The artillery stronghold of Bouda - Těchonín

The fortress museum industry did not experience a boom until the 1990s. After the events of November in 1989 and change in the political situation, there was nothing to prevent the creation of various clubs and associations, which began to look after the buildings of the former fortifications all over the country. Several museums of a European standard were gradually created, visited by tens of thousands of people every year.

Only a short time ago, the Army of the Czech Republic labelled the buildings of the fortification system dating back to 1935-38 as redundant property. The decision to gradually hand over individual buildings to the owners of the plots of land then came in relation to this.

Unfortunately it is nowadays difficult to distinguish when and whether an infantry bunker or pillbox will be turned into a museum or weekend recreation facility offering paintball or other private activities. If this topic interests you, then you will find several tips here for places you can still set out to on a trip this autumn:

Milostovice in the Opava Region

The Milostovice complex is one of those museums which are managed by unpaid enthusiasts in their free time. It is made up of three unique infantry bunkers with preserved armour-plated features and two light fortification buildings. You will also see here a partially renovated interior with many other original features. The exhibition is open every Sunday after lunch.

Březinka – Běloves Open-air Fortress Museum

Infantry bunker N-S 84 Voda in Náchod-Běloves has also been open to the public since 2010. The unique exhibition supplemented with a video projection is devoted to the history of the Czechoslovak Army in 1918 to 1945. It also includes many period weapons, uniforms and other exhibits. Although most light fortification buildings in the Náchod region were destroyed, thanks to the understanding attitude of the owners of the plot of land on Třešňová in the village of Babí near Náchod, even the fully-equipped interior of the single-gunport light fortification building is open on visiting days. In winter, the museum can be visited subject to prior agreement with the operator. 

Hanička Fortress

The fortress with this charming name was almost completed in 1938. It was supposed to hold a significant amount of ammunitions and other supplies for a company with more than four hundred men. Six underground buildings are connected by many underground corridors. The fortress was opened to the public for the first time after the war at the end of the 60s. However, it was closed after six years in order for it to later be converted by the Ministry of the Interior into a nuclear shelter and war office of the communist government of that time. The fortress nowadays offers visitors to the underground a view of the modern, fully-equipped shelter. The surface buildings and part of the exhibition then takes them back decades to the time when our grandfathers faced any possible enemies in these fortresses with weapons in their hands. Hanička Fortress was declared a cultural monument in 2006. Out of season the building can be visited subject to prior arrangement.

Bouda Artillery Fortress

This is one of five completed fortresses in the Czechoslovak fortifications and is to be found in its absolutely original condition. It consists of five reinforced concrete buildings, connected by a system of underground corridors and spacious halls. These were used as barracks for a company numbering 316 men and comprehensive facilities for them. A narrow-gauge railway also runs through the underground.