The Super-Rich Are Building Bunkers in the Swiss Alps for Their Ferraris, Gold and Fine Wine

The project is being developed by Swiss businessman Thomas Gasser, chairman of the board of Brünig Mega Safe. The complex is being constructed beneath the Brünig Pass, near the village of Lungern.

The underground facility will comprise around 20 private vaults located more than 100 meters below the surface and surrounded by solid rock. The natural Alpine rock formation is designed to provide an additional layer of protection against intruders.

Developers say the facility’s security will be comparable to that of the Swiss National Bank.

Access to such a vault, however, will not come cheap. Each underground space is being sold on a 99-year lease, with prices starting at nearly 1 million Swiss francs — about $1.23 million, according to the New York Post.

Gasser’s family company, which employs around 300 people, has specialized in underground construction, quarrying and the use of explosives for decades.

Construction is already well underway, with the complex expected to open next year.

Multiple Layers of Security

Getting to a private underground vault will be far more complicated than simply driving up to it.

“First, you’ll have to drive through a special checkpoint and get out of your vehicle. There will be several security checks, the details of which, obviously, will not be disclosed to the public,” Gasser told Swiss broadcaster RTS.

Even journalists were not shown the future entrance to the complex. At the same time, buyers are not simply purchasing space inside a secure storage facility — they are acquiring legally registered real estate. According to the developer, each client becomes the owner of a separate parcel with its own land registry number, and the property can even be used as collateral if needed.

The underground space where the luxury vaults are now being built once served a far more public purpose. It housed Cantina Caverna, a restaurant and events venue, as well as a shooting range and a firefighter training center designed to simulate tunnel fires.

A Bunker for Ferraris and Gold

The project has received a mixed reaction from residents of the small village of Lungern.

Some have questioned why the village needs a luxury bunker for billionaires. One local resident complained that “they’re building something for people who already have enough money.”

Others have taken a more humorous view, joking that they are looking forward to seeing their new “neighbors” arrive in Ferraris and race along the surrounding Alpine roads.

Switzerland, of course, has a long tradition of storing valuables deep underground. Over the years, former military bunkers have been converted into fortified storage facilities and highly secure data centers.

In 2024, Swiss banks managed around 9.3 trillion Swiss francs in assets — approximately $11.5 trillion. About half of those assets came from abroad, according to figures from Presence Switzerland, an agency of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

But the Lungern project takes the idea of storing wealth in the mountains to a whole new level. The sprawling complex is designed for wealthy clients from around the world seeking maximum protection for their most valuable assets amid growing global uncertainty.

One of the most famous billionaires associated with the idea of fortified retreats is Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg. In addition to his primary home in Palo Alto, he is developing a fortified estate in Hawaii worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The property includes an underground shelter, private food and water supplies, and an emergency escape hatch.