A former Nazi bunker in Hamburg, built during World War 2 by hundreds of concentration camp prisoners, has been transformed into a luxury hotel after a £50 million renovation. The Flak Tower IV bunker, located in the St Pauli district, once sheltered up to 30,000 residents from Allied airstrikes beneath its 16.4-foot thick concrete roof.
Constructed in just 300 days by over 1,000 forced labourers, the 131-foot tall structure was taken over by developer Matzen Immobilien in the 1990s and previously served as a nightclub, library, music store and music school. In 2019, plans were unveiled to convert the bunker into a hotel, adding five tapering floors supported by 16 concrete-filled steel columns atop the original walls.
The renovation also created a roof garden featuring nearly 5,000 trees, shrubs and hedges, designed as the endpoint of a 'mountain path' from the ground floor. A memorial in the garden honours those who suffered under the Nazi regime. The hotel, named REVERB by Hard Rock Hamburg, includes 134 rooms, a bar, a coffee shop and a restaurant.
Room prices vary depending on availability and season, and bookings are currently unavailable until May, indicating high demand. The project cost was nearly £50 million, and the building now combines its stark wartime history with modern luxury.
