Ligatne Soviet bunker

Ligatne Soviet bunker - darkometer rating : 5 - A marvellous Cold War relic from the Soviet era in Latvia – a formerly secret government bunker from where the Soviet administrative affairs were supposed to be kept running in case of nuclear war. It is/was hidden underneath a health spa of sorts, or “rehabilitation centre” in the old Soviet lingo, in the middle of a national park. Today it is a quirky but highly intriguing, if a bit remote, tourist attraction. By guided tour only, prior reservations required. But well worth the effort. > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: The bunker was apparently planned as early as the late 1960s, but only became operational in the early 1980s. It lies nine metres (30 feet) under ground – or rather under the buildings of the Ligatne Rehabilitation Centre, a spa and sanatorium of sorts (it still has that function today!). How the bunker could be kept secret in such a location is beyond me. But anyway, this was supposed to be the place that the Latvian communist leadership would have moved into to take shelter and to use it as a war-time command post. Protected not only by secrecy but also an up to five-metre (15 feet) thick layer of concrete and lead plates, the regional nomenclature was supposed to govern the country from here in case of nuclear or chemical war. Allegedly, supplies and equipment would have allowed for survival for up to three months. What after that, remains an open question, as usual (cf. The Greenbrier , Marienthal or Hack Green ). Furthermore, there had been flaws in the planning of the bunker as well – e.g.