JHQ Rheindahlen: 12,000 Brits Vanish, Squirrels Rule Abandoned Cold War City

With garages sealed by saplings and houses chilled year-round, this 376-hectare site once boasted five British schools, a NAAFI superstore, and a BP station. Trending queries like “why did JHQ Rheindahlen close?” and “what happens in an abandoned town?” get surreal answers here: wildlife hosts garden parties and police train hostage rescues beside locked wardrobes. “I cannot believe this whole estate is completely abandoned,” Colin marvels.
JHQ Rheindahlen, a Cold War British town for 12,000, now hides deer and red squirrels in four-bedroom homes. Why did the Army abandon it? Can you buy a ghost town? Explore a suburb where garages lock only dust and trees.



































