On September 5, the Homomonument turns thirty!
In the shadows of the Westerkerk is this unique and imposing monument which was erected to ‘inspire and support homosexual men and women in their fight against denial, repression and discrimination.’ It was the first monument in the world to honor homosexual victims of World War Two.
The thing is, you may not even realize you are standing on the monument when you are there 🙂 Three pink marble triangles placed into the square surrounding the church are linked together with a golden line. (You can see an aerial view of the monument here.) The triangle jutting out into the Prinsengracht is the most obvious portion of the monument and often full of flowers, candles and cards.
To honor the occasion, a large party in the Paradiso concert hall, an exhibition and the premiere of a documentary have been organized. The tram stop in front of the Westerkerk has also been transformed (until September 15).
Pink Point, the world’s first tourist kiosk for LGBT tourists, is located just behind the tram stop. Stop by to buy a fabulous souvenir, ask their friendly volunteers about places to visit or browse through a paperback copy of The Lover’s Portrait. 🙂
If you are in Amsterdam next week, stop by the Westerkerk and check it out!
For more information about the Homomonument and its thirty year existence, visit these Dutch language websites:
