It’s one of the most remarkable buildings of its kind in the world.  Built in 1989 and opened months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War-era nuclear bomb shelter known around Alconbury Royal Air Force base as “Magic Mountain” is one of the most impressively damage-resistant structures in the world.  Due to its historical value, that’s why English Heritage has named it one of Britain’s historic gems.  Behind the blast doors is a remarkable achievement.

The building itself is built to withstand a direct hit from a bomb due to its thick concrete cap.  The foundation is built on a bed of gravel to allow shifting, and there are springs under the building to absorb the force of any impact.  The entire building has the standard decontamination chambers and airlocks, but more impressively, the whole building maintains a positive air pressure so air only flows out, never in.  The power plant and air/water decontamination facilities are potent enough to support the entire town AND the bunker itself.

This kind of construction is why I really kind of want one of those underground bunkers.  If I could get my hands on something like Magic Mountain for cheap, that would be awesome.  You can’t buy construction like that these days!

Tags: Magic Mountain, Cold War relics, Cold War museum, bunkers, Huntingdon, England, Royal Air Force, Alconbury, English Heritage, historic sites, historic buildings, fallout shelter

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