Secrets of Kočevje area

Among Slovenians Kočevje area is mainly known for it's endless forests, brown bears and secrets from cold war.​. 

In 1950 around 200 km2 was declared a ​restricted area that was inaccessible to the public for 40 years. Part of the area was then opened for the public, which also found out about secret defense facilities that were built there in the fifties.

​​Since the nineties we have known about bunker at Gotenica, which would be, in the event of the attack, a retreat for the highest military and political leadership. But it has been only recently that we have learned about smaller bunker that would be a centre for communication. 

Luckily, even though some of the area around the smaller bunker is still restricted, they have opened the bunker named K-35 at Škrilj for visitors. You can visit it in a group with prior announcement. Your guided visit will start at TIC Kočevska Reka, believe it or not, blindfolded, from where mini bus will take you to the secret location of bunker. As they say, this is still a restricted area, any photography is strictly forbidden and even for promotional reasons they only allow taking pictures on two spots. Whether this is true or it is only promotional trick it's up to you to decide. ;)

The bunker lays about 80 m below the surface, it contains several rooms, about 500-metre long corridors, and original equipment from 1957. Communications officers and cryptologists would have been able to survive up to 100 days without any outside support. And, how crazy is that, there is a fresh water source next to the kitchen.