History of de Wallen is not only about prostitution, but also it has a profound connection with religion. Up until 1578 there were a lot of Catholic monasteries and convents in de Wallen, which were later closed or moved because of so-called Amsterdam revolution. It took place when the Protestants took over the Catholics and the government was deposed. It lead to numerous changes in religious life of the city and many churches had undergone redecoration. The intense religious life that took place in de Wallen surely left a distinctive mark, so even now you see plenty beautiful churches in here.
Photo Red-light district of Amsterdam by day. 2012 by Ввласенко is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0