Birago-Kaserne, Military barracks in Melk, Austria
Birago-Kaserne is a military barracks in Melk with a V-shaped building layout featuring pavilion-style structures and a central officers residence topped with a hipped roof. The grounds include specialized training areas, such as a water exercise facility along the Danube riverbank designed for military operations training.
Built between 1912 and 1913, the barracks originally housed up to 6,000 soldiers during World War I who trained in military engineering. The site later served as a concentration camp near the end of World War II before being returned to military use in subsequent decades.
The site includes a memorial space in a former crematorium building that honors the victims of the Melk concentration camp during the final years of World War II. This location allows visitors to connect with a difficult and important chapter of this place's past.
The barracks are located at Prinzlstrasse 22 in Melk and can be reached easily from most areas of the town. The grounds are well laid out with clear pathways, and certain areas are accessible to the public for memorials and special events.
In 2008, the barracks were transformed into an international operations center for the Austrian Armed Forces, coordinating military missions such as EUFOR in Chad. This conversion demonstrates how a historic military site continues to serve as a modern hub for international operations.
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