Just steps from the Westermarkt, three distinct triangles of pale pink granite form the points of a larger triangle, linked by a slender outline. This is the Homomonument, a memorial and declaration of solidarity, intended to commemorate homosexual victims of war and to offer silent support for those who are persecuted for their homosexuality.

About the Homomonument:

In 1970, when activists attempted to place a wreath at the National Monument in memory of the homosexuals exterminated by the Nazis, the Dutch authorities arrested them for impropriety.

This illustrated the need for a special monument, which was ultimately unveiled in 1987.

Each of the monument's three corners, all situated at a different altitude, point to a symbolic place in Amsterdam. The most conspicuous corner functions as a platform suspended over the water, where visitors often place wreaths and flowers, and points to the National Monument on Dam Square. Another corner, on the street itself, is a raised podium that looks towards the COC, the world's oldest gay and lesbian organization still in operation. The third corner, which blends seamlessly with the street, points to the Anne Frank House; upon it is inscribed a line from a poem by Jacob Israël De Haan, a homosexual Jewish poet.

Since the Homomonument is both a memorial and a statement of unity, it also serves to unite visitors in a celebration of the present and future. This is most evident on Queen's Day (April 30) and Liberation Day (May 5), where the monument becomes a center for boisterous parties.