You are standing in front of one of Utrecht's most unusual monuments. This compact bunker was built in August 1943 by German occupying forces and served as a bomb-proof shelter for a staff of six people. From the outside it measures roughly 7 by 8 meters, though the interior is a cozy 5 by 3 meters.
During the war, this park and the nearby Maliebaan were buzzing with German administrative activity. Several German agencies operated from this area, and the NSB headquarters was located on the Maliebaan. Just about 30 meters from where you are standing, the Utrecht NSB mayor Van Ravenswaay lived at number 26 Wilhelminapark. There was a persistent rumor circulating among locals that a secret tunnel ran beneath the ground, connecting his residence directly to this bunker. After the war, the bunker became something of an awkward leftover. It stored tools, cables and old mopeds for decades.
Since 2014, it has had a much more cheerful life as the EXbunker, an exhibition space for visual artists. Not bad for a forgotten wartime relic.
Sources. Story: nl.wikipedia.org Photos: Door Fotodienst GAU (fotograaf)/ Het Utrechts Archief - Het Utrechts Archief, Catalogusnummer 73729, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53918589
