In short
The Homomonument brings LGBTQ+ remembrance into the everyday life of Amsterdam. Beside Westerkerk on Westermarkt, three pink granite triangles form a larger composition across the square and towards the Keizersgracht. You can walk past without immediately realising that the separate surfaces belong together.
Designed by Karin Daan and unveiled on 5 September 1987, it remembers people persecuted because of their sexual orientation. It is also a living place for solidarity, protest and celebration. Visit slowly, notice the different levels, and give space to anyone leaving flowers or remembering someone.
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Homomonument access and opening information
The memorial is free to visit and open 24 hours a day, according to the Homomonument Foundation. It occupies public space rather than a gated attraction: there is no admission ticket or reserved entry slot. Events, maintenance or local restrictions can affect how you move around the square.
Hours
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General access 24 hours
Outdoor public space; temporary restrictions may apply
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Best visibility Daylight
Easier to see the complete design and changes in level
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Events Check the programme
Commemorations have their own schedules
Prices
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Memorial visit Free
No admission booking is required
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Guided history walk Optional booking
Pay for guiding and the advertised itinerary, not monument entry
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Nearby attractions Separate admission
A memorial visit does not include entry to neighbouring buildings
Read the memorial through its three triangles
Start by finding all three triangles. Their relationship to the paving, the canal and the surrounding city matters as much as the individual pieces of stone. Daylight makes the changes in height easier to see.
The triangle of the past Read the inscription
Find the triangle set into the paving and its inscription. It points towards the Anne Frank House and links the design to remembrance.
The triangle by the water
The stepped element reaches towards the Keizersgracht. In Daan’s explanation it represents the present and points towards Dam Square.
The raised triangle
This element represents the future and points towards the former COC headquarters. Its platform suggests a place from which to speak and act.
The pink granite
The colour refers to the pink triangle imposed by the Nazis and reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community. Notice the material without moving flowers or tributes.
The wider composition
Step back within the square to understand the relationship between the three elements. The monument is spread through public space rather than enclosed behind a fence.
Plan a respectful visit to Westermarkt
Allow a short, thoughtful pause rather than treating the memorial only as a photograph. The following points help you plan a respectful visit within a walk around the western canal belt.
Best moment
Daylight to see the three levels clearly
Atmosphere
Everyday public square and place of remembrance
With children
Explain the memorial sensitively and supervise beside the canal
Look for
Three triangles, pink granite and the poem inscription
Suggested duration
15–30 minutes as a planning estimate
What to expect
Free outdoor access; canal-side steps are optional
How to visit the Homomonument
Allow around 15–30 minutes to find the three elements, read the inscription and consider their setting. Begin on the square and keep the canal-side steps optional: you do not have to descend to appreciate the memorial. Take particular care beside the water and leave flowers or commemorative objects undisturbed.
For more context, the optional guided walks below list the Homomonument in their itinerary or meeting arrangements. Two focus on LGBTQ+ history; the cultural walk takes a broader view of the city and its people. These are paid guiding services, not admission tickets. Compare the actual route, guide language and meeting point for your date.
LGBTQI History Tour of Amsterdam in Small-Group
Small Group LGBTQ+ History Walking Tour in Amsterdam
Humans of Amsterdam - Unique Cultural Walking Tour
Good to know
- Admission is free; a guided walk is optional.
- The lower triangle beside the water is reached by steps.
- Wheelchair users can visit the public square; account for traffic, paving and changing levels.
- Respect memorial gatherings and avoid obstructing other visitors.
Practical tips
- Find all three triangles before choosing a viewpoint.
- Read the inscription at ground level, then look towards the canal.
- Visit in daylight to see the pink granite and the different elevations.
- If booking a walk, use the meeting point on your confirmation rather than assuming every tour starts here.
Getting to Westermarkt
The Homomonument stands on Westermarkt beside Westerkerk, where the square meets the Keizersgracht. Westermarkt is the nearby tram stop. From Dam Square, follow Raadhuisstraat west towards the church; use marked crossings and keep clear of cycle routes.
Use the Westermarkt stop and check the current GVB journey planner for services and any diversions. Do not rely on an old route number.
Walk west along Raadhuisstraat towards Westerkerk, then enter the square beside the Keizersgracht. Allow roughly 10–15 minutes, excluding stops.
From Amsterdam Centraal allow about 20–25 minutes. From the Anne Frank House area the memorial is a short walk of approximately 2–5 minutes.
Westermarkt, beside Westerkerk and the Keizersgracht, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Official Transport in Barcelona
From a demand for recognition to a living memorial
The memorial grew out of a struggle for recognition. The Foundation traces discussion of a monument within the COC to 1961. In 1970, two activists attempting to lay a wreath during the national commemoration on Dam Square were arrested, revealing how contested public remembrance remained.
A renewed call in 1979 led to a foundation and a location on Westermarkt. Karin Daan won the design competition held in 1980. Donations and public funding made construction possible, and the monument opened in September 1987.
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Daan avoided a single upright statue. Instead, the design is woven into the square, with different elevations allowing remembrance to coexist with ordinary movement through the city. The pink triangle recalls the badge imposed on homosexual prisoners by the Nazi regime and its later reclamation as a symbol of visibility and resistance.
The Homomonument continues to host community remembrance, protests and celebrations. The Foundation describes annual commemorations on 4 May and around Transgender Day of Remembrance in November. An event calendar is separate from general access: check the current programme if attending a particular gathering is your reason for coming.
Details that give the monument its meaning
- The three smaller triangles together describe a larger triangle across the square.
- The poem line is by Jacob Israël de Haan.
- The design connects remembrance with the present and the possibility of change.
- Its everyday setting is intentional: this is a public place as well as a memorial.
Canal history and guided walks around central Amsterdam
Stay near Westermarkt and the western canal belt
Accommodation around Westermarkt, the western canal belt and the Jordaan makes it easy to explore on foot. Canal houses can have steep stairs, so check lift access and room arrangements when booking. Compare noise reviews and transport connections as well as the map distance. The map below is centred on the Homomonument; rates depend on your dates.
Homomonument: frequently asked questions
What does the Homomonument commemorate?
It remembers people persecuted because of their sexual orientation and remains a place for LGBTQ+ remembrance, solidarity, protest and celebration.
Is there an admission charge?
No. The outdoor memorial is free to visit. A guided walk is a separate, optional service and is not an entry ticket.
When is it open?
The Foundation states that the memorial is open 24 hours a day. Events, works or local restrictions can affect access to parts of the public space.
Who designed it and when did it open?
Artist Karin Daan designed the memorial. It was unveiled on 5 September 1987.
Why are there three pink triangles?
The three elements represent past, present and future. Together they form a larger triangle, using a symbol reclaimed from persecution as an expression of visibility and resistance.
Can wheelchair users visit?
The Foundation says the memorial can be visited with a wheelchair. It is public space with traffic and varying surfaces; the low triangle beside the canal is a staircase.
How long should I allow?
Around 15–30 minutes is a useful planning estimate for seeing the design and reading the inscription. A guided city walk takes longer and follows its own route.
Is it part of the Anne Frank House?
No. The Homomonument is a separate outdoor memorial beside Westerkerk. Nearby museums have their own admission arrangements, and walking tours do not automatically include museum entry.
