Katyn': The Katyń Memorial Complex and Exhibitions

The Katyń Memorial Complex is located near Katyn'—a place where memorial culture can be explored through burial sites, sculptures and exhibitions. It is the first international memorial complex in Russia for victims of totalitarian repression. The different areas each have their own focus: when planning your visit, you can decide whether to give particular attention to the outdoor memorial sites, the historical exhibitions or a guided tour.

Memorial Sites and Their History

The memorial complex includes a burial area for residents of Smolensk Oblast who were victims of political repression, as well as a military cemetery where Polish prisoners of war are buried. The two areas commemorate different groups and are among the memorial complex’s central stops.

The so-called “Valley of Death” contains mass graves of residents of Smolensk Oblast who were victims of political repression. The sculptural composition opened there in 2018 includes the “Rasstrel” monument and the Wall of Remembrance. The names of residents sentenced to death as victims of political repression are inscribed on the wall.

Next to the memorial complex stands the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, an Orthodox memorial church for victims of political repression. It adds a religious place of remembrance to the memorial sites.

Exhibitions at the Katyń Memorial Complex

At the museum and exhibition center, “Rossiya i Polsha. XX vek. Stranitsy istorii” (“Russia and Poland. The 20th Century. Pages of History”) explores Russian-Polish relations in the 20th and early 21st centuries. Its thematic scope therefore extends beyond the 20th century.

The pavilion at the main entrance houses the exhibition “Sokhranyonnaya pamyat” (“Preserved Memory”). The pavilion is intended for welcoming and assisting tourists; documentary films are also shown there. Another photo-documentary exhibition is titled “Totalitarnoe proshloe Smolenshchiny” (“The Totalitarian Past of Smolensk Oblast”).

The grounds also feature the exhibition “Polsko-sovetskaya voyna 1919–1921 gg. Sudba krasnoarmeytsev v polskom plenu” (“The Polish-Soviet War of 1919–1921: The Fate of Red Army Soldiers in Polish Captivity”) and “Zabveniyu ne podlezhit” (“Not to Be Forgotten”). The exhibition object “GULAG na kolesakh” (“GULAG on Wheels”) focuses on the history of dekulakization. Together with the exhibition on Russian-Polish history, these titles offer a range of historical topics to explore in preparation for your visit.

Wayfinding and Guided Tours

The grounds’ wayfinding system includes a large site map at the parking lot, direction signs, map steles and explanatory panels at individual sites. Information is available in Russian, English and Polish. You can use the wayfinding information to locate the different areas and interpretive displays around the grounds.

At the Katyń Memorial Complex in Smolensk Oblast, group and individual guided tours are offered around the grounds, through the exhibitions and to the exhibition displays. You can enquire in advance or on the day of your visit, in order of arrival. Check current opening hours and booking details before your visit.

Another Historical Perspective on Smolensk Oblast

The Gnezdovo archaeological complex in Smolensk Oblast offers another historical perspective. Today, about 2,500 burial mounds and a settlement remain there. The complex is considered the largest complex of archaeological monuments in Russia and Europe from the period when the Old Russian state was emerging, and it is protected as an archaeological monument of state—i.e. federal—importance.

Choose Your Accommodation Based on Your Travel Focus

When looking for a holiday rental in Katyn', your planned focus is a useful starting point: will your stay be devoted primarily to the memorial complex, or would you also like to explore other historical topics in Smolensk Oblast? This decision can help you choose a place to stay that suits your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Przhevalskoye, Novye Bateki, Pilichki, Gorodnya, Vskhody, Staroye Selo, Vyazma, Baranovo.

View the broader travel overview: Smolensk Oblast.