Auschwitz concentration camp was the largest Nazi death camp. It's estimated that about 2 million
people (Jews, mostly) perished in it. It was declared World Heritage Site in 1979. It was directed, under Himler's supervision, by Rudolf Hoss until 1943 when it was replaced by Arthur Liebehenschel and Richard Baer .
It housed some famous prisioners as the prestigious psychiatrist Viktor Frankl , who survived and wrote his memoirs in the camp in " Man's Search for Meaning "or the beatified St. Maximilian Kolbe , who died after voluntarily changing the position of a condemned man.
The complex is divided into three camps: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II (Birkenau) and Auschwitz III. Today you can only see the I and II..
HOW TO GET AUSCHWITZ FROM KRAKOW
The best way to get to the camp is to catch a bus at the main bus station in Krakow (location here ). It runs every half hour and the ticket is purchased directly on the bus. The ticket price is 20 zlotys outward / return ($7). The bus direction is Oswiecim (signposted both the bus and on the platform where parking). It takes half an hour to arrive and it leaves us in the parking of Auschwitz I, next to the entrance.
If you go by train to Auschwitz, you will have to walk 1.2 miles to the entrance of Auschwitz I.
AUSCHWITZ I
Location here .
Official Website: http://www.auschwitz.org
Open every day except 1 January, 25 December and Easter Sunday.
Opening hours:
- 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 PM from December to February
- 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 PM March, November
- 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 PM April, October
- 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 PM May, September
- 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 PM June, July, August
From November 1 to March 31 admission is free, but guided tours are 40 zlotys ($13).
Guided tours schedule:
• Polish: 11.00 am, 1.30 pm (except 27/01/2013)
• English: 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 1.20 pm (except 01/27/2013)
• French: 12.30 pm (except 13.11.2012, 14.11.2012 and 01.27.2013)
• German: 12.30 pm (except 01/27/2013)
• Italian: 24:30 (except 14.01, 23.01, 27.01, 09.03, 17.03 and 03.18.2013)
• Spanish: 12.30 pm (except 27/01/2013)
From April to October is mandatory ent with tour, 40 zlotys ($13).
Guided tours schedule:
Guided tours schedule:
• Spanish: April, October: 12.00 am from May to September: 10.00 am, 12.00 am, 2 pm
• English: October: every hour between 10.30 am and 3.30 pm from May to September: every 30 minutes between 9.30 am - 3.30 pm
It is estimated that the tour lasts about 4 hours.
It's better to visit the camp during the fall-winter months. In the summer months there are many visitors and the visit is more uncomfortable. Moreover, in summer months it's required to enter with a guided tour and it's not the best way to see it. I would recommend to spend a full day to visit the camp on your own, without a guide. You can cross the entrance with the guided group and once inside go by yourself.
If you want to plan your visit, the official website offers a virtual tour where you can find what is in each barrack. You can click here go there.
