In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the gasholder was a technical structure used to store locally produced coal gas for city lighting. In 1813, public gas lighting was ceremoniously introduced in London for the first time, and Westminster Bridge was the first section to be illuminated by gaslight. Originating in London, this innovation spread throughout England and beyond. English gas engineers pioneered the gas industry, and the gasholder developed into a towering landmark over the course of the 19th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the one hand, these towering iron structures shaped the cityscape with a new type of industrial architecture, and on the other hand, they also symbolized a better standard of living for the cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the advent of natural gas in the second half of the 20th century, the gas industry and municipal gasworks began to decline. Today, most of the historic gasholders are no longer in use, are located in inaccessible areas, and are gradually being demolished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This work is a comprehensive standard reference that traces the century-long construction and technical history of the gasholder, honoring it as an engineering achievement. In addition to the development of the overall structure, the gasholder is also examined in relation to its individual components. This work thus constitutes an encyclopedia of this type of structure in terms of both scope and depth. Berger not only introduces the reader to the construction history, function, and significance of the historic gasholder, but her work also makes a clear plea for recognizing and treating the gasholder as a cultural asset worthy of preservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n