816 Underground Nuclear Plant
816工程景区
An underground nuclear project carved into a mountain during the Third Front construction period. Its main cavern is 79.6 metres high, making it one of the largest man-made caverns known.
Project 816 is located in Baitao Subdistrict in Fuling. Construction began in 1966. It was originally planned as an underground nuclear material plant, but work stopped in 1984. The project was declassified in 2002 and opened to the public in 2010. The cavern covers a total floor area of about 104,000 square metres, and its main chamber is about 79.6 metres high. Visitors follow the passageways past the reactor hall, control room and piping systems, learning about the history of the Third Front construction effort. Tickets cost about 65 yuan. Opening hours are 09:00 to 17:00 from April to October and 09:00 to 16:30 from November to March. The cave is cool and damp, so bring a jacket even in summer.
Opening hours
April–October 09:00–17:00; November–March 09:00–16:30
Nearby sights
- Wulingshan Grand Rift
- Wulingshan National Forest Park
- Damu Flower Valley
- Fuling Zhacai Heritage Museum (Qiu Family Courtyard)
- Yangtze-Wu River Confluence
- Baiheliang Underwater Museum
- Dianyi Garden (Beiyan)
- Nantian Lake (Fengdu)