brothel

building

Also known as: bordello

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

A brothel is a building where prostitutes are available for hire. Historically, public brothels were established in large cities throughout Europe, and they were often licensed and regulated by law, sometimes serving as a source of public revenue. The term "brothel" has been in use since at least 1566.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

prostitution
Public brothels were established in large cities throughout Europe. At Toulouse, in France, the profits were shared between the city and the university; in England, bordellos were originally licensed by the bishops of Winchester and subsequently by Parliament.
Read More
Public brothels were established in large cities throughout Europe. At Toulouse, in France, the profits were shared between the city and the university; in England, bordellos were originally licensed by the bishops of Winchester and subsequently by Parliament.
Read More