WHAT TO SEE IN AUSCHWITZ

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Memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp in Poland

One of the most impressive visits you can do on your trip to Krakow, at southern Poland, is at Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp memorial,

It is not a visit «easy" well in this memorial you will see incredible vestiges of the great drama that occurred in that place during the World War IIl.

But I think it's a essential visit to understand this drama and, above all, avoid repeating anything similar.

Memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp in Poland

In the town of Oswiecim, 70 kilometers west of Krakow, just over an hour by car, you find the location of the Auschwitz I main camp,

And only three kilometers from it is the huge field Auschwitz II Birkenau., which was built later for «speed up»The extermination of the Jews.

He Auschwitz main camp, known as Auschwitz I, it was built in 1940, and because of its size, 15,000 to 20,000 prisoners remained in this concentration camp.

Along with the later built of Auschwitz II Birkenau, where 90,000 prisoners remained, they became the largest Death camps of the Nazi stage.

In addition, later, they acquired a terrifying fame when they met the numerous and cruel experiments that Nazi scientists developed in these fields, such as the doctor Josef Mengele.

Entrance to the memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp

Auschwitz He was released in January 1945 by the Soviet army, after being previously abandoned by the Nazis before his imminent arrival.

What to see in Auschwitz I

When you start the visit ofmain course Auschwitz I, it is advisable, before entering the field enclosure, to watch the 15-minute documentary with black and white images that are projected continuously.

It really is a dramatic snack of what you are going to see.

You will see scenes recorded during the first moments lived after the liberation of the field (if you go with children, the images may be too shocking ...), some already known, but others novel for all of us.

Barracks of the memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp

After watching the documentary, it is time to go through theiron gate to access the Auschwitz I camp, with the sadly famous phrase Arbeit Macht Frei (Work will set you free).

Crossing this door can not stop producing a special feeling, especially when you arrive completely shocked by the documentary.

From this moment, the tour of the visit will lead you through the different barracks buildings where the Jews that were later to be exterminated were agglomerated.

You can visit most of these barracks, which have been set up as a museum.

The most impressive places are undoubtedly the huge glazed rooms where thousands of objects are piled up collected from prisoners, as suitcases.

Memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp in Poland

Or the room where the human hair used to weave is piled up.

In the corridors of the barracks you will see endless rows of photos of prisoners who were in Auschwitz.

And you can also see the wall used for the shootings, known as the Wall of Death, or the prisons used to lock up prisoners rebels, or the rooms where the prisoners were gassed.

In sum, a really impressive visit.

Memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp in Poland

Auschwitz schedules

TheAuschwitz visiting hours They vary according to the time of the year.

In the summer months you can visit it from 7.30 in the morning until 7 in the afternoon; in the months of spring and autumn it closes between 6 and 7 in the afternoon; and in winter, the schedule is from 8 hours to between 2 and 4 hours.

In winter it is from 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, and in the summer months, from 8 to 7 in the afternoon.

Memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp in Poland

Thecomplete visit of Auschiwtz, including the field of Birkenau, it will take you, at least, about three hours, and I remind you that the admission is free.

Auschwitz Tour in Spanish

To visit this memorial you can sign up for a guided tour in Spanish from Krakow.

This excursion solves the displacement from Krakow then you will leave by bus from the city center to get to Auschwitz, where you will visit both the main field and that of Birkenau, and then return to your hotel.

Here you have information about Spanish tour from Krakow to Auschwitz, which will take you six and a half hours.

And here you have another alternative of Auschwitz tour from Krakow with Spanish guide With a duration of seven hours.

Memorial of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp in Poland

How to get to Auschwitz

Yes in yourtrip to Krakow you don't have a car, you can go to Auschwitz by bus.

You must leave from the bus station of Kraków Główny, and you will arrive directly at Oswiecim Muzeum, without going through the town of Oswiecim.

By car it has to take the A4 motorway which links Krakow with Katowice, and in the village of Chrzanow Take Highway 233 to the south, which will take you directly to Oswiecim.