Galgenstraat

The Galgenstraat is a name that carries a stark echo of Amsterdam’s medieval justice system. In Dutch, the word translates directly to Gallows Street, a grim marker of the time when public executions were carried out in visible, high-traffic locations to serve as a deterrent. While the street is now a quiet part of the historic Haarlemmerbuurt, its name is a direct link to the period when the city enforced its authority through the display of the condemned.