Auschwitz concentration camp-Birkenau

Auschwitz-Birkenau was constructed in 1941, three kilometers from the main camp, Auschwitz I. It was built near the town of Oświęcim, which was renamed Auschwitz during the German occupation of Poland. Initially conceived as a labor camp for Soviet prisoners of war, its function quickly transformed into a central extermination camp. Approximately 1.1 million people were murdered here, including one million Jews from across Europe. Many died immediately upon arrival in the gas chambers, while others succumbed to disease, starvation, mistreatment, or medical experiments. On January 27, 1945, troops of the Red Army liberated the camp.

The former Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp is situated in the city of Oświęcim, in the Małopolskie district of the Południowy region in Poland, at an elevation of approximately 229 meters above sea level.

Today, the site of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp is a memorial and part of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Many parts of the original facilities are preserved or faithfully reconstructed and are publicly accessible. It serves as a Holocaust memorial, an international meeting and research center, and is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

• Auschwitz I Concentration Camp (Main Camp) (Military Structures), approx. 2.0 km away
• Lipowiec Castle Ruin (Castle), approx. 19.6 km away
• Gliwice Castle (Gleiwitz) (Castle), approx. 46.6 km away
• Mirów Castle Ruin (Castle), approx. 67.9 km away