Construction septembre 1943 - novembre 1943 (≈ 1943)
Start of bunker work.
juin 1944
Equipment completion
Equipment completion juin 1944 (≈ 1944)
Bunker operational before the Disembarkation.
13 juin 1994
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 13 juin 1994 (≈ 1994)
Official site registration.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any actors.
Origin and history
Riva-Bella's fire direction post, located in Ouistreham, Calvados, is a key element of the Atlantic Wall. Built between September 1943 and June 1944, this 17-metre-high bunker was used to observe the Seine Bay over a 50-km radius. Its construction used a formwork technique in parpaings to save time, an unusual method for German works of the time.
The bunker, listed Sonderkonstruction (special construction), housed six levels equipped with technical rooms, a command post, an observatory and an anti-aircraft gun. Unlike other bunkers on the Atlantic Wall, it did not follow any standard plan (Regelbau). Today, it hosts the museum Le Grand Bunker, dedicated to the history of this fortification.
Since 1994, the site has been listed as a historical monument, reflecting the German occupation in Normandy during the Second World War. Its upper slab, equipped with an encument for a 20 mm gun, illustrates its defensive role against allied landings. The museum offers an immersion in the original installations, preserved since 1944.
