Region 6 War Room, Cold War nuclear bunker at University of Reading, England
The Region 6 War Room is an underground bunker at the University of Reading with two levels and thick concrete walls. The building includes a subterranean section and filtration equipment housed in elevated towers to protect the facility.
The bunker was built in the 1950s to coordinate civil defense operations across six counties during conventional or nuclear attacks. It served as part of Britain's response to existential threats during the Cold War.
The structure shows how British military planners designed buildings to protect against nuclear threats through specialized command centers. The layout and equipment inside reflect the anxieties of the Cold War era.
The site is located on the university campus and requires advance arrangements for access, as it is not open for casual visitors without academic purposes. Planning ahead is necessary to arrange a tour of the facility.
The Regional Commissioner stationed here held authority to assume central government powers if communication with London was severed. This extreme delegation of power reflects how serious planners were about worst-case scenarios.
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