These Air Raid Shelters were designed in 1936, began to be built in February, 1937 and finished in 1938. They are underground galleries designed by the architect Guillermo Langle Rubio, the canal engineer José Fornieles and the mining engineer Carlos Fernández, who directed the construction of the galleries 9 metres underground to protect the people from the bombardments which took place in the city.

Of the 4.5 kilometers designed by the architect, almost I km has been recovered which coincides with the main street: the Paseo de Almeria, although other stretches of gallery are to be found spread around different parts of the city. The galleries offered shelter to 34,144 people when, at that time, Almeria had a population of about 50,000 inhabitants. The local people who did not shelter in the galleries took refuge in natural shelters such as the caves of La Chanca or the iron ore mines.

Once the war finished, the entrances were covered with a series of kiosks in the Rationalist style and which are now part of the city´s urban architecture. These kiosks can still be seen today in some squares.

The shelters were never used again and the galleries remained closed until December, 2006 when the rehabilitation carried out by Almeria Town Council was finished. Currently, they have the attraction of possessing recreated areas: a food store, a private shelter where there is a homage to Guillermo Langle Rubio and the operating theatre which has medical instruments of the time can also be visited. At present they are the largest shelters open to the public in Europe.