This astonishingly unique location, near Vienna, is a real nuclear power plant that was built in the 1970s but never used, making it accessible for productions. It is an authentic reminder of the age of the enthusiastic boom of nuclear power during the Cold War. Yet, because of a last-minute referendum, only a 1.5% majority stopped Austria from using nuclear energy and operating this plant. To this day it is Austria’s only standing Nuclear Power Plant, open to film and photography shoots, making it probably the only film set in the world that cost 1 billion euros to build. It is an amazing labyrinth of 1,000 rooms, some with control panels and decades-old technology giving it an atmospheric industrial feel. The building also has a huge tower, enormous reactor and safety vessels, with huge circular iron doors, where visitors can walk freely today but which would be highly radioactive and high-security if it were operational. These features make it a perfect backdrop even for a sci-fi, not to mention a period film set in the Cold War, since the exterior and interior are so typical of its '70s era, with its characteristic designs and colours.

Photo gallery

Built at a cost of 1 billion euros, this nuclear power plant was never used
Interior control booth of Nuclear Power Plant with glass windows and red counter.
The interior design and colours bring back the atmosphere of the past
Control room of Nuclear Power Plant with red-framed doors and monitoring panels.
Made in the 1970s, this control room takes you back to the Cold War era
Communication switchboard with telephones and control buttons inside Nuclear Power Plant.
Left pretty much untouched since they were planning to use it, making it an ideal film set
Industrial staircase leading to mechanical section inside Nuclear Power Plant.
The power plant is open to productions and has already been used in many films
Reactor chamber interior with metal platforms and circular opening at Nuclear Power Plant.
If the power plant were operational, these extraordinary spaces would be highly radioactive

Filmed at this location

The plant is open to productions and has been used as the main location for the 2013 French-Austrian drama called Grand Central starring Tahar Rahim and Léa Seydoux, in which the main characters are workers in the power plant. It was also used by Antonin Pevny when he directed a music video for Moby’s song “After”. Today, in addition to many film and photography productions, the space is even used for dining events among the reactors.