The Frightening Beauty of Bunkers (French coast relics)

[Story]

Approximately 1,500 bunkers were built during World War II along the French shores to forestall an Allied landing—“the Atlantic Wall.” Decommissioned after the Allied invasion of Normandy, this elaborate defense system now lies abandoned. At the age of 25, Paul Virilio stumbled upon these relics with his camera and began a study that would continue for 30 years. His 1975 book, Bunker Archeology, has recently been translated into English and reprinted by Princeton Architectural Press: an inquiry of war and its structures and a personal memoir of exploration, merging technical analysis with philosophical questioning.

Photo gallery here -
http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/galleries/the_frightening_beauty_of_bunkers/12tfbob.php

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks for sharing these great photos.
They are truely ugly and frightening - and even so - also very beautifull, grotesque and almost surrealistic.
As you might know, we have them on the westcoast of Jutland (Denmark) too. Lots of them - and impossible to get rid off.

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

That's really something. I'm going to have to go and explore some of those someday!

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

This reminds me of the U-Boat pens in France - and the cost to demolish those is just too astronomical that...they'll be there till the end of time it seems, like many of the bunkers as well (both these and the bunkers relating to the U-Boats).

 

[Story]

Anyone else see the eyes and mouth on this monstrosity? Like some Easter Island totem from Hell.