Vienna, the end of our stumble across Europe. Until now we had avoided spending money on accommodation, good friends more then willing to offer up a spare bed or couch along the way. However we were now in Vienna, we had none here. We were on our own, time to dig out the wallet. Our plan was to spend just one night in a hostel halfway through our stay for a wash and bum it the rest. So given the ”events” of the previous night it seemed like that time had finally come, but it was only 10am and there was something we needed to check first.

Constructed in August 1944 and completed in January 1945 the ‘Type 3′ Augarten Flak Tower ‘G’ (Flaktürme VII) was one of several giant defensive blockhouse towers used by the Luftwaffe during WWII to combat the Allied air raids on its cities. These towers also functioned as a shelter during the air raids, with space available for up to 10,000 people.

The principle was simple, yet effective. Three turrets were built in a triangle around a section of the city, the airspace enveloped now protected and dangerous enough to discourage Allied bombers from flying within. The three turrets were commanded by a fourth tower constructed outside the formation.

Standing at over 55m tall with walls 3m thick they could fire over 8000 rounds per minute and were considered invulnerable to attack, ordinance used by the Allied Air-force at the time totally ineffective. The flak towers were so impregnable that when Russians found they were unable to damage them, even with their 203mm howitzers they chose to go around them, continuing their invasion of Berlin leaving the towers operational. Eventually special envoys had to be sent back to negotiate their surrender after the war had ended.

The Augarten ‘G’ tower housed four 12.8cm Zwillingsflak 44 anti-aircraft guns, each with an effective firing range of almost 50,000ft. The heavy weight of the guns and grenades required the installation of a electronic handling system to control leveling and automatically reload the shells.

In 1946 local children playing in the Augarten ‘G’ tower ignited the 2000 strong stockpile of anti-aircraft shells causing multiple explosions and fire which according to witnesses ”Lifted the roof off”, effectively gutting the building. Signs of this event are still visible from the outside with large cracks scarring the walls. The interior gives a much clearer sign of the damage inflicted, whole floors destroyed, the roof collapsing, basement buried and the main staircase hanging on by a thread.

Originally brought to our attention Siologen who had visited in 2006 but found himself unable to gain access. We initially only saw this as a way to spend some time sight seeing, the possible routes of entry he suggested seemed to risky and dangerous for our skill levels. But it had been two years, things change, walls that once stopped a legendary drainer now seemingly non existent. It seemed the gods were smiling on us, our access granted in exchange for the skin on our hands and a few notches on the hygiene bar.

I wont lie, there is nothing left in the ‘G’ tower, any remnants of its wartime use likely perished in the explosion or were removed afterwards. What your left with is a rather tall, rather unstable chunk of concrete, a pencil outline of what once was. That’s not to say it wasn’t interesting.

Dodging aerial assaults from angry German pigeons (Serious pigeons!) we slowly made out way into the center of the building. The core housed a twin spiral staircase, one more stable then the other with sections completely destroyed. The aftermath of the destruction caused by the accident gives the structure its own charm, somewhat making up for its lack of contents. Scenes you would usual expect while caving exist between the crumbling floors, the occasional charred sign painted onto the walls and of course, the roof.

The roof gave you the greatest insight into how the tower once operated. The four gun positions of the Zwillingsflak 44 spaced evenly amongst the ammo stores that encircled each one, the bent and twisted rebar which once supported the looking tower sitting in the middle. All this supported by what is arguably the best view Vienna has to offer.

Time flew by at we sat drinking beer and taking photos, and then we twigged it. Access was simple enough, why don’t we sleep here? And that as they say, was that. For the next three nights the Augarten ‘G’ greeted us with open arms, more beer, more food and cost free slumber in the ammo pens.