Construction of the Holocaust Museum of Greece begins in Thessaloniki

The initial excavation work for the Holocaust Museum of Greece has been completed.

The project is expected to take seven months to complete. The contractor has set up on-site, completing all necessary preparations (permits, site fencing, project signage, temporary buildings, utility connections, etc.), and continues with excavation and pile construction to create the necessary foundation.

The Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, which is the project’s principal entity, alongside donors and the consortium “Samaras & Associates S.A. – Consulting Engineers” and Hill International, acting as Project Manager and Technical Consultant, worked intensively and in coordination to complete the tender process and contract signing on schedule, allowing this initial phase of construction to begin immediately.

Under the coordination of the government, in collaboration with donors, the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, the Project Manager, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and all other stakeholders, the necessary actions for the realisation of this landmark project in the city are progressing intensively.

The museum will cover a total area of approximately 9,000 square metres, consisting of six above-ground and two underground floors, and will be developed around a small urban grove. In addition to the permanent exhibition halls, the museum will include rooms for temporary exhibitions, archives, education and research, as well as multi-purpose spaces, recreational areas, and administrative offices. An outdoor parking area will also be created on the adjacent property.

The museum is designed as a prominent monument, inspired by the octagonal monuments of Thessaloniki. At night, it will emit light from within, transforming the building into a living canvas that mimics the illumination of lighthouses. The design is based on the principles of sustainability, with the shared goal of all involved parties being to achieve certification from the internationally recognised LEED sustainable development system.

The Holocaust Museum of Greece, which is being realised by the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki and funded by the Federal Republic of Germany, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Greek government, and donations such as from Dr Albert Bourla, received its building permit in late December 2023 from the Directorate of Urban Planning and Building Applications of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

This permit paves the way for the realisation of one of Thessaloniki’s major projects, which will preserve the memory of the Holocaust.

related

Subscribe to EJC newsletter

Get EJC's bi-weekly newsletter, including the latest statements and news from the European Jewish communities, direct to your inbox.

European Jewish Congress will use the information you provide on this form to contact you. We will treat your information with respect and will not share it with others. By clicking Subscribe, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

Statements

Declaration of the EJC on the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau

The Shoah, the systematic and deliberate mission of the Nazis and their collaborators to annihilate the Jewish people, resulted in the murder of six million Jews between 1939 and 1945. This unparalleled atrocity in world history must never be trivialised, contextualised, or compared, as such acts perpetuate the suffering of its victims and their descendants.