Back in June we presented [6]the latest (and only) product from Vivos [7]: a company which specializes in creating the ultimate in luxurious Doomsday bunkers - both in the US (Indiana) and Europe (Germany) - which, however, are not only for the world's wealthiest (read billionaires only need apply) but also for those who Vivos founder, California entrepreneur Robert Vicino, deems worthy: anyone can apply for a spot in the post-apocalypse world but only a select few will be admitted.
So to all those who did not make the list and are terrified that once the Fed and its central bank peers finally lose control and the apocalypse begins to unfold, they will burn with the mere peasants in the resulting mushroom clouds, we have good news: there is a backup option.
As Forbes reports [8], in a quiet valley in the Czech Republic, stand a complex surrounded by high walls, which is not visible at ground level and from the air appears to be nothing more than a boring administration center.
This is The Oppidum, a massive 323,000 square foot property. Construction on the secret facility began in 1984, at the height of the Cold War, as a classified joint venture between the governments of what were then Czechoslovakia and The Soviet Union. It was built between 1984 and 1994, at a time when global instability and the possibility of weapons of mass destruction were entirely real, just as they are again today.
Because the construction of the facility occurred at a time of heightened world tension, the enormous level of resources used to develop it would be all but impossible to match today. It is extremely unlikely that any government would approve a non-military structure of this size to be built today.
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Aerial rendering of The Oppidum Complex
What lies hidden beneath, carved deep in the mountain is the largest residential doomsday shelter in the world.
Just like Vivos Europa One, the Oppidum will be more than an underground bunker for dangerous times. It provides an above-ground residential estate in which the owners can maintain a high standard of living in a secluded area above ground during times of potential danger.
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Terrain cut rendering of the Bunker below the estate
Again, just like Vivos' products, the entrance is hidden so that only billionaires who know the secret handshake can go back to their post-apocalyptic 5-star hotel. No zombies allowed:
The residents can enter the shelter by descending through a secret corridor to the bunker, sealing it with a blast door in less than a minute. It enables inhabitants to return quickly to the above-ground residence once the threat has passed.
The below-ground Bunker of The Oppidum will be the area in which inhabitants can be isolated and protected from the threat of war, disease, natural disasters, or personal threats ranging from terrorists to zombies.
Did we mention that billionaire will live here? That means that while it may be 6,000 degrees Kelvin outside, the inside better be draped in luxury.
And it will be: the planned luxurious underground compound on two levels includes a total space of 77,500 sf with 13 foot high ceilings. The layout features one large 6,750 sf apartment and six 1,720 sf apartments.
Among the luxury features are an underground garden with simulated natural light, as well as a spa, swimming pool, cinema, library, and other leisure facilities. There will be offices and a conference room as well as medical and surgical facilities and supplies. Custom private vaults will also be designed to store valuables and personal art collections.
The Oppidum complex will provide its owner with a safe haven for family, friends, business partners, other professionals, and staff in an above-ground residential estate before disaster strikes.
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Interior bedroom of bunker
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Bunker swimming pool and garden using artificial lighting
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Underground bunker wine cellar
As Forbes adds, the location of The Oppidum is the foundation of its security. The Czech Republic is in central Europe and is surrounded by mountains. "The country is not a target of aggression by any other countries or organizations." Well maybe not right this moment, but there is a funny story about what happened in 1939 [14]...
In any event, the hopes is that any potential conflict in the world is likely to avoid the Czech Republic or, at the very least, reach it at a later stage, which would enable the owners of The Oppidum to arrive at the compound and make preparations.
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First floor of the underground shelter
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Second floor of the underground shelter
The entire Oppidum complex can be operated from an underground control center, with exclusive access to communications networks internally and to the outside world.
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Then again why bother: if the world truly suffers an apocalyptic event, there won't be an "outside world."
So what's the point?
Well, assuming a "less than global extinction event", i.e., a less catastrophic situation, the bunker will allow the inhabitants to survive natural or man-made disasters, or long-term power outages. The bunker will also be able to provide long-term accommodation for residents – up to 10 years if necessary – without the need for external supplies. This would involve large-scale stocks of non-perishable food and water, along with water purification equipment, medical supplies, surgical facilities, and communication networks with the outside world.
Even so, a question emerges: is it really necessary? Furthermore, the entire complex is still incomplete and needs an (even bigger billionaire) buyer:
"the underground levels of The Oppidum are in a newly reconstructed shell-and-core state. Communication and other technologies are not yet in place. They will be incorporated during the customization process.
The above-ground section of The Oppidum is in its original condition, also ready to be customized to the buyer’s wishes. The buyer will be able to choose whether to commission The Oppidum project team to customize the facility or to do the customization of some or all of it independently."
Still, with the amount of discretionary funds held by the world's 0.01%, we are confident someone will step up and purchase the "boutique post-apocalyptic hotel."
Who is the seller of the Oppidium concept?
A Czech entrepreneur Jakub Zamrazil, with a successful track record in real estate development, sales and marketing. When Mr Zamrazil first toured the unique former military facility, he was impressed by its massive scale. He saw its potential to be transformed into the ultimate life-assurance solution and named it The Oppidum, from the Latin word meaning the main settlement in an administrative area of ancient Rome. The word was derived from the earlier Latin op-pedum, an “enclosed space”, used to describe fortresses that were constructed in Europe as early as the Iron Age.
Mr Zamrazil joined forces with top professionals in the fields of security and luxury development to put together the concept of the ultimate life-assurance solution for the modern age. General Andor Šándor (Retired) is the security director and guarantor of the Oppidum project. He is a former Chief of the Military Intelligence Service of the Czech Republic, with the rank of Brigadier General.
According to General Šándor, “The uniqueness of the bunker lies in the fact that it combines state of the art security with luxury and comfort. It is the largest known such facility on earth.”
Why concept? Because while billionaires may or may not have a luxurious transition into the post-apocalyptic world, what they are really needed for right now is their money. Because as of this moment the Oppidium is nothing more than a largely useless Cold War structure, with a few potential floorplans and 3D room designs.
Then again, the true believers of a graceful transition into the "post-apocalypse" will have no qualms about being fleeced. After all, if the end of the world is really coming, nothing will be more worthless than fiat paper: one may as well spend it now.
Plus, don't forget - priorities...
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The full promotional video of the Oppidium is below: