Can you imagine a place dedicated to remembering the unthinkable? Babi Yar Park in Denver stands as such a place. This 27-acre park isn’t just a green space. It’s a living memorial, a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Babi Yar massacre and other genocides. Babi Yar Park offers a space for quiet contemplation and reflection on crimes against humanity.
Babi Yar Park was completed in 1982. It was designed by Lawrence Halprin and Satoru Nishita. The park commemorates the victims of the 1941-1943 Nazi massacre in Kiev, Ukraine. The design itself is symbolic. A central pathway is shaped like the Star of David. Three key features stand out: an amphitheater called People’s Place, a Grove of Remembrance, and a ravine. Entering Babi Yar Park, you pass between two inscribed black granite monoliths. A path then leads up a berm planted with cottonwood and willow, and then down into the amphitheater. The Grove of Remembrance is made up of 100 lindens planted in a grid. These trees represent the 200,000 people killed at Babi Yar. Water flows from a black granite disc at the center of the grove. A ravine, echoing the ravine in Kiev where victims were buried, runs along the park’s western edge. A narrow bridge with high, black wooden walls crosses it. The bridge evokes the train cars used to transport prisoners. Polished granite monoliths flank each end of the bridge. The edges of Babi Yar Park are planted as a prairie, with native grasses, yucca, and prickly pear.
The park has undergone renovations. In 2011, Mundus Bishop led a renovation project. This included prairie restoration, new walls, and paving. Stone terraces were added to People’s Place and the Grove of Remembrance. A new sculptural element was also installed. Babi Yar Park is more than just a memorial. It’s a place for gatherings, walking, biking, educational tours, and quiet remembrance. The Mizel Museum, a partner in the park’s creation, holds an annual remembrance ceremony at Babi Yar Park. This ceremony honors the victims of the Babi Yar massacre and other Holocaust victims. Babi Yar Park serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of remembering the past, so we can strive for a future free from hatred and violence.