Arnhem had four main gates in the Middle Ages: the Rijnpoort, St. Janspoort, Velperpoort and the Sabelspoort. Of them all, only the Sabelspoort has been preserved.
Location
The Sabelspoort (Sabres Gate) guarded the road to the east. From here you could go to Emmerich, Huissen and Cologne. In the Middle Ages, the Rhine lay further from the city centre than it does today. Then, the river only followed its course along the city in the area of the present-day Mandela Bridge.
Symbolic significance
Over the course of centuries, the Sabelspoort acquired a symbolic significance. When Adolf of Gelre came to power in 1469 with the consent of the municipal authorities, he also gained control of the Sabelspoort. This gave him the opportunity to enter the city whenever he wished. Two years later, Adolf was taken prisoner by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Charles appointed Adolf’s father as the new Duke of Gelre. This displeased the Arnhem citizenry, who promptly occupied the Sabelspoort. However, their efforts were in vain.
Charles of Gelre
A century later, Charles of Gelre controlled the Sabelspoort. Charles was unhappy with the fact that the Rhine lay at such a distance from the city. In 1530 he commissioned the excavation of an old river channel and diverted the course of the Rhine up to the vicinity of the city walls. However, the new course of the Rhine was so dangerous that measures were adopted in 1563 to move it back from the city again.
Prison
Over time, the Sabelspoort acquired other functions. It served as a tollhouse, for example, and the vault was used as a prison. This type of prison bore no resemblance to a modern jail. Imprisonment as punishment was rare. If someone was found guilty, the punishment was one that could be immediately imposed, such as a fine, corporal punishment, execution, exile or a compulsory pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella. Later, insane people were locked up in the Sabelspoort.
