Swiss bunkers to be converted from cheese cellars and hotels into defense centers

The Swiss Army has reached out to technology companies, researchers, and startups with a request to transform wartime bunkers into modern defense centers. Switzerland aims to restore its network of military bunkers, many of which have not been used since the 1990s.

With security concerns growing after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Swiss Army is reconsidering the role of some 8,000 bunkers scattered across the country and exploring the best ways to modernize them. Some of these bunkers date back to 1886. Originally built to defend strategic locations such as the Gotthard Railway and Alpine passes, the system played a significant role during World War II and the Cold War.

Many bunkers were once equipped with advanced defense systems to protect against Soviet missile threats. However, their use was discontinued after the Cold War ended.

Many bunkers were sold to civilians, who have found surprising new uses for them — from cheese cellars and art galleries to data storage centers and hotels. Some have even been converted into crypto-currency vaults, such as the Fort Knox in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. Since 2023, however, the Swiss Army has stopped selling these bunkers, opting instead to assess how best to repurpose them.

“We need to make use of what we have,” Swiss military Chief Thomas Süssli told Swiss media.

“The nature of military threats has changed. Bunkers are poorly located, and the weapons stored inside will only serve for ten to twenty years,” Süssli added.