N-S 71 V sedle

N-S 71 "V sedle" is one of the best-preserved and most intriguing sites along the former Czechoslovak border fortification line, tucked away in the forests above Náchod, in the district of Dobrošov. Disguised as an ordinary water tower, it hides a massive 1930s reinforced-concrete infantry bunker that, decades later, took on a second, secret life as a Cold War communications facility. Today it houses the Kahan III Cold War Museum, one of the more unusual military-history attractions in the Kladsko border region.

How do you get to N-S 71?

The bunker sits in woodland between the Malinová hora hill and the road connecting Náchod with the village of České Čermné, at an elevation of roughly 587 metres. The easiest approach is by car or bicycle to Dobrošov, from where a marked hiking trail leads straight to the bunker. The area is a popular starting point for exploring the interwar Czechoslovak-German border fortifications, so the visit pairs naturally with a wider tour of nearby defensive structures around Náchod.

What will you see inside?

Construction of the bunker began in June 1937 and was finished in April 1938, just months before the Sudeten crisis erupted. Its concrete volume reaches almost 1,900 cubic metres, and it was designed to hold a garrison of 35 soldiers. From the outside, the structure was deliberately built to resemble a civilian water tower — the disguise worked so well that for a long time local residents had no idea what it actually was. Inside, visitors can see the original pre-war combat rooms alongside the remnants of a far later, entirely classified conversion carried out in 1986. Under a top-secret project codenamed Kahan III, financed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the old military bunker was rebuilt into a fallout shelter equipped with backup power sources, intended to keep the state leadership's communications running in the event of war.

A story in two acts

It's this collision of two very different eras that makes N-S 71 stand out among fortification-line sites. The first chapter is a familiar one: a Czechoslovak border bunker built in response to the growing threat from Nazi Germany, part of a dense chain of similar structures raised along the frontier in the late 1930s. The second chapter, far less well known, unfolds during the Cold War, when the old fortification was quietly given a brand-new, ultra-secret communications role that locals only learned about after the fall of communism.

When should you visit?

The museum operates seasonally, opening on weekends from May through October, so it's worth checking the calendar before setting off — outside that window the site is closed to visitors. The warmer months are the best time to come, since a visit can easily be combined with a hike along the surrounding trails and views from the top of Malinová hora.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is N-S 71 "V sedle"? It's a pre-war Czechoslovak infantry bunker built in 1937–1938, disguised as a water tower, which was converted in 1986 into a secret Cold War communications facility under the codename Kahan III.

Where exactly is it located? In the forest of Dobrošov, a district of Náchod, between the Malinová hora hill and the road to České Čermné, at an elevation of about 587 metres above sea level.

How many people were stationed there? The bunker was designed for a garrison of 35 soldiers and has a concrete volume of nearly 1,900 cubic metres.

When can you visit the museum? The Kahan III Cold War Museum is open seasonally, on weekends from May to October.