Almería air raid shelters, Underground tunnels in Almería, Spain.
The Almería air raid shelters are a network of underground tunnels extending beneath the city streets to provide protection from aerial bombardment. The tunnels run approximately 8 meters below ground and form an extensive complex with multiple functional areas.
Construction of these shelters began in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War to protect residents from aerial attacks on the city. The work continued throughout the conflict as bombardments intensified over time.
The shelter network demonstrates how civilians organized their daily life during wartime, with spaces like an operating room and storage areas that show how people adapted to underground living.
The main gallery is accessible from Plaza Manuel Pérez García, which runs along Paseo de Almería. Visitors should wear layers since underground temperatures are cool, and the descent into the tunnels can be steep in places.
An original architectural plan from 1937 printed on onionskin paper documents the layout of the underground complex and reveals how precisely designed it was during wartime. This rare document provides a direct window into how engineers thought about protection at that moment.
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