Hel

Military heritage of Hel

The Hel Peninsula served as a strategic military stronghold for over a century, most notably during the 1939 defense of Poland. This collection features the massive 406 mm Schleswig-Holstein battery, the H. Laskowski battery which defended the coast against German warships, and various bunkers, fire control towers, and artillery positions spanning from WWII to the Cold War era. These sites, many of which are part of the Museum of Coastal Defense, offer a detailed look at coastal fortification engineering.

Military Heritage of Hel — Map

Luciano Noceti / CC-BY-SA

A

Kuter WŁA-55

A retired wooden fishing cutter preserved on land as a monument to the region's maritime history.

B

Gun Battery Schleswig-Holstein

Part of the Museum of Coastal Defense, this massive concrete bunker once housed one of the world's largest 406 mm guns.

C

Makabra XX w.

An exhibition located within a former bunker exploring the history of 20th-century warfare through dioramas and artifacts.

D

Stanowisko Ogniowe nr 4 31 BAN im. H. Laskowskiego

One of the four main firing positions of the Heliodor Laskowski Battery, which played a critical role in the 1939 defense of the peninsula.

E

Stanowisko Ogniowe nr 3 31 BAN im. H. Laskowskiego

A reinforced concrete artillery position belonging to the pre-WWII Polish coastal defense system.

Luciano Noceti / CC-BY-SA

F

Wieża radarowa

A Cold War-era radar tower used for naval surveillance and fire control along the Baltic coast.

G

Dawna strzelnica

The remains of a former military shooting range used by the Hel garrison.

H

Gun Battery Schleswig-Holstein

The third position of the German 406 mm battery, featuring massive concrete fortifications and internal ammunition storage rooms.

I

Wieża kierowania ogniem baterii Schleswig-Holstein

A 25-meter tall fire control tower built by German forces to direct the long-range fire of the Schleswig-Holstein battery.

J

Ruiny stanowiska artyleryjskiego z II Wojny Światowej

Concrete remains of WWII-era artillery emplacements situated within the forest.

K

33. Bateria "Grecka"

Ruins of a coastal battery established in 1939, originally equipped with 105 mm guns for short-range defense.

L

Bateria Duńska

Remains of a 1930s coastal artillery battery that originally utilized 152.4 mm Bofors guns.

M

Stanowisko Ogniowe nr 2 31 BAN im. H. Laskowskiego

A well-preserved artillery emplacement of the Laskowski Battery, accessible via forest trails near the tip of the peninsula.

N

Wieża Sterownicza

A military observation and control tower used for monitoring naval movements.

O

Centrala Artyleryjska 3 BAS

The central fire control bunker for the 3rd Coastal Artillery Battery, dating from the post-war Cold War period.

P

Zapasowy pkt. kier. ogniem

An auxiliary fire control point and observation bunker used to support the coastal defense network.

Q

Ruiny Stanowiska Ogniowego nr 1 31 Baterii Artylerii Nadbrzeżnej

The first firing position of the historic Laskowski Battery, showing the scale of pre-WWII Polish fortifications.

R

21 Bateria Przeciwlotnicza

The site of a former anti-aircraft battery designed to protect the Hel naval base from air strikes.

Other Lists

Hel Essentials Coastal Attractions in Hel Viewpoints and Towers