Borgia Prisons

Belonging to the Court Castle, incorporated into the Borgia Palace in 1600, the prisons were completed in 1769. The rooms consist of the rigor cell, women’s cell, and men’s cells. Small openings are visible on the walls for feeding inmates. Well preserved are the original metal-reinforced window frames with nailed bands, stone slab paving, sleeping boards, and triple-gated windows. A narrow courtyard leads to the solitary confinement cell. Until the 17th century, death sentences were carried out in the courtyard. The register of deceased in the parish of St. Mary’s (now the Cathedral) records that in the year 1638 alone as many as 16 prisoners were executed at the hands of the hangman.

Write a Review