Mauthausen

A town on the Danube east of Linz, known for its former concentration camp, which today operates as a memorial centre. The gatehouse, barracks, quarry, and the staircase up which prisoners were forced to carry heavy stone blocks have all been preserved; the permanent exhibition covers both the camp itself and the stories of those who passed through it. The memorial is open year-round and admission is free. A visit requires time and mental preparation — this is not something to tack on as an afterthought to another excursion.