Key Facts
• 1962: Prokštynai Missile Base completed after two years of construction.
• Over 10,000 workers from across the Soviet Union built the base.
• Located in Žemaitija National Park, 50 km from the Baltic Sea.
• Base housed R-12 Dvina missiles in four 30-meter-deep silos.
• 1978: U.S. satellites discovered the base, already closed under disarmament treaties.
• 1990: Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union.
• 2012: Museum opened with EU funding, showcasing Cold War history.
• 35,000 visitors from around the world visited the museum last year.
• Features include underground command centers, missile silos, and Soviet-era artifacts.
• Nearby ghost town housed 300 soldiers and officers, now abandoned.
Summary
The Prokštynai Missile Base, hidden in Lithuania’s Žemaitija National Park, was a top-secret Soviet nuclear facility during the Cold War. Built in 1962, it housed R-12 Dvina missiles in four underground silos. The base was discovered by U.S. satellites in 1978 but had already been decommissioned under disarmament agreements. After Lithuania’s independence in 1990, the site was abandoned and later transformed into a Cold War Museum in 2012 with EU support. Visitors can explore the underground command center, missile silos, and Soviet-era relics, learning about Cold War history and propaganda. Nearby, an abandoned ghost town once housed 300 military personnel. Today, the site contrasts its grim past with the serene beauty of the surrounding national park, making it a unique destination for history and nature enthusiasts.
