
The court of Holland began with a reconciliation...
Visitors come to the Prison Gate to wonder at how people were tortured and punished in the past. Fr…

Hugo Grotius: from public prosecutor to prison for high treason
Everyone knows Hugo Grotius as the man who escaped from prison in a chest of books. Hugo Grotius ra…

Kaat Mossel: from common rioter to heroine
Arrested for rioting: it is a common way to keep aggressive football fans in check. Hooligans are o…

How the diplomat Abraham de Wicquefort was unmasked as a spy - and escaped again
World leaders often use bellicose language, but countries are fortunately not quick to go to war. U…

Witte de With: a Dutch naval hero with a tainted name
Witte Cornelis de With (1599-1658) is the subject of heated debate. For centuries, he was seen as o…

A tongue and a finger as bizarre reminders of a gruesome murder: Cornelis de Witt
The most bizarre objects in the history of the Prison Gate are to be found in a small oak-wood box.…

Why Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was beheaded, despite being one of the greatest statesmen in Dutch history
In the Netherlands, it is rare for politicians to have to defend themselves in court – as recently …

How money, status and power led to class justice - including in the Prison Gate
In the Netherlands, everyone has equal rights. At least, that is what is written in the Constitutio…

How the story of The Hague as the city of peace and justice begins with the story of the Prison Gate
The Hague is famous throughout the world as a beacon of international law. It is a city where jus…