In the town's historical district, on the high shore of Lake Viljandi, stands the old water tower – a 30-meter red-brick structure, topped with a wooden extension resembling an eight-sided house with tiny windows.
The tower's third floor contains permanent exhibitions and a historical overview of the water town and the town. Upon reaching the top floor, you get an astounding panoramic view of the town and the surrounding nature. Photos on the walls repeat the views from the windows and offer the chance to match the mapped important structures to what your own eyes can see.
The tower was put into use in 1911, and Viljandi was one of the first towns in Estonia that got central running water and sewers. The volume of the water tank was 100 cubic meters, and the water tower was in use until 1960, when a new residential water tower was built.