At the heart of Lyon, just a few steps from Perrache station—where the deportation convoys once set off on their grim journey—stands a monument that speaks to both the spirit and history. “The Rails of Memory”, a powerful and moving architectural piece, is much more than a simple memorial. It acts as a bridge between the past and the future, where the memory of the victims of the Shoah is tangible, ensuring it will never be forgotten.
Designed by architects Quentin Blaising and Alicia Borchardt, this project stems from twenty years of effort and perseverance, led by the “Association pour l’édification d’un Mémorial de la Shoah à Lyon,” which included former deportees and Auschwitz survivors among its active and honorary members. In 2023, an international competition selected this work from 96 submissions received from 25 countries. The result is a powerful monument, where 1,173 metres of interwoven steel rails depict a tragic story: that of the 1,173 kilometres that separate Lyon from the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp.
Every detail of “The Rails of Memory” is designed to evoke the unspeakable. The materials used—rails, wooden sleepers, and ballast—are those of the railroads, symbolizing the horror of deportation with raw force. These elements, both real and symbolic, create a tangible connection with past events, inviting visitors to feel, touch, and remember. Yet this memorial does more than pay tribute to the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah, 6,100 of whom were deported from the Rhône-Alpes region. It is also intended as an educational tool for future generations. Benches equipped with QR codes provide visitors with immediate access to information about the association and the purpose of this place.
In this way, “The Rails of Memory” does more than recall the past; it embodies a promise—the promise to never forget. It becomes an essential landmark of collective memory, a place where history comes alive, and a place where the silence of the rails speaks louder than words.
Shoah Memorial in Lyon
Location: Place Carnot, Lyon, France
Client: Association pour l’édification d’un Mémorial de la Shoah à Lyon
Design Team:
Architect & Lead Designer: Blaising Borchardt Studio (BBS)
Landscape Architect: Atelier NDF
Engineer: T/E/S/S
Lighting Designer : Les Éclairagistes Associés (LEA)
General Contractor: UOTNI
Materials: Reclaimed railway tracks (donated by SNCF), ballast and railway ties
Photos credits: François Baudry
All Drawings & Images: Blaising Borchardt Studio