Zeedijk (''English'': "Sea

dike Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to: General uses * Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian" * Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment * Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice * Dikes, ...

") is a street in the old centre of Amsterdam. The street is the northern and eastern boundary of De Wallen red-light district and runs between

Prins Hendrikkade Prins Hendrikkade (Dutch language, Dutch for "Prince Henry's Quay") is a major street in the centre of Amsterdam. It passes Amsterdam Centraal station, Amsterdam Central Station, intersects the Damrak at the mouth of the Amstel river, and forms th ...

and Nieuwmarkt. Historically an area riddled with crime and drug addicts, the area went through a revitalization and is now the main street of Amsterdam's

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

, where locals come to eat at Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese restaurants. The Zeedijk neighbourhood is also known as the Nautical Quarter (Dutch: ''Nautisch Kwartier'') because of its past as a sailors' neighbourhood. The zeedijk was constructed as seawall or ''dike'' to protect Amsterdam from the water of the IJ, which was in open connection with the Zuiderzee until 1872. The street's curvature is a noticeable remnant of its adherence to the contours of the old dike. Halfway along the dike is the former Sint Anthoniespoort, the old city gate now called the Waag. Beyond the gate running south-east, the dike continued as ''Sint Antoniesdijk'' (now Sint Antoniesbreestraat). The neighbourhood is one of the oldest parts of Amsterdam. In 1544, Zeedijk was the first street to have permanent

street light A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...

s installed. Until the 17th century, the curve of the promenade was one of the most respectable places where one could live. After the construction of the luxurious Herengracht, the wealthy merchants moved out of the area and it became a centre of nightlife for passing sailors. The old bars and the shops for ship supplies are still a reminder of this. Zeedijk is the heart of

, the

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

neighbourhood of Amsterdam. There are many tokos and restaurants there, such as Nam Kee, described in the novel ''De Oesters van Nam Kee'' by Kees van Beijnum and the movie based on the book. The text on the street signs in the Zeedijk area and Nieuwmarkt are both in Dutch as well as in

. The neighborhood is the location of the Guang Shan He Hua Temple, a

Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...

which is open to the public. It was at the Zeedijk where jazz musician

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

died in 1988. He fell or threw himself out the window of the Prins Hendrik Hotel. A plaque was put up at the site in his memory.

Café 't Mandje Café 't Mandje is a bar in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located in Zeedijk street and was opened in 1927 by Bet van Beeren, herself a lesbian. The Amsterdam Museum holds the replica of 't Mandje. 't Mandje is often presented as the first gay ba ...

on Zeedijk 63 was an early example of a bar where, aside from

prostitutes Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...

pimp Procuring or pandering is the facilitation or provision of a prostitute or other sex worker in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer. A procurer, colloquially called a pimp (if male) or a madam (if female, though the term pimp has still ...

s and sailors, gays and

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

s were also welcome. Opened in 1927, owner Bet van Beeren soon became an icon within Amsterdam's LGBT community. After her death in 1967, her sister Greet continued the café until 1983. It was reopened in 2008 by relatives. Besides Café 't Mandje, there were other gay bars in Zeedijk as well. Around 1998, four gay bars (De Barderij, The Queen's Head, De Engel van Amsterdam, and De Engel Next Door) opened in close proximity to each other along the bend at the north-east end of Zeedijk, making this area one of Amsterdam's hotspots of gay nightlife. Once a year, in August, the "Hartjesdagen" take place on the Zeedijk, a festival featuring a parade of costumed participants.

References

External links

*
Zeedijk events website
* Deborah Nicholls-Lee
How a Dutch Housing Agency Rescued an Amsterdam Street From the Drug Trade
Citylab.com, 12 November 2018 {{Europe Chinatown Streets in Amsterdam