Jardin des Disparus

Jardin des Disparus (Garden of the Disappeared) in Meyrin, canton of Geneva, is a memorial garden for people who vanished through enforced disappearance. It sits in a municipal park just west of Geneva, close to the French border, and gives families a place to lay flowers when there is no grave to visit.

What is the Jardin des Disparus?

The garden was inaugurated on 7 October 2000 at the initiative of about fifteen associations of Geneva residents from countries marked by enforced disappearances. The municipality of Meyrin set aside a space within a communal park for them. Six trees were planted, one for each continent, to keep the missing symbolically present. Commemorations have been held here ever since, and the association behind the garden also campaigns for the implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

What will you see?

After roughly ten years the site, worn down by long construction works nearby, needed renewal. The Meyrin contemporary art fund (FACM) ran a competition and invited eight artists. The winning piece is Anne Blanchet's Point d'interrogation ("Question Mark"), a 52-metre wall in extra-white concrete mixed with Greek marble aggregate. A commemorative plaque and an explanatory plaque complete the site. Expect a quiet, contemplative spot rather than a conventional sightseeing stop.

How do you get there?

Meyrin lies in the western part of the Geneva urban area (coordinates about 46.2298 N, 6.0761 E), a few kilometres from the city centre and the airport. From central Geneva the trip by public transport usually takes a quarter of an hour or so; check the current route on the TPG journey planner. There is no ticket, as the garden is part of a public park.

When should you visit?

Daytime in the warmer months, when the park is green, is the most pleasant. To witness a ceremony, aim for around 7 October, the anniversary of the opening, when commemorative gatherings take place. Allow about 30 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Is admission charged? No. The garden is open public space within a park.

Who created it? Around fifteen associations of Geneva residents originating from affected countries, with the support of the municipality of Meyrin.

Who designed the wall? Anne Blanchet, whose Point d'interrogation won a FACM competition.

Where can I learn more? On meyrin.ch and on the association's site, jardindesdisparus.org. A documentary by Pascal Baumgartner covers the garden's first twenty years.