The Red Light District in Amsterdam by Hendrik-Jan Kornelis

About "The Red Light District in Amsterdam"

by Hendrik-Jan Kornelis

About the artwork

The Red Light District is located in the oldest part of Amsterdam. The Oude Kerk, the city's oldest surviving building, and Warmoesstraat date back to the 13th century.

Before 1385, Amsterdam was shielded to the west by a moat (now the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal) with an earthen wall with palisade beyond, and the same to the east (now the Oudezijds Voorburgwal). Around 1385, Amsterdam's fortifications beyond that were extended with new moats with ramparts: Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal (now Spuistraat) in the west and Oudezijds Achterburgwal in the east. This created the area called "the Wallen" in the 20th century.

Until 1578, the Oudezijde area was characterised by many monasteries. After the Alteration, the new, predominantly Calvinist city council gave the monasteries other uses such as orphanage or penitentiary.

At an early stage, 15th century or earlier, prostitution took place in the slightly wider Oudezijde area, perhaps not immediately exactly in the streets where prostitution is today. Since then, prostitution has never gone away there. Since at least the 15th century or earlier, brothels and other prostitution establishments have been found in the Oudezijde area, regularly also in other parts of the city. Since 1578, whoring or its facilitation has regularly been criminalised in Amsterdam and those involved were expelled.

By the end of the 19th century, and still around 1920, the Zeedijk and the adjoining Red Light District were totally dilapidated, but even then prostitution was practised, partly streetwalking.

By the 1930s, window prostitution was already taking place. Prostitutes were not allowed by the police to lure clients in the doorway, but were allowed to sit behind the window with the curtains slightly ajar.[4] From the 1960s, prostitution increased sharply in the Red Light District.