Zeedijk
Encyclopedia
The Zeedijk is a street in the old centre of Amsterdam
. The street is located from the Prins Hendrikkade to the Nieuwmarkt
. The Zeedijk (translated: "Sea dike") is the heart of Chinatown
, the Chinese
neighbourhood of Amsterdam. Historically an area riddled with crime and drug addicts, the area went through a revitalization and is now a hub for Chinatown 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 seaman's neighbourhood.
There are many toko
's and restaurants there, such as Nam Kee
, known from 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 Chinese
. The neighborhood is the location of the Guang Shan He Hua Temple, a Buddhist temple that is open to the public.
It was in Zeedijk where jazz musician Chet Baker
died in 1988. He fell or threw himself out the window of the Prins Hendrik Hotel. A plaque resides in memory of Baker at the site.
Once per year, in Augustus, the "Hartjesdagen" take place on the Zeedijk featuring a parade of costume wearing participants.
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...
. The street is located from the Prins Hendrikkade to the Nieuwmarkt
Nieuwmarkt
Nieuwmarkt is a square in the centre of the Dutch capital Amsterdam. The surrounding area is known as the Nieuwmarktbuurt ....
. The Zeedijk (translated: "Sea dike") is the heart of Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
, the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
neighbourhood of Amsterdam. Historically an area riddled with crime and drug addicts, the area went through a revitalization and is now a hub for Chinatown 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 seaman's neighbourhood.
There are many toko
Toko (shop)
A toko is a shop in the Netherlands selling mainly Asian food products of which the owners are generally Indo-European, Indonesian, Surinamese, Chinese or Vietnamese....
's and restaurants there, such as Nam Kee
Nam Kee
Nam Kee is a chain of three Chinese restaurants in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The original restaurant opened at the Zeedijk in 1981 , followed by restaurants at the Geldersekade 117 in 1992 and at the Marie Heinekenplein 4 in 2010...
, known from the novel De Oesters van Nam Kee by Kees van Beijnum
Kees van Beijnum
Kees van Beijnum is a Dutch writer. He received the Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs in 2001 for De Oesters van Nam Kee .-Reference:* at the Digital library for Dutch literature...
and the movie
Oysters at Nam Kee's
Oysters at Nam Kee's is a 2002 Dutch drama film, directed by Pollo de Pimentel, starring Katja Schuurman and Egbert Jan Weeber.The film received a Golden Film in 2002.-Plot:...
based on the book. The text on the street signs in the Zeedijk area and Nieuwmarkt are both in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as well as in Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
. The neighborhood is the location of the Guang Shan He Hua Temple, a Buddhist temple that is open to the public.
It was in Zeedijk where jazz musician Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
died in 1988. He fell or threw himself out the window of the Prins Hendrik Hotel. A plaque resides in memory of Baker at the site.
Once per year, in Augustus, the "Hartjesdagen" take place on the Zeedijk featuring a parade of costume wearing participants.