Majdanek Memorial

Majdanek is the site of a German Nazi concentration and extermination camp on the southern edge of Lublin, preserved as a state museum and memorial. Unlike most camps, it was captured largely intact, so the barracks, watchtowers, gas chambers and crematorium still stand where they were built. It is a place of mourning and record rather than a sight to tick off, and a visit asks for time and care.

Construction of the camp began in 1941 and it operated until Soviet forces reached it in July 1944. Because the retreating German staff failed to destroy it, Majdanek is one of the best-preserved camps of the Holocaust. The museum on the grounds was founded in 1944, the first memorial of its kind in the world. Tens of thousands of people were murdered here, a large share of them Jews.

A marked route leads across the field of the camp. It passes the surviving barracks, some holding exhibitions, the perimeter fences and towers, and the buildings where people were killed. At the far end stands the mausoleum designed by Wiktor Tolkin and unveiled in 1969, a large dome that holds the ashes of victims gathered on the site. A monument gate marks the entrance to the memorial route.

Allow at least two to three hours. The grounds are large and open, and walking the full route from the entrance monument to the mausoleum takes time. Give yourself space to pause. Many visitors find one thorough visit is enough.

The memorial lies on the south-eastern edge of the city, a short bus or trolleybus ride from the centre along the road towards Zamosc. There is parking for those driving. The site is exposed, with little shade, so dress for the weather. For routes and transport, see the Lublin guide.

Majdanek sits apart from the old centre, but a Lublin visit usually pairs it with the historic core:

• The Old Town, in the city centre.
• The Grodzka Gate, whose NN Theatre centre records the city's lost Jewish community.
• Lublin Castle, which held prisoners during the occupation.

Entry to the memorial and its exhibitions is free. Guided tours can be arranged for a fee. Confirm current arrangements with the museum before your visit.

The camp was overrun quickly in 1944 and the staff did not manage to demolish it, so the buildings and structures survived. That is why the barracks, chambers and crematorium can still be seen today.