You may not see it, but here at the Westzeedijk underground you will find a real nuclear air raid shelter from the Cold War. Fifty people could be accommodated here in the event of a nuclear attack.
Curious about the bunker, but don't feel like breaking in and descending the claustrophobia-inducing stairs? Via the Must See app you can lift the bunker above the ground in augmented reality - really, try it! Our mascot Mussie can show you everything.
The bunker, built in 1958, is hidden under a small hatch next to the dike. Via the stairs you enter a small space of about 25 square meters. You can best compare it with a concrete sea container. If people were ambushed by an air raid on the way, they could stay in the bunker for up to 48 hours.
Crackers and drinking water were stored for the inner man. It was better not to eat too many crackers, because going to the toilet was no fun: the chemical toilet in the bunker was actually a bucket with a curtain in front of it.
The bunker on the Westzeedijk is not the only hidden memory of the Cold War. In that period all metro stations in Rotterdam were set up as a shelter. Before that, rooms were set up in the walls with toilets and food supplies. In the rooms, boxes were also stored with building kits with which seats and beds could be made. In case of calamities, the stations were filled with carriages to create seats. The capacity per station varied between the 2.000 and 10.000 people.
There were also shelters in various bridges and locks in Rijkswaterstaat. They were only meant for the staff. The drinking water company at the Van Brienenoord bridge also had a large bunker from which the water supply in the city could be regulated. There was also a large underground vault with offices under the building of the Dutch Bank to allow money to circulate during calamities.
In Rotterdam you will find a number of bunkers from the Cold War, such as the one next to it town hall on the Coolsingel, under the former main post office, so that the PTT could continue its activities in the event of an attack. The escape hatch of this bunker was hidden under the artwork of Jan van Munster, which has now been removed.
There is also an atomic bunker from the Cold War in the Thurledestraat in the Spanish Polder? This was intended to allow the staff of the National Traffic Inspectorate to continue their work in the event of calamities and mobilization. The RVI then had the task to move the Allied troops that would then be led in Hook of Holland to Germany as quickly as possible. This is kept as much as possible in its original state by a number of enthusiasts, and can be visited by appointment or even rented. Very special is that this bunker was a copy of the bunker of the Royal House. All state bunkers were built according to the same design.
Walk a bit further to the north, into the park, and you will see the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas. One of the many churches in Rotterdam that was built for seamen from abroad. He can hardly be seen from the road, but it is a beautiful church, especially if you make an appointment to look inside.
Really cool that you can now experience the history of Rotterdam even better with these techniques!
I didn't know at all that you could view the bunker with the app. Watch out if you walk there next to the Kunsthal (where the bunker is located) that you will not stand in the dog poop when you are busy with augmented reality. Greetings, Henk
