Nuclear Submarine Base. Balaklava

Sights of Balaklava

The underground complex with total area of 15,000 sq. m. had been build during 9 years (from 1954 to 1963). It was considered to be of the 1st category in anti-nuclear endurance and could live independently for 30 days. The construction was started by military mine team and later in February of 1956 two groups of metro builders from Moscow and Kharkiv attached to building, according to the order of Nikita Khrushchev - leader of the Soviet Union.

The underground complex in Balaklava included the following parts:

• The object 825 "the hydraulic engineering work" - it's a special shipyard department. It was intended to repair the submarines of "Whisky" and "Romeo" classification. The object included water canal 602 m. long, 10m. wide and 8m. deep. It included production area that contained equipment stock, welding and bench section, storehouse and welfare spaces.
The dry dock was a special hydro engineering construction of the shipyard. Actually it was a pool separated from the main canal by a watertight gate (small floating caisson). During the docking operation the caisson was opened, the submarine was pulled inside and gate closed. After the water was pumped out (it took near 3 hours), the submarine stood on the keel blocks and repair work began. The submarine repair usually took 3-4 weeks.
Near 3,000 people, 9 small or 7 middle sized submarines could be sheltered inside the base in wartime.

• The mine-torpedo part was used to prepare and taste the torpedos. The torpedos were fulfilled with energy-components, electro parts, homing system and the hull air-tightness were checked.

• The object 820 (the arsenal) - it was a service-and-supply base for ammunition (including the nuclear warheads) storing, assembling and distributing. 150 military men served there. The arsenal had technical and local zones, large transport corridor, warheads storehouse and loading platform. Temperature and humidity level were thoroughly observed and kept in arsenal part: + 5 to 15 °C and humidity 50 to 60%.

• Fuel storehouse - it could contain 9.5 thousand tons of combustive-lubricating materials (it doesn't refer to the museum).

The underground anti-nuclear complex in Balaklava - is the unique monument of military history, engineering and fortification.