Kaunas Fortress Tunnels

The Kaunas Fortress is one of the most impressive military engineering achievements in Eastern Europe. Built by the Russian Empire between 1882 and 1915, this ring of nine forts and connecting batteries was designed to defend the strategically important confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Beneath the forts lies an extensive network of underground tunnels, ammunition stores, and troop passages. Today, several of the forts offer guided tours of their underground sections. Walking through the damp, brick-lined tunnels with only a flashlight reveals the scale of the fortress's engineering. The acoustics are extraordinary — whispers travel for dozens of meters through the curved passages.