Het Gerecht (The Court) is a square in the Pieterswijk in Leiden, dominated by the Gravensteen, the former city prison. This former prison is recognized by the round windows in the center of the picture. Until 1853, the square in front of Gravensteen was used as executionsite and called 'Het Groene Zoodje' or 'Schoonverdriet'.
The Gravensteen was built in the early thirteenth century and was originally a prison of the counts of Holland. After that, it was used as a home and a bookstorage facility. It is now part of the University of Leiden and is a national monument.
This picture is part of the Modern History series.
Hi there! Nice seeing you here! I'm Jan vd Knaap, a photographer in Utrecht. I normally deal with portrait photography, for humans and animals, and I give workshops to get the most out of the camera. But in the meantime, I fill my account here.. Read more…