Former Amsterdam prison opens its doors to 950 school children
The cells have been turned into offices and classrooms. Photo: Bibi Neuray – Photo Republic
A former prison, which held members of the resistance during World War II and more recently housed Syrian refugees, opened its doors to almost 950 children on Wednesday – as the new home of the British School of Amsterdam.
The building on Havenstraat, in the Oud-Zuid district, has allowed the privately run school to consolidate its facilities, once spread across three locations, into a single site. The school was founded in 1978.
Work to expand and convert the building included retaining the domed central hall and galleries, while adding a new gym and high-tech science labs. Two of the cells have been preserved as a reminder of the building’s history. Resistance heroine Hannie Schaft, or