The Hourglass

The Hourglass, a memorial to Operation Dynamo in Dunkirk

A curiosity of the Grand Large district, the Hourglass is a monument that pays tribute to Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. The Dunkirk audio-guided tour stops here with respect to evoke this page of history and the message carried by this work.

A tribute to the 1940 evacuation

The Hourglass is a monument located at the north-west end of the Grand Large site, in the Large district, near the FRAC. Its shape evokes an hourglass, by analogy with the sand of the beaches and the passing of time, in tribute to the soldiers evacuated during Operation Dynamo. A public commission of the Dunkirk conurbation, it combines contemporary art and the duty of remembrance.

What to see

The work, with its singular outline, surprises and invites reflection on time and memory, facing the sea. Located near the FRAC, in a renewing district, it links contemporary art and the history of the city. It is a stop both aesthetic and full of meaning, extending the discovery of the memorial sites of Dunkirk.

Practical information

The Hourglass lies at the north-west end of the Grand Large site, near the FRAC, in Dunkirk, reachable on foot and by public transport. It is an open-air work, freely accessible at all times, with no ticket office, to be discovered with respect. On the level, it fits into a walk in the Large district, facing the sea.

What does the Dunkirk Hourglass commemorate?

It pays tribute to Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940, during the Second World War.

Where is the Hourglass?

At the north-west end of the Grand Large site, in the Large district, near the FRAC, in Dunkirk.