Fortification
Discover the fortifications of the Orlické Mountains and the Podorlicko region
The fortifications in the Orlické Mountains and the Podorlicko region recall a time when borders could not be taken for granted and the landscape bore the marks of preparations to defend them. Infantry blockhouses, bunkers, and even larger fortress systems stand quietly today, yet still speak clearly of their history. Many of them are open to the public and document not only military architecture, but also the events that shaped our country’s past.
Bouda Fortress
Bouda Fortress is one of five structurally completed artillery fortresses of the Czechoslovak fortification system built from 1935, and the only one that is today accessible to the public in its original form and full extent. Since 1995 it has been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. It is located in the forested massif above the villages of Těchonín, Lichkov and Dolní Boříkovice. The complex consists of five reinforced-concrete structures connected by a system of underground connecting corridors and extensive halls.
Fort Hanička
Hanička Fortress, built between 1936 and 1938 as part of the Czechoslovak border fortifications, is one of the most fascinating military landmarks in the Orlické Mountains. In 2007, the fortress was declared a cultural monument. Hanička offers a glimpse into underground corridors and halls that reach up to 36 metres below ground and extend for 1.5 km. The surface structures and part of the entrance exhibition focus on the pre-war period and what it was like during the time of waiting for the enemy.
Fortress Skutina
Skutina Fortress is one of the largest military landmarks in the Orlické Mountains. It was built between 1935 and 1938 as part of the Czechoslovak border fortifications. Six structures were planned here. The most interesting is the reconstructed infantry bunker N-S 48, codenamed U Stodol, which features a stairwell and elevator shaft 36 meters deep and offers the chance to see the site commander’s room, the radio operator’s room, the crew quarters, and other attractions.
