Interior of the Witches' Weigh House ( Heksenwaag) with view on the historic weights, Oudewater, Utrecht, in The Netherlands.


Interior of the Witches' Weigh House ( Heksenwaag) with view on the historic weights, Oudewater, Utrecht, in The Netherlands. The weights were used in former times to weigh people, accused of witchcraft to prove their innocence. Oudewater has always been well known throughout the ages because of its Witches' Weigh House ( in Dutch called De Heksenwaag ). In former times thousands of people were sentenced to death on suspicion of witchcraft. There was however one place in Europe where you could get a certificate by proving that you were not a witch and that was in Oudewater. This Weighing house, an official city building, became famous during the 16th century because of people, who had been accused of witchcraft were offered an honest chance of proving their innocence, by being weighted on scales. In many cities and countries such trials were usually rigged, resulting in the burning or drowning of hundreds of innocent people. Nowadays the scales and weights are merely used as a tourist attraction and people receive a ''certificate'' to proof the fact that they're not a witch.


Size: 5040px × 3529px
Location: Leeuweringerstraat, Oudewater, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Europe
Photo credit: © Mieneke Andeweg-van Rijn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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