Denti di drago e bunker di Milano Marittima

On the Milano Marittima seafront, three restored German Second World War bunkers and a line of concrete dragon’s teeth preserve part of Cervia’s coastal defences. The structures were uncovered during work on the new seafront and restored from 2020 by the Association CRB 360° with the Municipality of Cervia.

Why it matters

The bunkers and anti-tank obstacles formed part of a defensive system intended to protect the Gothic Line from assault by sea. Their survival makes visible a chapter of the war that is otherwise easy to overlook in a seaside resort landscape.

What to notice

The three bunkers include two Tobruk posts and a Regelbau 668. Tobruk posts were small, partly buried positions with a circular opening through which a soldier could use a machine gun or mortar. The larger Regelbau 668 served as a shelter and communications post; its equipment included a radio command, stove, periscope and bunks for six. A mural inside bears a phrase attributed to the German poet Friedrich Schiller. The Regelbau’s restored entrance and tunnel connect it to the adjacent Tobruk.

Context and history

During the Second World War, German forces fortified the Adriatic coast with bunkers, barbed wire, minefields and anti-tank obstacles. The Cervia positions were intended to defend the Gothic Line, particularly against landings from the sea. Three bunkers discovered during the Milano Marittima seafront works became the focus of a restoration and research project begun in January 2020 by CRB 360° and the municipality. Their exposed concrete forms and remaining interior features now give a tangible account of the coastal defensive network.