Blokhuispoort, Former prison complex in central Leeuwarden, Netherlands.
Blokhuispoort is a former prison complex in central Leeuwarden featuring multiple cell blocks, thick stone walls, and a central courtyard arranged in a symmetrical layout from 1877. The buildings showcase typical prison architecture with narrow corridors, small rooms, and solid construction designed to contain and monitor inmates.
Designed by architect Johan Metzelaar in 1877, this structure later served as a detention center under German control during World War II. The complex held at least 51 Dutch resistance members within its cells during the occupation.
The building houses artist studios, exhibition spaces, and performance venues where local creatives work and share their projects. You encounter artworks throughout the corridors and see people actively engaged in their artistic and craft-based pursuits.
The site is easily accessible and open for guided tours through former cell areas, corridors, and common spaces. Visitors should expect multiple stairs and narrow passages, which conveys the original function and layout of the facility.
The interior of the building was fundamentally transformed after the war ended, while its exterior architecture and much of the original structure remained intact. Today it offers a striking contrast between its rigid prison form and the thriving creative activity inside.
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