Paklenica tunnels: Former secret military complex open to visitors

A former military complex built between 1950 and 1952 in the Velika Paklenica canyon is now open to the public. Located deep beneath the Velebit mountains, the underground network was constructed as a secret shelter and logistics base during a period of high tension between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.

The facility covers nearly 2,000 square meters and includes a network of corridors, warehouses, and technical rooms designed to withstand heavy strikes. The site featured its own ventilation system and water reservoirs. Local accounts suggest the complex may have included a specialized area for Josip Broz Tito, complete with thick walls, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

Previously a strictly guarded military secret, the tunnels were sealed following the death of Stalin in 1953 and only became accessible to the public in the early 1990s.