Deelen Air Base, airport in the Netherlands
Deelen Air Base is a large military airfield in the northeast of the Netherlands near Arnhem, made up of old buildings, runways, and open spaces with bunker structures. The site still shows German infrastructure from the Second World War, including tunnels, storage buildings, and defensive works that have survived in part over the decades.
The airfield was built in 1913 as a small border patrol base and became one of the oldest airports in the Netherlands. Germany took control in 1940 after the Netherlands surrendered and expanded it greatly with new runways, bunkers, and a railway line for supplies.
The name comes from the nearby village of Deelen. The buildings on the grounds show German design from the Second World War, with thick walls and painted windows made to look like farms. Visitors can see how military structures were camouflaged to blend into the landscape and avoid detection.
The grounds can be explored on foot or by car and are relatively easy to reach, though located in a quiet area. Visitors should note that some areas remain active military zones and may not be freely accessible, so it is worth checking ahead about where you can go.
In 1995, composer Karlheinz Stockhausen premiered an unusual work here where helicopters were used as part of the musical performance. This rare event made the airfield the setting for an experimental music piece that gained worldwide attention.
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