Territory

The Salaspils Memorial is situated in the outskirts of Riga on the site of the former
Salaspils Camp and encompasses a total area of around 20 hectares (roughly 49
acres). The most essential part of the Memorial is the gallery building- carrying the
inscription “The ground moans behind these gates…” it is dubbed the border between
life and death. The ceremonial grounds located behind the gallery building have a
pedestal made from black granite that is intended for the placement of
commemorative flowers and wreaths. A metronome placed within the ceremonial
grounds ticks without interruption resembling a heartbeat that disturbs the otherwise
silent area thus reminding one of the eternal passage of time. Behind the ceremonial
grounds lie the freely placed concrete sculptures of monumental scale “Mother”,
“Unbroken and “Humiliated” as well as the sculpture group consisting of “Solidarity”,
“Oath” and “Rot Front”. A circular walkway leads around the whole sculpture
arrangement, sites of the former inmate barracks marked at the walkways outer edge.
“The road of death” leads past the gallery building in the direction of the Dārziņu
train station; a glass object called “Panorama” is located on the side of the road along
with obelisk information stands.
A commemorative plank and the German prisoner of war cemetery created in 2008.
can be found at the end of the road.