Just got back from my first visit to Amsterdam (wonderful city, less-than-wonderful weather).
I saw “XXX” all over the city, and at first assumed it referred to the legalized prostitution and pornography. But I also saw it in some very old and official contexts like, I think, carved in stone in the Royal Palace.
So is there another meaning to “XXX” that I’m not aware of?
From here
When I was there I thought they were roman numerals (i.e. the number ‘30’). However I seem to recall they had something or other to do with religion (the cross on which some saint or other was crucified…not sure why there are 3 though). This is from memory though so take it with a large grain of salt.
-XT
Yeah, they’re from the coat of arms and have been in use for a very very long time-- a number of other Dutch municipalities and areas use the same St Andrew’s crosses. Possibilities: they represent three civic dangers (fire, plague, something else); locks on the canals? Tey’ve been used so long no one seems to remember-- might be from an old family’s arms, though. Nothing to do with pr0n or anything.