We set to work to find out more, and as it turns out, this cute little house has quite the history! Prostitution in the Netherlands was tolerated by the Dutch in the middle ages, however, it was still seen as a dishonourable profession. An early example of Dutch pragmatism towards prostitution can be seen in the below decree from the city of Amsterdam:. Can we move into that pretty little pink house today please? However, the 16th-century saw the rise of Protestantism and a souring of attitudes towards prostitution.
Church and state were no longer separated; sex-work was viewed as a sin and thus punishable by law. Some Dutch cities, however, such as Amsterdam, decided against complete prohibition and instead choose to regulate the activities, carving out specific areas of the city reserved for brothels. Brothels were left, for the most part, to their own devices.
Hence, our Groenehazengracht madame and her brothel would have been both known — and tolerated — by city officials. City records show the name was changed in the late 17th-century. Little is known of her later history, h owever, it does seem as though the now pink-painted brickwork is an ode to her colourful past.
Who needs a editor when I have all you?! Email address:. Home Guide to Dutchness Guest Blogging! Contact us About Us 0 items. Home Guide to Dutchness. This history lesson is awesome! I live near Leiden about 15 minutes by bicycle and yet i still find new things every day Reply. Why the distance from Amsterdam? Fuck Amsterdam. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. We use cookies to improve your experience. Please only continue if you're ok with this.
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