Mauthausen concentration camp Museum

Address: Gusenstraße 6, 4310 Mauthausen, Austria

Website: https://www.mauthausen-memorial.org/

Mauthausen was a Nazi concentration camp complex in Upper Austria established after the 1938 Anschluss; it became one of the largest and most notorious camps in German-controlled territory. Today it is preserved as a memorial and museum documenting the camp system and its victims.

Visitors encounter preserved barracks, the former quarry where forced labour took place, the crematoria and extensive exhibitions that explain the site’s history. Outdoor monuments and the quarry area form central elements of the memorial landscape.

The camp was established by the Nazi regime beginning in 1938 and was used for forced labour, imprisonment and mass killings until liberation in May 1945. Thousands of prisoners from across Europe were held there and many were killed on site or died from the conditions.

The memorial sits close to the town of Mauthausen in Upper Austria, on a hillside above the Danube and roughly 20 kilometres east of the city of Linz.

• Memorial site: The site functions today as a national memorial and museum with preserved camp structures, exhibitions and guided information for visitors.
• Liberation and conduct: The complex was liberated by United States forces in May 1945 and contains outdoor monuments and preserved areas that require respectful behaviour from visitors.

What to See#

• Quarry: A former granite quarry on the hillside where prisoners were forced to work under brutal conditions; the quarry area remains a central, preserved element of the complex.
• Crematoria and camp buildings: The crematoria block and adjacent preserved camp buildings, which form the core of the memorial site and exhibition areas documenting camp history.
• Memorial and exhibition centre: A visitor and exhibition centre with displays, memorials and preserved structures established to document the camp’s history and commemorate victims.

The Mauthausen Memorial is just east of the town of Mauthausen, roughly 20-25 km east of Linz. By car it is about a 20-30 minute drive from Linz (follow the main roads east along the Danube); parking is available near the memorial grounds.

Public transport: regional ÖBB trains and regional buses connect Linz with the Mauthausen area - from Linz Hauptbahnhof a regional train/bus ride to the Mauthausen area takes under an hour depending on connections; from the nearest rail/bus stop a short taxi or local bus will bring you to the memorial entrance.

• Arrive at opening time on a weekday to avoid the large coach groups that usually come later in the morning and to allow quiet, reflective time in the outdoor memorial areas.
• Start your visit at the Mauthausen Memorial visitor centre/museum-check the official site for guided tour times and audio-guide availability so you can follow the exhibitions and contextual information before walking the camp grounds.
• Make time to walk down to the stone quarry and the separate memorials and cemeteries; many visitors focus on the main camp and miss these equally important sections of the site.