Augarten Flak Towers

Vienna, Austria

Flak towers (Flaktürme) were eight complexes of large, above-ground, anti-aircraft gun blockhouse towers constructed by Nazi Germany in the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, and Vienna from 1940 onwards. The towers were used by the Luftwaffe to defend against Allied air raids against these cities during World War II. They also served as air-raid shelters for tens of thousands of local civilians.

In Vienna military authorities chose the Augarten as one of several places to erect massive buildings for anti-aircraft defence to protect the inner city from Allied bombing. During summer 1944 the construction of a 55 metre high tower with platforms for anti-aircraft guns and nearby also a 51 metre high control tower was begun but not finished. Their remains are still visible in the middle of the park. Moreover during the war hundreds of cubic metres of rubbish were dumped on the site whilst armoured vehicles criss-crossed the garden and - as it is supposed - common graves were dug for hundreds of war victims.

References:
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Details

Founded: 1944
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Austria

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Arnek Osem (3 years ago)
Very ipressive but lost to history and unusable. Still worth checking out if you like history. --> for every WWII enthusiast
Kalliope Tsouroupidou (3 years ago)
Historical landmark gun tower remain from the WWII era, located in the heart of a very large leafy park. If you visit here make sure to visit its twin tower on the north side of the park too (as well as the other two Flak tower pairs across the city).
Paul Heller (3 years ago)
Very interesting site, the flak tower from WW2 is still in great shape. There are actually 2 in the park. These are the few remaining such towers in Europe. Closed to the public, you can only see from the park. Recommend visiting.
Shane Dunne (4 years ago)
A large piece of history in the heart do Vienna WW2 defensive structures No tour available - just walk around and admire the size and scale
David Dancey (4 years ago)
A grim reminder of a darker past. Across Vienna are the remains of flak towers. These were gigantic constructions of steel and concrete, built to house anti-aircraft guns to shoot down Allied aircraft in World War II. They were built like fortresses, and were almost impregnable. After the war, these hulking monstrosities were too difficult to safely demolish and so many of them have been left standing. A number of them still stand in Vienna, with the tower in Augarten being one of the best preserved. You cannot enter this one, however, it still stands as a memory of darker times that should never be repeated.
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