517 61 Rokytnice v Orlických horách
50°11'48"N 16°30'36"E (xx km)
The Hanička artillery fort is part of the pre-war fortification system built in the 1930’s mainly against the Germans. The fort takes its feminine name from a nearby settlement. The fort was composed of six defence bunkers connected by hundreds of metres of corridors and halls. The massive halls could hold large amounts of supplies, which were intended to enable troops to battle even if surrounded for a number of months. Construction of the Hanička fort was completed in 1938; however, the majority of internal equipment was missing. In 1938 the fort was surrendered without a fight to Wehrmacht, which then tested the strength of the Czech structures as well as the efficiency of German artillery grenades. Blasting of bells by the state company Kovošrot (Metal Salvage) after the war damaged Hanička far more than the Germans during their six years of occupation. In 1975 Hanička was taken over by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and new defence facilities were built in the underground system under the code name Kahan. The underground was adapted and equipped with modern technology to ensure the survival of a selected elite few. Despite the fact that hundreds of millions of crowns of tax payer money was used on the project, it was never completed.
Did you know that Germans tested at least two of their "secret weapons" in the fortress during the occupation?
| Category | military monument |
|---|---|
| Certificates and memberships | Tourist stamp |
| Style | military fortification (100%) |
| Services | dogs welcome, free WiFi, sale of basic spare bicycle parts, sale of cycling and tourist maps of region, sale of novelties and souvenirs, sale of specialised literature, sale of tourist cards, sale of tourist stamps, snacks, WC |
| Staff languages | Czech |
| Accepted forms of payment | Czech korunas in cash, Maestro online payment, VISA Electron online payment, VISA online payment |
| First year open to the public | 1969 |
| Date of construction | 1938 |
| Year of latest reconstruction | 1995 |
| Distance from parking lot | 1.5 km
|
Tours / exhibitions
| Hanička | |
|---|---|
| Description | A tour starts in the hall of the administration building, where there is a permanent exposition with military topic from 1935 up to now, including photographs, guns, ammunition and historical exhibits installed. From here you can walk underground to the depth from 18 to 35 meters exhausted in the rock. You can see a machine-room with three dieselaggregates, dumping ground of oil with a basin with the volume of 36 thousand litres, a hall of water-resources management and cold water to cool down the air, chemical loop, energetic control room, barracks, dormitories, modern first-aid station and toilet. Underground tour finishes on a fighting floor of the commander object R - 76 Lom. The second overground object you can visit is a cannon rotary draw-out tower R - 78 Na Pasece. On the premises, there is fully dumped R - 77 Observatory and an artillery object R - 79 Na Mytine is the third well-preserved object. |
| Open to public | Photography allowed: Yes Video cameras allowed: No |
| Opening hours (GMT +2) |
Before visiting the building we recommend checking the current opening hours on the building's website or by contacting the operator by telephone.  Closed right now, as per business hoursSightseeing time: 80 min. |
| Foreign languages | tour guide (Czech) |
| Exhibition specialization | military / weapons / fortification |
| Minimum / maximum number of people per guide | ?/50 |
| Garage | |
| Description | An exhibit of combat technology is located in the administration building garages. On display are wheeled and half-track armoured transporters, anti-aircraft and field cannons, and a radio vehicle. Many of the displays are still in working order. |
| Open to public | Photography allowed: Yes Video cameras allowed: Yes |
| Opening hours (GMT +2) |
Before visiting the building we recommend checking the current opening hours on the building's website or by contacting the operator by telephone. Closed right now, as per business hoursLast tour before closing: 0 min. Sightseeing time: 80 min. |
| Foreign languages | printed guide (Czech, English, Polish), descriptions (Czech, English) |
| Audio guide | English, Polish |
| Exhibition specialization | military / weapons / fortification |
| Minimum / maximum number of people per guide | ?/50 |