Ohel Yizkor, Holocaust memorial hall at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel
Ohel Yizkor is a square-shaped structure with walls of basalt stones from the Beit She'an Valley and a concrete pyramid roof that allows natural light to filter through perimeter slits. An elevated concrete bridge inside guides visitors across the central chamber, creating a narrow passage surrounded by the stone walls.
The structure was completed in 1957 by architects who drew inspiration from the Italian memorial Fosse Ardeatine in their design approach. It was built as a space for national ceremonies and has served as a center for official remembrance activities.
The floor displays names of concentration and extermination sites engraved in stone, which visitors walk across as they move through the space. This direct contact with the engraved names creates a moment of physical connection to places of memory.
Visitors enter this space by crossing a narrow elevated bridge, so comfortable shoes and sure footing are helpful. The chamber is compact and best experienced slowly, allowing time to read the engraved names and absorb the solemn atmosphere.
Ashes and remains from various concentration camps rest beneath a black marble stone in the center of the chamber, transferred there during the building's official inauguration in 1961. This quiet resting place transforms the space into a location where physical remains and memory converge.
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