NATO Bunker West Star in Affi to Become Cold War Museum

The former NATO bunker West Star, a massive Cold War-era underground facility in Affi, Italy, is set to become a Cold War Museum. The bunker, carved into Monte Moscal near Lake Garda, was completed in 1966 and used as a strategic transmission center and control point for NATO exercises in northeastern Italy until 2007. Spanning 13,000 square meters across three levels with 280 rooms, it could shelter 500 people. After the property transferred from the state to the municipality of Affi in 2018, the site has now received monumental status from the Italian Ministry of Culture. The museum project, estimated to cost €8 million, will be developed with the University of Florence, which has already conducted extensive research and mapping led by architect Michelangelo Pivetta. The Soprintendente Marco Cofani emphasized the complexity of restoration due to the site's unique construction and materials. A scientific committee has been formed, and partial opening is expected within months, with a one-hour guided tour. The museum aims to attract over 100,000 visitors annually, with a ticket price of €15. A monograph on the bunker is to be published by the end of 2024. The bunker was previously opened sporadically by FAI, and in 2023 it was the most visited site during FAI's Spring Days.