From Bavarian Nuclear Bunker to Scientific Marijuana Farm

An entrepreneur from Southern Germany has big plans to build a medical cannabis research facility in a Cold War-era military installation.

The object of desire — a nuclear bunker in the German state of Bavaria — that boasts a 140-ton steel gate, airlocks, and meter-thick concrete walls.

For decades, NATO bombs were stationed at the nearby airport. If the Soviet Union had attacked the Federal Republic with nuclear weapons, the counter-attack would have been initiated from this part of Bavaria.

Before entrepreneur Christoph Roßner inquired about the possibility of growing cannabis, the vacant nuclear bunker was on its way to becoming either a computer server center or a venue for parties and events. But when the federal government announced their intention to issue licenses for cannabis cultivation, the 47-year-old bunker that’s been idle for 17 years was at the forefront of Roßner’s mind.

Ideal Cultivation Conditions

The bunker provides the best conditions for indoor growing and requires no major structural renovations to meet Germany’s high safety requirements for cannabis cultivation licensing.

Initially, Roßner was…