An abandoned Soviet bunker, like something from a bond film, designed to withstand a nuclear war and carved into the side of a mountain has been causing waves with urban explorers. But now the public might get a look-in as it could soon be opened as a tourist attraction.
The ลฝeljava Underground Air Base, located at the border of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a vast military complex built during the Cold War.
It is one one of its kind in Europe and was designed to endure a 20-kilotonne nuclear explosion. That’s bigger than the blast at Hiroshima.
However, with the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, the facility was partially-demolished using powerful explosives and left to decay amidst the conflicts that devastated large parts of the regions at the time.
The imposing doors of the facility’s remnants still stand and many of its Cold War secrets still linger in the miles of secret passages and rooms.
Mirsad Fazlic, a pilot who worked at the base in the 1980s, told The Mirror: “All the systems were state-of-the-art at that time. It was the then best military and civilian technology.”
The airbase gained recognition after featuring in the 2016 film ‘Houston, We Have a Problem!’ Since then, locals estimate that over 150,000 visitors annually have explored the site. Authorities in the region are now contemplating ways to draw even more tourists, including the creation of designated tourist trails.
Photographer Angelo Virag, who visited the airbase while staying in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, described the site as ‘frozen in time’ and expressed awe at the ‘absolute ingenuity of engineering.’ His cousin Mario Garbin, from Perth, Australia, marvelled at the ‘raw, authentic nature of the infrastructure that has been left untouched for the last 30 years.’
The complex is known for its extensive network of tunnels and underground facilities. These tunnels were designed to house aircraft, equipment, and personnel, providing protection against aerial and ground attack.
The airbase also had multiple aircraft hangars within the underground facility, allowing for the storage and maintenance of military aircraft. These hangars were designed to withstand bombing and other attacks.
The underground base included command and control centres where military operations and communications were managed. These areas were heavily fortified and protected.
The base also had living quarters for the personnel stationed there, including barracks, dining facilities, and other necessities for day-to-day living alongside vast storage areas for fuel, ammunition, and other supplies necessary for military operations.
Today the air base is one of the best places in the Balkans for fans of urban exploration (Urbex) and quite possibly one the most unique places to visit in Croatia.
We may just see you there…
