkeepsie, New York

    Bridge Music

    This sound-art installation features songs composed using only the Mid-Hudson Bridge as an instrument.

  • The World's Largest Gas Kan.

    Gas, Kansas

    World's Largest Gas Kan

    Don't pass Gas, stop and enjoy it.

  • A plaque marking the area where Charlie’s Place, a bustling nightclub that attracted both Blacks and whites during the mid-20th century, once stood.

    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

    Site of Charlie’s Place

    Once a safe haven for Black patrons and performers—including Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington—during the Jim Crow era, portions of this nightclub and motel have been restored to welcome a new kind of visitor.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.