Liebherr Crane Supports Renovation of Zaragoza’s Iconic Water Tower
Built for Expo 2008 Zaragoza, the 76-metre-high structure is renowned for its distinctive water-drop shape and originally housed the “Water for Life” exhibition during the World Expo. The tower is now undergoing a major refurbishment and expansion that includes the addition of a glass viewing platform.
The €6 million renovation programme has been launched by the Government of Aragón through Expo Zaragoza Empresarial to restore the landmark and enhance its visitor appeal.
For the project, construction company San José has deployed a Liebherr 110 EC-B 6 FR.tronic tower crane from the rental fleet of Spanish crane specialist Grúas Cerezo. The crane was erected using a Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 mobile crane supplied by Grúas El Portillo.
After a thorough review of various options, the decision was made to install the crane on the roof of the building at a height of around 80 metres. This solution placed high demands on the technical implementation: “A flat-top crane was required, as a key project specification was not to exceed a total height of 100 metres,” explains Mario Hormigón, Sales Manager at Grúas Cerezo’s Aragón branch.
The assembly of the tower crane was correspondingly complex. “A particular challenge was the structural design and the preparation of the roof to support the crane base precisely at defined points on one of the two load-bearing vertical support pillars,” explains Miguel Cerezo, Managing Director of Grúas Cerezo.
Debut of the LTM 1650-8.1 from Grúas El Portillo in front of the Expo landmark
The new Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 mobile crane from Grúas El Portillo made its debut against this special backdrop during the erection of the Liebherr tower crane. “Following a joint technical site inspection with Grúas Cerezo, the working radii and possible crane configurations were analysed.“We therefore came to the conclusion that, within our fleet of machinery, our 700-tonne Liebherr crane with a hydraulically adjustable jib was the best option,” explains Manuel García, commercial director of Grúas El Portillo. With a working height of 113 metres and a weight of 6 tonnes at a radius of 54 metres, “the Liebherr machine duo from Grúas El Portillo and Grúas Cerezo worked perfectly,” emphasises Mario Hormigón. The new crane is already the second LTM 1650-8.1 in Grúas El Portillo’s fleet.
The Torre del Agua is one of the most striking structures on the Zaragoza skyline and, together with the Pabellón Puente, is considered one of the city’s most famous architectural landmarks. The current works include both the technical refurbishment and modernisation of the existing structure and its adaptation to regulations that have been further developed since 2008. In addition, a 360-degree viewing platform is being created. Furthermore, the catering areas are being upgraded and new multifunctional spaces are being created on the ground floor.
Published on:
10 June 2026
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