The Bert Bolle Barometer

In 1985, Dutch writer and barometer enthusiast hit upon the idea of designing a water barometer as the centrepiece for a barometer museum he and his wife were about to open in Maartensdijk in The Netherlands. However, this would be no ordinary water barometer. It was based on the gargantuan barometers that pioneering vacuum scientists Gasparo Berti and Evangelista Torricelli built outside their homes in the mid-17th century. Bolle’s device is mostly made of glass and oak, holds 150 litres of water and is fitted with a pump to create the necessary vacuum. It’s also a whopping 12.5m tall, making it the largest water barometer in the world.