Stalin's Bunker

We visited Stalin's Bunker during our conference...here's a little info about it.

World War II best held Secret “Revealed” in Samara, Russia

In 1991, when the Kuibyshev was renamed Samara, a building in the city center was opened to the public, which for half a century was known only to a handful of people. This building was Stalin’s bunker, which was the deepest structure created during the Second World War.

Stalin’s secret bunker was built in Samara so that he would be protected if Moscow fell to the German Army. It was built not only to house Stalin but the Soviet government. The building itself was disguised as an Apartment building as to not attract attention.

Stalin’s bunker in Samara is considered the most secretive of all now declassified bunkers.

The bunker itself is an amazing feat of engineering for its time, the overall depth of the structure was 37 meters, the height of a 12 story building.

The giant “hole” for this structure was excavated in less than 9 months of non-stop day and night work. In the bunker was a stand-alone air regeneration system which had its own power. Even today all this is still in excellent working order. The Bunker itself has kept its integrity and is designed for full autonomy for five days. The once-secret multi-story building is also equipped with elevators. The lowest floor was a meeting room that held 115 people. Next – was a recreation room, especially designed for Stalin. On the upper floors were rooms for security guards, warehouses, and logistics services. The bunker itself could withstand a direct hit by the largest aviation bombs of that time. The overall construction of the walls and ceiling were monolithic poured concrete, each being three meters thick, with a sandy layer and then another 3 meter concrete “mattress” on top of that.

The main issue of concern to all those who might have come to dwell in the structure: Was Stalin himself there? According to official data, during the war he had never housed here.

Most of the visitors to the bunker have questioned the fate of those who built this building. Many believe the theory that all the construction workers where shot once the bunker was complete. However, no evidence has ever been found to support this.

Behind the first door is the upper deck, from which the descent into the bunker runs into the elevator, and on-wall stairs. We get to the bottom of 14-meter shaft which connects to a long cross-floor corridor that is home to life-support machines and the auxiliary machinery bunker. If necessary, the upper floor was covered with an extremely massive steel plate capable of withstanding pressures up to 10 tons per square meter.

In the middle of the corridor leading to the emergency exit, the entrance to the main part of the tank – the vertical trunk of refuge, stretched into the depths of the earth for another 23 meters.

After descending all 192steps, we get finally to the deepest part or lowest floor. Once you have reached this destination you will notice light emanating from under glass block tiles that has been laid as a floor to walk on.