Salerno Bunker

This defensive stronghold was built between 1941 and 1943 by the soldiers of the 222nd Italian Coastal Division, and consisted of around twenty posts of various types, with the aim of defending the access routes in the southern area of Salerno. It was occupied by the Germans between 8 and 9 September 1943 and used against the British who occupied those hills in the hours following the landing. Today, the house-shaped façade facing the street has almost completely disappeared and the entrance has been closed to the public.

Today, the Bellara Hill is known as Masso della Signora (Lady's Rock) because of its particular shape. The Hill separates downtown from the new eastern districts, and during WWII became the scene of fighting between the Anglo-American allies and Nazi-Fascist troops. The bunker, equipped with a machine gun and a small anti-tank gun, controlled the central part of the stronghold and the road that ran alongside it. The side facing the driveway leading to Giovi was camouflaged with the façade of a house, while the side to the east, facing the sea, was camouflaged partly with the fake roof of the house and partly with camouflage material. Following the road downhill on the left, a few metres from the bunker, there is one of the many circular single-weapon emplacements in the area. This has a turret with loopholes and an underground chamber.

The area is now involved in the MAPPAMI SALERNO project (Mapping Salerno's military posts), which, in collaboration with the M.O.A. of Eboli and the Faculty of Computer Engineering of the University of Salerno, has as its main aim the census of all military posts, facilities and works in the province.

Furthermore, a team of researchers began the restoration and conservation of the military posts present a few years ago.