A red light district is a neighborhood or part of a neighborhood where businesses connected with the sex industry reside. Those include prostitution, strip clubs, sex shops, adult theaters and others. The best known red light district is De Wallen in Amsterdam.

De Wallen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Amsterdam. It is situated in the old part of the city south of the Oude Kerk. It takes a couple of blocks and canals. The legalized prostitution takes place in one room cabins with glass doors that are lit in red. The area has many sex shops, sex theaters, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum and some cannabis-selling coffee shops.

Tourists and prospective client take a stroll during the streets with the red windows. Usually the prostitutes start work only after dark. After the customer has chosen a girl he approaches and starts negotiations. When a price is reached, he comes in and the curtains are closed.

The vast majority of the prostitutes in De Wallen are foreigners. In the roughly 300 rooms work mostly Eastern European, Asian, and African women. In many cases their activities go hand in hand with other crimes such as pimping, women exploitation, human trafficking, drugs, and killings.

Prostitution in the Netherlands has a long history. It existed and was tolerated ever since the Middle Ages. The industry became legalized during the 20^th century. It is calculated that today there are about 140 licensed brothels and 500 window displays. The industry in Amsterdam alone is estimated to bring in 100 million US dollars per year. The sex industry has a significant impact over the whole touristic appeal of the city. It creates a distinct image of the city that made Amsterdam the tourist destination it is today.

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