Behind Amsterdam Central, the IJboulevard and new underground bicycle storage facilities have transformed the area into a clean and fresh space for travelers and passersby. But in the past, it was a place where "travelers, whores, and wandering souls" shared time and space. Now, it's a place for strolling, a rare find in the city.
In 1985, the street prostitutes of Utrechtsestraat were moved to the area behind Central Station as part of the "compact city" project, an urban planning initiative to clean up the city and make it livable again. The area had already lost its function, and by the 1980s, it had become a slum.
Prostitutes did not feel secure in the area behind CS. From a safety perspective, they preferred a central location such as Utrechtsestraat. If they encounter a disturbed person in the current location, they cannot exit the car as quickly as they could in Utrechtsestraat. The driver can immediately take a fast throughway, making it impossible for them to exit the car.
Amsterdam faced demographic decline in the 1960s and 1970s, leading to suburbanization and decreased economic activity in the city center. In the 1980s, councilors and the mayor wanted to renovate and make the city center more attractive, leading to the transformation of the area behind Central Station.
Today, the area is a place of harmony, where only travelers and passersby share time and space. However, it's important to remember the history buried under the new paving stones and natural stone. As J.C. Bloem wrote, "Everything is a lot for those who don't expect a lot. Life keeps its wonders hidden until it suddenly shows them to us in their lofty state."