Hoogstraten (Penitentiary educational centre)

The Penitentiair Schoolcentrum (PSC; Penitentiary Educational Centre) of Hoogstraten is located in the Gelmelslot which was first used as a prison in 1931. The PSC extends over a domain of about eighty hectare. The whole encompasses a castle with adjoining buildings, meadows and farm land. The castle dates from the ninth century. Originally, it was a wooden fortress tower which was converted into a stone castle at the end of the twelfth century.In the fourteenth century, large structural alterations were realized resulting in a renaissance building with ramparts, watchtowers, drawbridges, an armoury and a castle chapel. After the French Revolution, the castle fell into the hands of the French revolutionaries and became a gendarmerie barracks. From 1810 to 1880, the castle was used as an institution for beggars. Afterwards, the Rijksweldadigheidkolonie (governmental charity colony) was created, which was eventually converted in 1931 into a penitentiary educational centre for young prisoners from the \"Rijksnijverheidsschool\"" (governmental industrial school) of Ghent and the \""Rijkslandbouwschool\"" (governmental agricultural school) of Merksplas. Today, the educational centre focuses on integration through labour and education."