Museum+de+Gevangenpoort

=The Hague=

Museum de Gevangenpoort
In 1280, the main gate to the castle of the Counts of Holland and its outer courtyard called a Buitenhof, were originally built. Because of the size of its imposing structure, this “Front Gate of the Court” was well known. The castle was surrounded by 2 moats so visitors to the castle had to cross a small bridge to gain access to the castle. Before entering the castle everyone had to walk by the execution area called the Groene Zoodje which served as a warning to anyone thinking about committing a crime. This was not the only castle the Counts had, but it was the seat of their power since the end of the 13th century. The original wooden front gate was replaced with an even more impressive stone gate around 1370.

In 1428, the castle was converted into a prison where people who couldn’t pay their debts or criminals that were waiting for their trials were housed. Above the gate and next to the warden’s room, there was the first jail cell that was used to hold criminals until their sentencing from the court. This is where they were incarcerated and interrogated. Sometimes they were kept here for months in the dark, cramped, moist cells until their punishments could be carried out. These sentences included anything from paying fines, exile, public humiliation, beatings or death. Around 1517 to 1535, everything was expanded into jail cells called “Goals” and an entire cell block was built as well as a courthouse. This is how it gained its name as “Prison Gate”.

Beneath these prison cells is where the torture chamber was built and used for what was called “sharp interrogation”. In 1540, the new courtroom “interrogation” room of the Count of Holland was completed. Judges not believing answers given by accused could be sent for “sharp interrogation” in the torture chamber. This chamber holds an unbelievable collection of devices used for their “interrogation”. These tortuous devices show just how cruel one human could be to another. The walls, floors and ceilings were especially thin so the screams of those being tortured could echo throughout the prison, creating fear to those not in the torture chamber.

In 1604 another room was added above the interrogation room that eventually became to be known as the judge’s chambers. These accommodations were surrounded with many comforts. This is where the Count of Holland would go to think about the verdicts of the accused.

In the 18th century, 2 more lodgings were built, the “Dienderwacht” or constabulary Watch and the “Conciergerie” or Custodian’s House for the warden. This is still used today as the Museum office and cafeteria. The Grieving Chamber was used for those sentenced to death to spend their last night and enjoy their last meal. There was also a chapel though it was never recorded being used as one. It gets its name from the ceiling, not for being used for any religious reasons.

After being used as a prison for almost 400 years, in 1828 the last prisoner left the building. They used it to store army supplies, but a decision had to be made about its future. There were several people that wanted it demolished because of its dark and terrible history. Luckily it was declared a national monument in 1853. It was not opened as a museum until 1883 and even then only parts of the old prison were opened. The wardens chamber was nicknamed the Chamber of Horrors and was enough to let those that braved coming to the museum see what terrible things had happened there. It has stood the test of time and progress, being threatened many times with demolition or change for the sake of modernization. Once again, luckily, there were those that saw the need for this monument as a reminder of the horrible treatment of people. The last major renovations took place in 2009-2010. Many spaces originally not open to the public were opened for viewing.

Like all prisons, this one had its share of famous Dutch inmates. Cornelis de Witt who was accused of plotting against the Prince of Orange and Abraham de Wicquefort who was charged with espionage were both imprisoned here. Dirk Volckertszoon Coornhert considered the Dutch Father of Renaissance scholarship as a writer, philosopher, painter and theologian, escaped from Prison Gate.

Today, in an ironic twist, the Prison Gate Museum sits in The Hague which is the International City of Peace and Justice. When it was a prison it was a place of deception, misguided political conceptions and loose translations of the terms peace and justice. It just goes to show you how something so terrible could be recovered and used to teach us all a lesson today.