Built in the 15th Century at the time of the construction of the Nieuwe Kerk, this quarter is not as "new" as all that. Bordered by Spuistraat on one side and the Damrak and the Rokin on the other, the Nieuwe Zijde is criss-crossed by narrow alleys that echo its original layout. Formerly the city's old port area, today it is oriented towards tourism and commercial activity.