
In the 1970s, during the Cold War, the object now regarded as a tourist sight was built as one of 12 ground-to-air defense missile bases in protection of Budapest on the Nyakas hill plateau, on a territory of 15 hectares.
Several buildings, hangars, rocket launchers, concrete shelters, bunkers, watchtowers and many kilometers of road covered with concrete grids and two spectacular exhibitions remind us of the recent past on the base equipped with medium-range, ground-to-air (SZ-75 Volhov) missiles (formerly: MN1159, 11/3).
With the passing of the Cold War, weapons were disarmed from the base in 1995, and it was then fortunate to avoid the fate that befell many abandoned military facilities in Hungary, and was saved from destruction. Since 2005 it has been classified as a listed monument, the Air Defense Museum opened on part of the territory in 2006, displaying the military assets of the Hungarian Air Force in the post-Second World War period.
Performances of the Zsámbék Summer Theater can be seen every summer in the hangar converted into one of the base’s theater halls. The Aeronautical Exhibition opened in 2016, appropriately commemorating the pilots who fought in the Second World War and demonstrating the accumulated knowledge of aircraft wreckage in Hungary.
The former missile base also enjoys the protection of Natura 2000 due to its conservation values. Paradoxically the earlier military protection also contributed to preserving natural assets, since strict guarding procedures made any human intervention that is harmful to the environment impossible. We can experience the special atmosphere of Nyakas hill and assets preserved in this way on a pleasant walk, at the end of which an unparalleled view opens up from the top of one of the shelters. At the same time we can witness military relics of the Cold War and the beauty of nature.
MISSILE BASE MONUMENT
2072 Zsámbék periphery Őrsi hill
GPS: 47.557101, 18.700470
Opening hours:
Open to visitors between 10:00 and 18:00 on Saturdays from April to October. We will separately communicate any different times.
We also welcome groups at times that differ from the opening hours, by prior appointment.
Guided tours at times agreed in advance.
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