Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Guide

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe stands a few minutes from the Brandenburg Gate, on ground that was once part of the Wall's death strip. It was designed by the American architect Peter Eisenman and opened in 2005. Admission to the field is free, it is open to walk through at any hour, and it is a place of remembrance rather than a photo stop.

What you see

The field holds 2,711 grey concrete stelae of different heights, set in a grid on ground that rises and falls. At the edges they are low, almost like benches. Walking inward, the floor dips and the blocks grow taller than a person, until the street noise fades and you can only see the slabs ahead and the sky above. Eisenman gave no official explanation of what it should mean, and that is deliberate: each visitor is left to find their own response.

The information centre

Beneath the field is an underground exhibition, the Ort der Information. It tells the story of the persecution and murder of Europe's Jews through letters, diaries and the names and biographies of individuals and families. We would go there after walking the field, not before, because it gives the stelae their weight. Expect a security check at the entrance, and check the official site for opening arrangements and how long it takes.

How to behave

• Do not climb or jump on the stelae.
• Keep voices low, and do not run, play or pose for joking photographs.
• Photographs are fine if they are respectful, but put the camera down for a while.
• Children should be kept close, as the paths are narrow and the ground uneven.

Nearby

Across the road on the edge of Tiergarten are two smaller memorials, to the Sinti and Roma murdered by the Nazis, and to homosexual victims of Nazi persecution. For the wider history of the regime, the Topography of Terror is about ten minutes away on foot. The memorial also sits between the Brandenburg Gate and Potsdamer Platz, so it is hard to miss on any central walk. Give it its own time rather than fitting it into a rush between sights.