Finland has once again drawn attention for its extensive underground civil defence infrastructure, with reports highlighting that the country has developed a vast network of bomb shelters beneath its capital, Helsinki. The underground system is capable of accommodating nearly one million people during emergencies.
According to reports, Helsinki has around 5,500 civil defence shelters built beneath the city over several decades. The facilities are designed to protect residents during military conflicts, natural disasters, and other emergencies. Many of these underground spaces serve everyday purposes such as sports centres, parking areas, playgrounds, and recreation facilities, but can be rapidly converted into emergency shelters when required.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Jukka-Pekka Schroderus of Helsinki’s City Rescue Department said, “We started building them [bunkers] in 1939 and never stopped. Under this city is a big cheese full of holes.”
Finnish law requires new residential and commercial buildings above a specified size to include civil defence shelters, ensuring the network continues to expand. The shelters are equipped with blast-resistant structures, emergency power, water storage and essential supplies to support people during crises.
The underground infrastructure has gained renewed attention amid heightened global security concerns, underscoring Finland’s longstanding investment in emergency preparedness and civilian protection.
