Couple sitting in the sun on the Walstraat Deventer by Bart Ros

Couple sitting in the sun on the Walstraat Deventer.

The Walstraat is a street in the Dutch city of Deventer. It used to follow the northeastern part of the city wall and the city wall. The street starts at the Bergkerkplein and Prinsenplaats, at the foot of the Bergkerk, and runs until the Keizerstraat. Side streets leading to it are Damstraat and Golstraat. The street is lined with numerous restored old buildings.

The street is part of the historic Bergkwartier, a medieval expansion of the city, and owes its name to the city wall that was located behind the street. The street formed the connection between the Bergpoort and the Brinkpoort.

From 1818 to 1905 the street housed a women's prison (current number 20), where after World War II female members of the NSB were imprisoned.[1] Radio reporter and Go Ahead founder Han Hollander grew up in Walstraat. The house was located where a breakthrough was made to the Boreel Barracks in 2008.[2] Walstraat, like the rest of the Bergkwartier, became severely impoverished, but was completely restored after the 1960s. Today there are many small stores in the higher market segment.

Walstraat gained great fame thanks to the Dickens Festivities held annually in the city. The street forms the entrance to this event where hundreds of residents and others can be seen on the streets dressed in Victorian era clothing.[3] Over 100,000 people visit Walstraat on that festive weekend. It is also the main pedestrian connection between the center of Deventer and the shopping area on the grounds of the former Boreelkazerne.