An interesting building in the nearby town of Leiden. I think that foreigners tend to romanticize old buildings (at least I do). What was the original purpose of this building ... a castle, a rich person's house, a university? What happened in the lovely courtyard ... did maidens dance and children play?

In reality, the Gravensteen had a much more sinister purpose. Luckily there is a plaque on the site that explains the building's history. Pictured below, it's printed in dutch and english; here's a shot of the english portion. According to the Leiden website (in dutch), the last sentence was carried out in 1853. (Click either pic to enlarge)