National Historical and Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar"

The National Historical and Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar" serves as a space that embodies the tragic heritage of three totalitarian regimes: Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and the present Russian aggression. It is a site dedicated to commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, the man-made Kurenivka disaster, and Ukraine's current fight for its liberty. Sculptures of angels, symbolizing guardians of the souls of those who died in the Holocaust, are placed at the entrance of the avenue leading to the Memorial Complex. This composition serves as a kind of entrance portal, beyond which the Memorial square opens up. In the center of the square, a circle is laid out with paving stones, and along its outer edge, stone millstones are placed, forming the "Millstones of Fate" square. Millstones, a common tool for Ukrainian peasants to grind grain, were confiscated during the Holocaust to deprive dying villagers of any possibility of preparing food. The stylized stones on the square symbolize the 24 hours in a day and the fact that 24,000 Ukrainian peasants died in a single day during the Holocaust. At the heart of the memorial complex stands the 30-meter Candle of Remembrance, a symbol of the Ukrainian people's eternal memory of the Holocaust. Its surface is adorned with glass crosses of varying sizes, each representing the soul of someone who died of starvation. Today, Babyn Yar is more than just a place of remembrance. Its tragic past has transformed into a powerful tool for dialogue, preserving historical heritage, and pursuing justice. The "Living Memory" Exhibition Center operates on the reserve's territory, where historical lessons and their significance for our time are explored through exhibitions, discussions, and educational projects.