On one of the bastions of Nordereylanden in 1739, a women's prison building called Het Spinhuis was constructed, now known as the hotel-restaurant ‘De Librije’. The building served as a prison from 1740 to 2006. Due to the increasing number of detainees and changing views on detention conditions, the building had to be radically rebuilt several times.

Plans for building a new provincial prison existed as early as the 17th century, but it took until 1738 to make a final decision. The delays were due to costs, but above all the centuries-old rivalry between Zwolle, Deventer, and Kampen was the reason for the lack of a decision. Ultimately, Zwolle was chosen. The prison was put into operation in 1740. The building was designed by Isaac van den Hoijvel, a provincial surveyor from Zutphen. Godfried Gerlach, a master sculptor from Deventer, created the statues and the coat of arms of Overijssel above the entrance door. The original building had a floor plan of about 30×30 meters. A circular corridor was laid out on the street side, while the cells were concentrated around the then still open inner courtyard. The corridors formed an additional buffer between the ‘imprisoned stay’ and the ‘free’ outside world. The corridors were long, unobstructed, and therefore clearly organized. Ventilation for the prisoners could be arranged directly from the cells into the inner courtyard. It was believed that complete isolation from the outside world had a therapeutic effect on the prisoners. The windows on the floor were placed so high that prisoners could not see the courtyard even when standing. The women's sleeping places were on the floor. In one corner of the building, there were two living quarters: one for the prison director and one for his deputy.

The original 1739 plan consisted of several smaller rooms. Later, the prison system required additional large rooms. These were necessary because prisoners were made to work during their sentences. The reconstruction carried out in 1836 clearly demonstrates the trend toward increasing space. Floor plans also changed. Cells became smaller as the number of prisoners per cell was reduced; in addition to workrooms, a prayer room and recreational rooms (sports, television) were added. On September 15, 1972, the prison was closed, but in 1982 the building was put back into use due to a severe shortage of prison places. Since 1997, the building was used to house asylum seekers with a criminal past.

In 2008, Johnny and Teresa Bour bought the old prison. Thanks to a restoration plan developed by architect Maarten Frits, the Het Spinhuis prison was transformed into a restaurant and hotel. During the restoration, great attention was paid to preserving monumental and authentic details. The experience of sleeping in a former prison was also successful. Thus, all guests of the hotel and restaurant still feel something of the prison atmosphere.

The hotel has 19 luxurious suites; instead of cells, there are now “royal” rooms, the largest of which is located on the top floor—in the former apartment of the prison chief. Each room has its own style, colors, and design. Butler services are even provided. The Michelin three-star restaurant De Librije is located in the former garden in the inner courtyard.

Sources:

https://www.librije.com/

https://www.zwolsehistorischevereniging.nl/ontroerend-monumentaal-11-het-spinhuis/