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Red-light district
A red-light district is a neighborhood where prostitution is a common part of everyday life. The term was first recorded in the United States around 1890, and derives from the practice of placing a red light in the window to indicate to customers the (often illegal) nature of the business. This is based on the biblical story of Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who aided the spies of Joshua and identified her house with a scarlet rope.
Interestingly, one of the many terms used for a red-light district in Japanese is akasen (赤線), meaning "red-line district".
Famous red-light districts
Africa
Asia-Pacific
- Patpong – Bangkok, Thailand
- Sukhumvit Road Area (including Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy) – Bangkok, Thailand
- Dashilan – Beijing, China
- Wanchai – Hong Kong
- Hira Mandi – Lahore, Pakistan
- Kamathipura – Mumbai, India
- Pattaya, Thailand
- Svay Pak – Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Geylang – Singapore
- Kings Cross – Sydney, Australia
- St. Kilda – Melbourne, Australia
- Kabukicho – Tokyo, Japan
- Yoshiwara – Tokyo, Japan (in Edo period)
Europe
- De Wallen – Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Raval /Barri Xines – Barcelona, Spain
- Picin Park – Belgrade, Serbia
- Rue d'Aerschot – Brussels, Belgium
- József körút /Rákóczi tér – Budapest, Hungary (defunct)
- Bahnhofsviertel – Frankfurt, Germany
- Reeperbahn – Hamburg, Germany
- Intendente – Lisbon, Portugal
- Cais do Sodré – Lisbon, Portugal
- Kings Cross – London, England
- Piccadilly Circus – London, England (defunct)
- Soho – London, England
- Calle Luna – Madrid, Spain
- Navigli – Milan, Italy (defunct)
- Schwabing – Munich, Germany (defunct)
- Boulevard de Clichy – Paris, France
- Pigalle – Paris, France
- Millbay – Plymouth, England
- Union Street – Plymouth, England (defunct)
- Perlovka – Prague, Czech Republic
- Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele – Rome, Italy
- Praterstrasse – Vienna, Austria
- Spittelberg – Vienna, Austria (defunct)
North America
- The Block – Baltimore, Maryland
- Combat Zone – Boston, Massachusetts (defunct)
- Scollay Square – Boston, Massachusetts (razed)
- The Levee – Chicago, Illinois
- Sunset Boulevard – Hollywood, California
- Western Avenue – Hollywood, California
- Hotel Street – Honolulu, Hawaii
- La Merced – Mexico City, Mexico
- Zona Rosa – Mexico City, Mexico
- Storyville – New Orleans, Louisiana (defunct)
- Tenderloin – New York City, New York (defunct)
- Times Square – New York City, New York (defunct)
- Northern Liberties – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (defunct)
- Marcy Street – Portsmouth, New Hampshire (1890s–1912)
- Commercial Street – Salt Lake City, Utah (defunct)
- Sepulveda Boulevard – San Fernando Valley, California
- Barbary Coast – San Francisco, California (defunct)
- Tenderloin – San Francisco, California
- Beacon Street – San Pedro, California (defunct)
- Venus Alley – Butte, Montana (defunct)
- The Reservation – Waco, Texas (defunct)
- 14th Street – Washington, District Of Columbia (defunct)
- Vermont Ave, NW – Washington, District Of Columbia
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