Spanish Civil War 1936–1939
Astra factory air-raid shelter, Gernika
Gernika-Lumo · Air-raid shelter
The story
Gernika's arms industry, which made the famous Astra pistols, was one of the few potentially military targets in the town. In September 1936 the Talleres de Gernika factory built two concrete shelters for its workers. They were disguised under false roofs, and the bombers did not recognise them as shelters on 26 April 1937. The factory buildings on the edge of town largely survived the raid, a fact often cited in the debate over what the attack was really aiming at. The former Astra site is now a cultural centre.
What you can see today
A concrete shelter in the former Astra factory area on Ibarra Kalea.
Plan your visit
A 10-minute walk from the Peace Museum. Check with the tourist office about access to the interior.
- Price
- Free
- Booking
- Reservation only (tel. 94 625 58 92). About 15 min with survivor testimonies, not a guided tour; arrive 5 min early
Checked September 2026 from official sources: gernikainfo.eus, gernikainfo.eus. Things change, so check before you travel.
Sources
- tracesofwar.com/sights/142960/Waar-ligt-Schuilbunker-Astra-Wapenfabriek.htm
- tracesofwar.com/sights/142960/Waar-ligt-Schuilbunker-Astra-Wapenfabriek.htm
- es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardeo_de_Guernica
Nearby sites
- Casa de Juntas & Tree of Gernika · under 1 km
- Pasealekua air-raid shelter, Gernika · under 1 km
- Gernika Peace Museum (Museo de la Paz) · under 1 km
- Monte Sollube battlefield · 10 km
- Gaztelumendi breach – Larrabetzu Iron Belt bunker · 12 km
- Iron Belt trail, Zamudio (Berreaga–Gaztelumendi ridge) · 16 km
All 158 sites in Spanish Civil War 1936–1939 →
The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939
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