Jasenovac Memorial Site — Attraction in Općina Jasenovac

Moving and sensitive memorial to a terrible death camp.Free to go in and WCs available. It is a green and peaceful site now as no original buildings have been kept but instead the grassed site is mapped out using round hillocks and craters to show where different parts were. Information and maps are in English too and we learned a lot about the history of persecutions in the region. Some relicts like food bowls and clothes are in the free museum. The huge flower sculpture is a powerful symbol visible from the road and when inside there are a lot of candles and floral tributes which are very poignant. There is a train that carried prisoners with carriages too which again brought me to tears. Overall recommend everyone to visit such places to learn more about past attrrocities and pay respects to those...

The Jasenovac Memorial Site Memorial Museum, on the original locations of the former Ustasha camp and execution sites, and in the Education Centre, visitors are made aware of the consequences of denying human dignity, and a special programme for younger generations teaches them about non-violence, democracy and human rights. Since the opening of the new museum exhibition, there has been a rise in the number of visitors, particular organised groups. In 2007 Jasenovac Memorial Site was visited by around 750 primary and secondary school pupils and students, organised in 25 groups. Mixed national groups of students arrived from all directions, from Croatia, America, Austria, Switzerland...

Even though the dark interior of the memorial house makes you feel like it's closed, it's not - just open the door, enter and observe. It's also free to enter. A lot of information is presented and there are books in different languages to buy.

The big monument outside stands alone and it's something that takes your breath away, not in a good way, but in a specific way - when you know what it presents. The whole complex is so quiet, which seems so correct because you need a clear mind in silence to process all that...