Architecture... Gravensteen (County Jail) The core of this building is the square tower over the right part of the gallery. This part probably dates from the 13th century. This tower could be used for defensive purposes. The hexagonal tower on the left was added in the second half of the 15th century. Originally the building served as county jail for an area from Amsterdam to The Hague and from the coast to about 30 miles into the country. The square prison tower had a prison dungeon on the first floor, which was only accessible through a trapdoor in the vault; an excellent way to prevent escapes. The second floor was accessible with a wooden ladder. Escape was difficult anyway, since the whole building was surrounded by a moat; a bridge linked it with the adjacent County Court, which was also surrounded by water. On the northern side was a square where sentences were carried out, which the people called "Fairsorrow". In 1463 Philip of Burgundy gave the building complex to the city; from then on Leiden criminals could also be tried and locked up at this site (up till then they were tried in front of the Town Hall at the Breestraat). The city of Leiden continued to use the building as a prison. From 1530 onwards at least 40 prisoners could be kept in custody. The torture chamber was known for centuries as one of the most effective in the area. The gallery at the northern side was the temporary pinnacle of the modernization of the complex (built in two phases, 1605 and 1656). From this gallery the judges could watch the executions. The last death penalty to be carried out took place in 1853 against Janus van der Blom, who had killed a farmgirl "in a beastly manner". He died at the gallows.
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