Rasphuispoort, Historical gate in Burgwallen Nieuwe Zijde, Netherlands.
The Rasphuispoort is a gate featuring a round arch supported by Doric half-columns and decorated with a relief depicting a wagon pulled by wild animals. The structure stands in central Amsterdam today and serves as a side entrance to a shopping center.
The structure was designed in 1603 by architect Hendrick de Keyser and served as the entrance to a correction facility. Inside, inmates processed Brazilian wood into valuable pigments.
The gate displays a central female figure representing the city alongside Amsterdam's coat of arms. This representation reflects the site's importance as an entrance to a significant civic institution.
The gate is easy to reach as it sits on a busy shopping street in the heart of the city. As a side entrance to a shopping center, it remains accessible during the center's normal business hours.
The gate bears Latin inscriptions meaning 'it is a virtue to tame that which all fear.' These words directly reference the building's former purpose as a correction facility.
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