Back in the 1950s/1960s, nuclear fallout shelters were all the rage. There are, apparently, nearly 800 civil protection shelters in Prague. The Folimanka shelter is one of the largest. It has a capacity of 1,300 people, an area of 1332 m², armoured door, water wells, and a 30kW electrical generator.
This massive underground shelter is on Pod Karlovem street in Prague – the nearest tram stop is Nuselské schody. Just walk along Pod Karlovem street until you reach No.2 and the entrance to the shelter is across the street – but it’s only open one Saturday each month and this month it’s the 14th.
Entrance is free, there’s no need to take a tour and it’s great to be able to wander around freely. All signs, posters, and information are in Czech.
The shelter is a labyrinth of tunnels with various rooms. There is still old plant and machinery down there for water, air filtration, and electricity supplies.
There were a few rooms set aside for showers and toilets – although it seems that privacy wasn’t something that fallout survivors could expect as the toilet cubicles had no doors and the showers were communal.
The whole place was amazing and I’d recommend a visit. And while you’re in the area, you can visit the R2-D2 installation on the top of the hill.
Remaining opening dates for 2019 (always a Saturday):
- September 14, 2019
- October 12, 2019
- December 14, 2019
Opening times are 09:00 – 15:00
