National Redoubt, Military fortification system in Swiss Alps, Switzerland
The National Redoubt is a military defense system in the Swiss Alps that includes bunkers, artillery posts, and structures built into rock faces. The installations stretch across mountain valleys and passes, with tunnels, galleries, and camouflaged observation points forming a vast underground network that relies on the natural obstacles of the landscape.
General Henri Guisan developed this defense strategy starting in 1940 to secure a mountain retreat during World War II and deter a possible German invasion. The installations remained partly active into the nineties before being gradually decommissioned, with some sites later opened to visitors.
Visitors encounter exhibits in some facilities that show how civilian life and military duty overlapped during wartime, when families lived in mountain villages while soldiers manned positions nearby. In certain forts, old uniforms, equipment, and documents recall daily routines under constant readiness and the way alpine defense shaped the national sense of self.
Several forts, including Cindey and Chillon, offer guided tours through tunnels and caverns, where sturdy shoes and warm clothing are recommended since interiors can be cool and damp. Paths lead through narrow passages and steep stairs, so visitors should be steady on their feet and allow enough time for exploring.
Over 21,000 defensive structures were disguised as rocks, barns, or houses, so much of the network remained invisible from a distance and even locals often did not know what lay behind certain facades. Today, visitors discover this hidden world only when standing directly in front of a camouflaged structure and examining the clever disguise up close.
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