sublynx
04-08-13, 02:40 PM
I just had the opportunity to visit the lovely city of Trondheim that used to house the 13th U-boat Flottilla. The submarine bunker Dora I that was it's base is still standing, as is the bunker Dora II that was being built when the war ended. I took some pictures of it.
(The pictures are big, so that you can see the details too. Zoom out a bit if you can't see the whole pictures...)
http://i.imgur.com/yIAUWeO.jpg
After the war the Norwegians have built the city archives of Trondheim on top of the bunker.
http://i.imgur.com/gdrGgrU.jpg
The southern entrance.
http://i.imgur.com/UFsVMCV.jpg
The size of the bunker can be estimated by comparing the thing to the bus.
http://i.imgur.com/VWxUuME.jpg
Southwestern view
http://i.imgur.com/fd2td5D.jpg
The Northern view. This was were the boats sailed in and out of the bunker. The Norwegians have put a conning tower of a submarine S300 of theirs there as a memorial.
http://i.imgur.com/CyYpiWj.jpg
There's still lots of sea traffic in the area.
http://i.imgur.com/cXedbCk.jpg
A closeup of S300's conning tower.
http://i.imgur.com/8Pd7KSy.jpg
The history of S300.
http://i.imgur.com/uaIGrk0.jpg
This is the view North to the direction from the opening of the bunker. For many of the U-boatmen of the 13th Flottilla the view would have been their last glimpse of a city / harbour. I don't know how much of the ridge would have been built during the war.
http://i.imgur.com/ICPPEkr.jpg
One thing that has not changed: oil in the water (and the scent of oil that anyone who has been in the army or navy recognizes permeating any barracks)
http://i.imgur.com/95tpNT1.jpg
The eastern view.
http://i.imgur.com/Zl07bN6.jpg
The railroad track that was probabaly there during the war as well, needed for bringing in supplies.
http://i.imgur.com/36QAQEy.jpg
A detail of the eastern wall: "Smoking strictly forbidden" both in German and Norwegian. The Germans were not keen on smoking in a place filled with fuel and explosives :arrgh!:
http://i.imgur.com/YofU0pm.jpg
A detail of bunker Dora II
http://i.imgur.com/QglBw75.jpg
Dora II, eastern view.
http://i.imgur.com/CvUu5kS.jpg
Dora II, southern view.
I hope these pics convey some of the curious atmosphere of the remnants.
Do take the chance of visiting Trondheim if you ever get the chance. The place is packed with history from the Viking ages onwards and it's a beautiful place with friendly people :up:
(The pictures are big, so that you can see the details too. Zoom out a bit if you can't see the whole pictures...)
http://i.imgur.com/yIAUWeO.jpg
After the war the Norwegians have built the city archives of Trondheim on top of the bunker.
http://i.imgur.com/gdrGgrU.jpg
The southern entrance.
http://i.imgur.com/UFsVMCV.jpg
The size of the bunker can be estimated by comparing the thing to the bus.
http://i.imgur.com/VWxUuME.jpg
Southwestern view
http://i.imgur.com/fd2td5D.jpg
The Northern view. This was were the boats sailed in and out of the bunker. The Norwegians have put a conning tower of a submarine S300 of theirs there as a memorial.
http://i.imgur.com/CyYpiWj.jpg
There's still lots of sea traffic in the area.
http://i.imgur.com/cXedbCk.jpg
A closeup of S300's conning tower.
http://i.imgur.com/8Pd7KSy.jpg
The history of S300.
http://i.imgur.com/uaIGrk0.jpg
This is the view North to the direction from the opening of the bunker. For many of the U-boatmen of the 13th Flottilla the view would have been their last glimpse of a city / harbour. I don't know how much of the ridge would have been built during the war.
http://i.imgur.com/ICPPEkr.jpg
One thing that has not changed: oil in the water (and the scent of oil that anyone who has been in the army or navy recognizes permeating any barracks)
http://i.imgur.com/95tpNT1.jpg
The eastern view.
http://i.imgur.com/Zl07bN6.jpg
The railroad track that was probabaly there during the war as well, needed for bringing in supplies.
http://i.imgur.com/36QAQEy.jpg
A detail of the eastern wall: "Smoking strictly forbidden" both in German and Norwegian. The Germans were not keen on smoking in a place filled with fuel and explosives :arrgh!:
http://i.imgur.com/YofU0pm.jpg
A detail of bunker Dora II
http://i.imgur.com/QglBw75.jpg
Dora II, eastern view.
http://i.imgur.com/CvUu5kS.jpg
Dora II, southern view.
I hope these pics convey some of the curious atmosphere of the remnants.
Do take the chance of visiting Trondheim if you ever get the chance. The place is packed with history from the Viking ages onwards and it's a beautiful place with friendly people :up: