Gravesteen, 16th-century prison and courthouse in Zierikzee, Netherlands
The Gravensteen is a 16th-century prison and courthouse in Zierikzee, featuring a tall sandstone gable with cross windows fitted with wrought iron grilles. A terrace with forged iron railings sits at the building's entrance on Mol 25.
The building was constructed in 1526 to replace an earlier structure from 1358. It functioned as an administrative center for the counts of Holland and Zeeland until 1923.
The wooden walls of the prison cells hold drawings and inscriptions left by Dunkirk privateers between 1630 and 1646, showing ships and soldiers. These marks on the walls tell the story of the lives of those who were held in this building.
Visitors can explore this building through guided tours that start from the Stadhuismuseum at Meelstraat 8. Tours are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 14:30.
The building displays emblems of the House of Habsburg and the Order of the Golden Fleece carved into anchors at the top of the gable. These symbols reflect the connections to the ruling powers of that era.
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