Warmoesstraat is one of the oldest streets in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, running parallel to the river Amstel

Amstel

The Amstel is a river in the Netherlands which runs through the city of Amsterdam. The river's name is derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water"....

 from Amsterdam Centraal railway station to Dam Square

Dam Square

Dam Square, or simply the Dam is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.- Location and description :...

. Its origins are in the 13th century. In the 16th and 17th century it was the shopping street. The poet Joost van den Vondel

Joost van den Vondel

Joost van den Vondel was a Dutch writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most frequently performed, and his epic Joannes de Boetgezant , on the life of John the Baptist, has...

 sold silk stockings here.

Today, the busy Warmoesstraat has a variety shops, bars, restaurants, cheap hotels, coffee shops

Cannabis coffee shop

Coffeeshops are establishments in the Netherlands where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities ....

 and sex boutiques. The Prostitution Information Center

Prostitution Information Center

The Prostitution Information Center is located in the heart of Amsterdam in the red light district, near Amsterdam’s Old Church...

 is also located there. It is located adjacent to the Red light district

Red Light District

Red Light District may refer to:* Red-light district - a neighborhood where prostitution is common* The Red Light District - the title of the 2004 album by rapper Ludacris* Red Light District Video - a pornography studio based in Los Angeles, California...

.