Originally three sites were considered for the fortress - Baba, Vrchy and Stachelberg. In the summer of 1936 it was decided - Stachelberg.
History
The story of Stachelberg
Twelve massive bunkers. Ten howitzers, four mortars, anti-tank guns, dozens of machine guns. A huge underground, a garrison of eight hundred to a thousand men. This fortress monster could spit over 200 artillery shells and mines at the enemy in a single minute. That was the intention of the designers.
History, however, has played cruelly with our Czechoslovak nation: Instead of defending the borders, in September 1938 came the Munich Agreement, the occupation and the German protectorate. The fortress giant at Stachelberg was never completed. But what was built is also impressive. After the war came oblivion, almost extinction. Eventually, however, Stachelberg was saved, almost literally resurrected.
From origins to the future
1936
1937-1938
Completion of the final design of the fortress.
The companies Kruliš and Konstruktiva, a.s. started the construction of the fortress in October 1937. In the summer of 1938 the first building is concreted.
1938
Munich Agreement, the Czechoslovaks leave the dismantled Stachelberg and let the underground flood with water. The fortress falls under the Third Reich. Abandoned by the Germans after a reconnaissance.
1945
The Germans are emergency arming light objects in the fortress area against the advancing Red Army. There was no fighting after all.
1958
Stachelberg is listed as an immovable cultural monument. However, the fortress is gradually decaying and falling into oblivion.
1966
More than 100 tons of highly toxic poison was stored in the T-S 73 bunker. It was used to kill the potato mandolin.
1988
We're coming to Stachelberg! We are a group of amateur enthusiasts and we want to build a fortress and museum here.
1990
We founded the Fortis Cooperative, the predecessor of today's Stachelberg Association. We clean out the poisons from the bunker and start building the first exposition.
1993
We're opening! We've turned a poison warehouse into a museum. The first visitors are starting to arrive. But the underground is still full of water, inaccessible.
1994
We reconstructed and opened the first light fortification building. It is equipped with light and heavy machine guns, visitors can touch the weapons themselves.
2000
Water breaks through the cave-in and gradually flows out from underground. We're starting to work on making the first parts of the underground accessible.
2001
The first visitors enter the massive underground of the fortress.
2003
We can no longer handle the number of visitors on our own, so the first group of guides comes in.
2005
The Stachelberg Association, the successor of the Fortis Cooperative, is founded.
2007
We opened the first of the underground barracks halls. We've managed to drain another part of the underground lake.
2008
We reconstructed the reinforcement in the ammunition hall of the artillery turret. You can still admire it underground.
2010
We are opening another part of the underground to visitors - all the barracks halls.
2011
The fortress is ours! After twenty years of negotiations, it was transferred to the Stachelberg Association.
A replica of the construction railway was built underground. It replicates the original one and is fully functional.
2012
We have another reconstructed light fortification building. This time from the Cold War period as an Iron Curtain defence.
2013
We're increasing security underground. The first corridors are protected by steel mesh, and we are building metal structures in the barracks.
2014
The Eliška tower was built.
The first meeting of military vehicles at Stachelberg. Since then, the event has been repeated every year.
2015
We are still investing the vast majority of our resources in underground security. Safety nets are being installed in other places.
2016
We have created a completely new exhibition in the museum, now it is on a professional level.
2017
We have already secured the area in front of the auxiliary hall with safety nets. It remains in a partial breach.
2018
The first "hajcmans" (steel mine reinforcement) in our underground. They secure barracks halls 2 and 4.
The fortress and the tower finally have their own parking lot. Until now, visitors had to park in temporary spaces.
2019
Construction of the emergency exit completed, additional underground spaces made available.
We built a firing position for the recoilless cannon and made a museum out of a shelter in the neighborhood.
2020
The entrance to the working adit is secured.
Completely finished redesign of the navigation and information system of the complex.
Production of the replica of the elevator in the shaft of the bunker T-S 73 started
2021
We had made gunhole for the L1 cannon. The first in over 80 years.
We started with the reconstruction of bunker T-S 81a on the left wing of the fortress.
2022
We bought the original L1 cannon lafette.
We had made a replica of a gunhole for the twin heavy machine guns.
2023
As part of the "Let's get the fortress cannon back home!" event, we received a complete original L1 fortress cannon. Thank you for your support!
BunkerT-S 81a received a replica of the bell for the heavy machine gun.
The entire working adit is secured.
The future?
Do you want to be part of the future of Stachelberg?
Then get in touch and we'll be happy to welcome you to our team!
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