Slavernij monument
Rotterdam’s Slavery Monument
Rotterdam’s Slavernijmonument commemorates the city’s role in slavery and colonial trade over several centuries.
The monument, created by artist Alex da Silva, is located on Lloydkade in the Lloydkwartier district, an area closely connected with Rotterdam’s maritime and trading history.
Ships involved in Atlantic trade departed from the city’s ports. Goods such as weapons, alcohol and other European products were transported to Africa, while enslaved people were subsequently taken to Dutch colonies in the Americas and the Caribbean. Colonial products such as sugar, coffee and tobacco were then transported back to the Netherlands.
Rotterdam’s colonial past
For a long time, this part of Rotterdam’s history received relatively little attention. Research into the city’s colonial past has revealed the involvement of Rotterdam merchants, companies and administrators in activities connected with slavery and colonialism.
The monument aims to keep alive the memory of the people who were victims of this system and to remember a part of Rotterdam’s history that is also connected with the city’s growth as an important centre of trade and shipping.
The design of the Slavernijmonument
Representatives of Rotterdam’s Surinamese, Antillean and Cape Verdean communities were involved in the selection of the design created by Alex da Silva.
The artwork uses the image of a ship as a reference to the maritime transportation of enslaved people. Several figures appear on the structure, conveying movement and symbolising the journey from oppression towards freedom and a different future.
The monument has become one of Rotterdam’s main places of remembrance connected with slavery and the city’s colonial past.
Slavernijmonument: practical information
| ℹ️ QUICK INFORMATION | |
|---|---|
| 🎨 Artist | Alex da Silva |
| 📍 Location | Lloydkade, Rotterdam |
| ⚓ Theme | Slavery and Rotterdam’s colonial past |
| 💶 Admission | Free, public space |
Other sculptures in Rotterdam
Cascade | De Boeg | De Reus | Delftsche Poort | Erasmus | Everybody is dead but us | Fikkie | Gevallenen | Maasbeeld | Marathonbeeld | Marten Toonder | Santa Claus | Untitled | Sylvette | Verwoeste Stad | Westersingel