Built in the early to mid 20th century in the heart of Lovászi, the air bunker is unique in the country. It has survived in relatively good condition to this day, and thanks to the tireless local patriot and amateur local historian Ferenc Jánosi, the complete history of the bunker, its operation and part of its plans have been preserved for posterity.
In the script, we read that the reason for the creation of the facility is the oil from Zala, the geological uniqueness of which is shown in the entrance sloping shaft. This long passage takes the observer to the depths of the oil. The 5 active panels on the wall show how tiny organisms that once lived here become oil over millions of years.
At the end (bottom) of the corridor, a widened section displays the tools of the oil industry. A drill bit is sticking out of the ceiling, as if it has just entered an oil field. Around the wall are drill cores, and a sample of the oil from the horse, between two sheets of glass, translucent.
From here a long narrow corridor leads to the other rooms. This is where the three story-telling installations are located, whose visual and contental content takes us from geology to history. Local stories can be seen and heard on the displays, alongside period photographs, documents and newspaper articles that add authenticity to the films.
At the end of the narrow corridor, to the left, is a large room of the former first aid station. Here, the 20th century history of Lovászi is brought to life on a huge projection screen, with spatial sound effects. You can learn how this tiny village in Zala became a target for World War II bombing due to the impact of oil mining. The images and sound effects of the air raid and bombardment at the end of the film give a good sense of the feelings of the inhabitants at the time. The silence after the end of the bombing is broken by the positive words of the narrator, which helps to relieve the tense atmosphere.
On the way to the command room, there is a small room with a small floor space, the peat toilet. The touch-screen content here shows the operation of the peat toilet, as well as the facility’s hygiene protocols (chemical decontamination, decontamination, sanitation).
From here, the route leads to the command room, which is now a post-war facility. Here, the visitor is immersed in a civil defence exercise from the 1950s, in which he actively participates. As he browses unsuspectingly through the screens of the switchboard, where he receives information on the construction and technical operation of the installation, he is slowly drawn into the thick of the action. Finally, he even has to activate the air-raid siren.
After the exercise, visitors leave the centre on the same route they came in.
On the nature trail between the Iron Curtain Museum and the Bunker, next to the factory site, they come across a wooden oil rig which, as well as being a warning to motorists on the main road, also serves as a children’s climbing frame.
