Museum Chamber Bytom-Miechowice, LSD-type shelter

The Museum Chamber in Bytom-Miechowice is housed in a German air-raid shelter from the Second World War. The shelter stands in the yard of the disused School No. 13, and visitors learn in it the history of Miechowice, with particular attention to the events of 1945.

History of the shelter

The shelter was most probably built in the first years of the war, in 1941 or 1942. For many years it was inaccessible and invisible, remembered only by a few residents. It was dug out in the summer of 2015, with the location indicated by a German plan of the structure. It turned out to be a large facility: the corridors, partly damaged, are almost 90 metres long.

The site was taken over by the Pro Fortalicium Association, which works on fortification heritage. The renovation took place with the help of the city and local sponsors, and the shelter was opened to visitors on 4 June 2016.

What to see

Inside, a story of Miechowice has been arranged, told through a recording and a multimedia presentation. According to the association, in January 1945 the shelter was in an area into which the Red Army advanced and where many crimes were committed. Many original keepsakes from that period can also be seen there.

Practical information

• Address: the shelter is on Kasztanowa Street, a side street off Stolarzowicka Street, in Miechowice (a district of Bytom), in the yard of School No. 13.
• The association runs regular visiting sessions; outside them a visit must be arranged by telephone. Check the dates on the profort.org.pl website before your visit.
• Nearby stands the Tiele-Winckler Palace in Miechowice.