Dokumentationsstätte Regierungsbunker

About the museum

In case of nuclear war, the West German federal government began planning a protected alternative seat for the constitutional bodies in the 1950s. Construction started in 1960 in the Ahr Valley above Ahrweiler, where two tunnels of a never-completed railway line could be used. By the early 1970s an underground tunnel system about 17 kilometers long had been built, with offices, sleeping quarters and its own supply systems, designed to house around 3,000 people self-sufficiently for up to 30 days.

The facility was subject to strict secrecy. From 1966 NATO held regular exercises every two years simulating an emergency, in which government representatives tested decision-making procedures in the bunker. With the end of the Cold War the bunker lost its purpose; in the late 1990s the federal government decided to abandon it, and between 2001 and 2006 the facility was largely stripped and sealed.

Only a section of just over 200 meters was preserved in its original state. There the local history association “Alt-Ahrweiler” set up a documentation center, which opened in spring 2008 and has been run by the association ever since. Visitors see command rooms, airlocks, decontamination facilities and sleeping quarters, among other things. In 2009 the site received the European Heritage Label; according to the operator, more than one million visitors have come so far.

Highlights

• Around 200 meters of original bunker section from the Cold War era
• Airlock gates, decontamination area, command rooms and sleeping quarters
• Insight into the federal government's secret NATO exercises
• Awarded the European Heritage Label (2009)
• Special tours into otherwise inaccessible areas and flashlight tours

Permanent exhibitions

• Führung durch den Regierungsbunker – A tour of the preserved bunker section with original equipment and furnishings, illustrating its construction, the secrecy surrounding it and the Cold War exercise scenarios.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Heimatverein „Alt-Ahrweiler“ e. V.

Admission & discounts

All prices include the guided tour.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

The tour is mostly at ground level; wheelchairs, rollators and strollers can be taken along. Only the last roughly 10 minutes on the upper floor require 15 steps and are skipped for wheelchair users. Inclusive tour in plain language on request. For people with limited mobility, the operator recommends taking a taxi to the entrance, as buses cannot drive up to it.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly

Family tour on the first Sunday of every month (from April) at 12:00, with a suitcase full of original objects; flashlight tours also for children. Strollers can be taken along; only the last part of the tour is on the upper floor (15 steps). The bunker stays at about 12 °C year-round.

Getting there & parking

By car, follow the road "Am Silberberg" to the parking lot. For people with walking disabilities, the museum recommends a shuttle taxi.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available

Bistro with terrace (16 indoor and 34 outdoor seats), open Wed, Sat, Sun and public holidays from Easter to the end of October.

Events & venue rental

No venue rental listed; team-event tours (“Top Secret – Top Spion”) and special tours can be booked.

Plan your visit