A Nazi bunker built at the height of World War 2 in the heart of Hamburg by hundreds of concentration camp prisoners is now a lavish hotel.
The Flak Tower IV bunker, located in the St Pauli district, was one of the two towers created by the Nazis for air defence purposes.
This massive building, which still dominates the skyline of St Pauli, protected up to 30,000 residents of the northern German city from the Allies’ airstrikes under its 16.4-foot thick concrete roof.
Built by more than 1,000 forced labourers in just 300 days, this 131-foot tall grey construction passed under the control of developer Matzen Immobilien in the 1990s, and has since found new life being used for commercial and cultural purposes.
Over the years, it was a nightclub, a library, a music store and a music school. But in 2019, it emerged the developer was planning to transform yet again the former bunker, this time by building a luxury hotel within its walls.
The operation to convert the building involved adding five tapering floors supported by 16 large concrete-filled steel columns atop the former bunker’s walls.
The developer also created a stunning roof garden, featuring nearly 5,000 various trees, shrubs and hedges.
This flourishing garden has been designed to be the arrival point of a “mountain path” starting from the ground floor.
Providing the building with modern features, Matzen also added sports spaces. This transformation didn’t come cheap, as it cost nearly £50million.
The conversion of this bunker took into account the building’s connection to Nazi Germany, with designers creating a memorial for the victims of the regime within the garden.
The hotel that eventually opened at the historic site is part of the NH Hotel Group and counts 134 rooms on top of a bar, a coffee shop and a restaurant with more than 170 seats.
The hotel itself, Called REVERB by Hard Rock Hamburg, features unique rooms with designer furnishings.
The cost of a room varies from the period and availability. The hotel appears to be popular, as its website suggests it is fully booked until May.
Maarten Markus, Managing Director Northern Europe of the NH Hotel Group, said in 2019, after the company won the contract for the operation: “I am very proud that nhow Hamburg can be built in this extraordinary location as part of this fascinating project. Of course, we are aware of the history of the bunker and its significance for the city of Hamburg.”
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