Once central to military strategy and operations, many bases eventually fade into obscurity as conflicts conclude and evolving technology makes their missions unnecessary. These once-bustling centers of activity often stand silent for years, slowly slipping from memory. Below are eight former military installations that were once pivotal in their time but now lie abandoned, their significance largely forgotten.
Palmerston Forts
The Palmerston Forts, a series of military structures built along the coastlines of the UK and Ireland, were designed during the Victorian-era to defend against a potential French naval threat. Recommended by the 1860 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, these forts were named after Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister at the time.
Construction of the forts began in 1860 but took much longer than anticipated. By the time the final fort was finished in the 1870s, the French threat had diminished, leading to significant criticism of their cost and lack of purpose. Moreover, the forts’ positioning—facing inward rather than outward—was seen as a significant design flaw. They remained under the War Department’s control until 1920 but have since been repurposed as hotels and tourist attractions.
Teufelsberg
Perched atop an artificial hill in Berlin, Germany, the striking white domes and towering antennas of Teufelsberg—once one of the largest U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) listening posts—still dominate the skyline. Established in 1963, the facility served as a key hub for intercepting and disrupting Eastern Bloc communications throughout the Cold War.
Following the end of the conflict, Teufelsberg briefly found new life as an air traffic control center, a role it held for about a decade. Since then, it has sat largely unused, despite various efforts to sell the property. Today, the site remains fenced off, but a local organization offers guided tours, granting visitors a glimpse into its secretive past.
Saint-Nazaire submarine base
The harbor of Saint-Nazaire was one of the largest along France’s coastline. As such, the German military wanted to take it for themselves. After France fell to Germany in 1940, Saint-Nazaire immediately saw construction, which turned part of the area into a U-boat pen. It was one of five built in the German-occupied coastal settlement.
The structure was 300 meters long, featured 14 submarine pens and took only 16 months to build. It served as an important and strategic base for the U-boats manned by the Kriegsmarine, and was used up until May 1945. Now, it’s a tourist site that not only showcases a historical military base, but also the view of the surrounding city.
Maunsell Forts
The Maunsell Forts, designed by Guy Maunsell, were a series of structures built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries. Similar in appearance to offshore oil platforms, these forts were constructed to strengthen the United Kingdom’s air defenses during World War II.
By 1942, the construction of four naval forts (Rough Sands, Sunk Head, Knock John, and Tongue Sands) and three army forts (Nore, Shivering Sands, and Red Sands) had begun.
Although the forts were decommissioned in 1950, they were repurposed in the 1960s and 1970s as bases for pirate radio stations. Their large size made them perfect for installing antennas. However, when Red Sands Radio, a tribute to pirate radio, tried to broadcast from one of the forts in 2007-08, they found the abandoned structures to be unsafe and had to relocate their operations.
Duga radar
The Soviet Union constructed two Duga radar systems that operated between 1976 and 1989. One was located near Chernobyl and aimed at the United States, while the other was placed in eastern Siberia and directed at China and Japan. These systems were used for over-the-horizon (OTH) radar as part of the USSR’s missile defense early warning network.
The radars were commonly referred to as the “Russian Woodpecker” due to their emission of shortwave radio signals that were random, sharp, repetitive, and similar to a woodpecker’s drumming. The disruptive signals interfered with television broadcasts and civilian communications, leading to numerous global complaints. Consequently, receivers had to be equipped with “Woodpecker Blankers” to block these transmissions.
Wolf’s Lair
The Wolf’s Lair, located in the Masurian woods in Poland, was the first military headquarters of the Führer on the Eastern Front during the Second World War. Its location was specifically chosen because access to the area was granted only by one railway and a single airstrip. Construction occurred in the lead up to Operation Barbarossa, with locals being told it was a new cement factory.
The now-abandoned military base was surrounded by three security zones, making it one the most heavily guarded locations in the world. At one point, the Führer resided there for over 800 days, and there was even an attempt on his life during his stay. He was forced to leave in November 1944, after the Red Army reached the area and took it over. What remains of the base (following Soviet orders to demolish it) currently operates as a tourist attraction.
Royal Air Force (RAF) Hethel
RAF Hethel was constructed in 1941 and completed in 1942. Designated as Station 114, it was utilized by both the British Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Between 1943 and 1945, it served as the headquarters for the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing, 2nd Bombardment Division. Several units were based there, including the 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 320th Bombardment Group (Medium).
By 1947, RAF Hethel had transitioned into a Personnel Transit Center before being repurposed for the RAF Technical Training Command. However, in 1948, the station was decommissioned due to reductions in the RAF. It remained mostly inactive until 1964, when the Air Ministry sold the site. Today, it operates as a test track for Lotus Cars Limited.
Ford Ord
The US purchased land on Monterey Bay, California – where Fort Ord was located – during the First World War. However, it wouldn’t come into full use until the early years of WWII. In 1940, the main garrison was constructed, with the military base being designated Ford Ord. The 7th Infantry Division occupied the post during this time.
Following the conflict, Fort Ord served as a staging area for units heading off to fight in the Korean War, and continued to see use as a center for instruction throughout the 1970s. In 1994, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commisison had those units occupying the space relocated to Fort Lewis, Washington.
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At present, the military base sits abandoned and operates as the Fort Ord National Monument.