The Civil Defence Command Shelter, located beneath Primary School No. 14 in Przemyśl (12 M. Borelowskiego Street), was built together with the school in 1966 as part of the famous “1,000 Schools for the Millennium of the Polish State” programme. The construction of the shelter was a consequence of the Cold War and the threats associated with it.
The shelter has a total floor area of 177.98 m², comprising a number of technical rooms as well as spaces intended for the crew to work and rest. It is equipped with its own power supply in the form of an EPZ-ZO-3/400/5 diesel-electric generator with batteries, a hydrophore and pumping system, and an RM-200/68 air filtration and ventilation unit. The shelter also has an emergency exit with an underground tunnel allowing evacuation in the event that the main entrance becomes blocked or buried under rubble.
Members of the Przemyśl Historical Reconstruction Association X D.O.K. (PSRH X D.O.K.) have recreated the shelter’s original equipment, including wired and radio communication systems, as well as social and storage facilities. Memorabilia from the period of the Polish People’s Republic (PRL) relating to Civil Defence and the Warsaw Pact complement the exhibition, while modern presentation techniques using sound, images and 3D technology enhance the visitor experience.
Until relatively recently, the shelter was a strictly classified facility. During the communist era, every Civil Defence employee who had access to it had to undergo a verification process to be considered a “reliable” person. This included vetting by the Security Service (SB), which also discreetly investigated the employee’s entire family.
The shelter is open to visitors every day from 10:00 a.m. The last admission is at 6:00 p.m. Entry is available only on the hour. A visit takes approximately 55 minutes. The number of tickets available for each time slot is limited.
We invite not only tourists, but also schoolchildren and young people, for whom we have prepared a special programme combining education with active recreation. The programme has been designed so that a visit to the Civil Defence Command Shelter can be adapted to the needs of different age groups – from primary school pupils to secondary school students.
For more information, please visit the SKOC website:
Civil Defence Command Shelter – official website
Opening the Civil Defence Command Shelter to visitors has been made possible thanks to cooperation with the Mayor of Przemyśl and the management of Primary School No. 14 in Przemyśl.
The Przemyśl Historical Reconstruction Association X D.O.K. is a non-profit organisation which pursues its statutory objectives by organising historical shows and re-enactments, as well as exhibitions and lectures.
Civil Defence Command Shelter
12 Borelowskiego Street
Open from May to October, daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission)
Tel.: +48 607 669 338
+48 606 703 526