Homomonument and Pink Point, Amsterdam

A trip to Amsterdam would not be complete without a visit to the Homomonument.

The monument was installed after much thought on 5 September 1989 and stands as the world's first memorial to persecuted lesbians and gays. The pink triangle motif is taken from the triangles of pink fabric that homosexuals were forced to wear in concentration camps during World War II. It is also a place where people come to remember friends and lovers who have succumbed to HIV and where ashes from the dead have been spread into the canal from the monument. The persecution of gays at the hands of the Nazis bears extra significance, as the house where Anne Frank hid from Hitler's henchmen is just around the corner.

During the summer time you will also find the Pink Point of Presence at the Homomonument, a gay and lesbian information kiosk which came into being for the Gay Games Amsterdam 1998. It provides free information on the Homomonument and Amsterdam gay and lesbian life and flogs queer souvenirs and gadgets.