Former Chinese Nuclear Site Now a Tourist Attraction

Former Chinese Nuclear Site Now a Tourist Attraction

www.fas.org...

China recently opened to the public a massive underground former nuclear weapons facility known as Project 816 in Chongqing, and video footage of the site was featured in a recent report (pdf) from the DNI Open Source Center.

The Chongqing facility, which began construction in 1967 (some say 1966), was originally intended to house plutonium production reactors. But construction ceased in 1984, and the site was apparently never operational. Its existence was declassified by the Chinese government in 2003 (some say 2002), and it was opened to public tours in April of this year.

Two Chinese television news reports on the facility were translated by the Open Source Center.

“Project 816 is a gigantic system hidden in an inconspicuous mountain,” the TV narrator said in the OSC translation. “According to experts, Project 816 is the world’s biggest artificial cave.” It consists of a massive chamber “with multiple stories and caves within the caves, making it like a maze.” There are “over 130 roads, tunnels, and passages, totaling 21 kilometers in length.”

more @ link

Well spotted Jack! Starred!

I'm surprised there's not been more response!

Cheers

Robbie

Any pictures of this?

I searched the link and couldn't get anything, I'd be really interested to see it.

reply to post by jokei



There are pics at this link:

Project 816 - Unfinished plutonium production complex in China

China has been known to have two plutonium production facilities - the Jiuquan and Guangyuan complexes. As it turns out, it built another one - The "816 Nuclear Military Facility" is located near Baitao in Fuling District (the entrance to the facility might be about a kilometer north-east of the village). It had never appeared publicly until April 2010, when China opened it as a tourist attraction. The facility, which was built underground, has never been operational - the project approved in 1966, the construction began in 1967, but the project had not been completed and was terminated in 1984. Later it became part of the Jianfeng Chemical Engineering Plant under China's National Nuclear Corporation.

Wow S&F, that is pretty cool!
I don't blame the Chinese gov't for trying to make a couple of bucks off of it, especially if it was never operational....at least make back some of the money that was invested into the project.

Originally posted by jokei
Any pictures of this?

I searched the link and couldn't get anything, I'd be really interested to see it.

Although the text is in Chinese, there are some more pics here:
news.qq.com...

And I found this video:
news.qq.com...

[edit on 27-6-2010 by FosterVS]

Hmmm. Well, I'm sure it's safe. The Chinese have very high standards on and an exemplary record with things that are poisonous to people and other living beings. And they would never test harmful things on them. They're country is clean, especially the air and water. So it's probably okay.

[Yes, I read the thread...the devil made me do it.]

I'm not so sure how many tourists it will attract, but more power to them.

[edit on 27-6-2010 by ~Lucidity]