As city authorities once again fling open the doors of air raid shelters to provide welcome relief from the heat and humidity of Nanjing’s summer, one of the more notable examples of these war time relics has this year not been invited to the party.
Four years ago, some bright spark in the municipal government had the idea to open up Nanjing’s bomb shelters for use by the public in the hotter months. Many were spruced up and given a lick of white paint and some were even provided with pine wood furniture. The shelters were an instant hit, particularly among tourists and people who toil all day outdoors, such as sanitation workers.
This year, some nine shelters have been opened, and will remain so until mid September. All the shelters are equipped with seats, water dispensers, kettles and this year, all but two with free wifi, the exceptions being those in Pukou and Liuhe districts.
While a list as locations and addresses is provided at the end of this article, the best example of all the shelters, located in a small hillside a little to the south east of Yijiangmen, this year sadly has its entrance barricaded shut.
So, for what seems now like forever, the only way to see inside this piece of unspoiled Second World War history is via the photograph that accompanies this article, one that also graced the cover of The Nanjinger magazine back in August 2012.
For 70 years, this shelter remained like a dungeon, chilling one right down the spine, to the extent of not daring to go around the next corner. As the temperature plummeted within a few steps of entering, these were also gruesome, dank, cold and eerie steps back in time, right into the heart of a world at war.
Nanjing Air Raid Shelters Open to the Public
北极岩人防工程（地点：鸡鸣寺）
如意不夜城人防工程（地点：玄武区观音阁10号）
雨花山人防工程（地点：雨花台区雨花台烈士陵园北门旁）
上怡二村人防工程（地点：梅山上怡二村小区）
铅锌银矿人防工程（地点：栖霞区栖霞街89号）
狮子山人防工程（地点：鼓楼区狮子山4号口）
浦镇车辆厂人防工程（地点：浦口区浦镇车辆厂内）
太子山公园人防工程（地点：六合区沿江工业开发区园东路338号）
菠萝山人防工程（地点：鼓楼区广州路229号）
