It’s hard to miss the central monument on Dam Square that’s often occupied by people of all ages and nationalities sunning themselves, reading books or just relaxing. The brainchild of renowned Dutch architect J.J.P. Oud (1890 - 1963), the National Monument made of white travertine was unveiled in 1956 as both a memorial to all Dutch men and women who suffered under the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and to the nation’s liberation. A number of statues and reliefs symbolise the resistance expressed by all members of society from labourers to the intelligentsia and the lions on either side represent the Dutch nation. The giant pillar rises to a height of 22m.