Foltermuseum auf der Burg zu Burghausen, Medieval torture museum in Burghausen Castle, Germany
The Torture Museum on Burghausen Castle is housed within one of Europe's longest castle complexes and focuses on the history of punishment methods. The exhibition displays instruments and devices across multiple levels and documents practices from different periods.
The museum was founded in 1986 within the former executioner's tower, the exact place where the last execution occurred in 1831. This choice of location directly connects the exhibition to actual events from the castle's judicial past.
The exhibition occupies a space deeply tied to Burghausen's past and shows how people once understood punishment and interrogation. Walking through, visitors encounter the ways societies accepted harsh practices as ordinary justice.
The museum operates with extended hours during the warmer months from March through October, while reducing hours in winter. Planning your visit around these seasonal changes helps ensure you have enough time to explore all five levels.
Many of the instruments displayed are carefully reconstructed rather than original artifacts, revealing how they actually functioned. This focus on practical mechanics helps visitors better grasp the reality of these historical methods.
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