In the shadowed corridors of medieval dungeons, where screams echoed off cold stone walls, torture was not just punishment – it was law. But why was torture used in medieval times? To modern minds, this brutality may seem senseless, but in the Middle Ages, torment was intertwined with justice, faith, and fear. The Purpose of […]
In a time where cruelty was normalized and justice often intertwined with torture, the voices that dared oppose these harsh practices emerged as rare beacons of courage and humanity. But who spoke out against medieval torture, and how did their resistance impact the dark narrative of the Middle Ages? Opposition to Torture in Medieval Times: […]
The medieval era is often remembered as a dark age marked by fear, brutality, and cruel justice. One of the most haunting legacies of this period is the development of creative torture devices that were designed not only to punish but to instill terror, extract confessions, and assert control. But how did medieval people invent […]
Lessons carved in flesh The haunting idea returns Every few years a sensational headline suggests that brutal penalties could spark a dramatic crime drop. In talk-shows and comment threads someone inevitably asks: “If medieval justice worked so well, why not bring it back?” The question is chilling-but worth unpacking. Could a policy built on racks, […]
Silence was seldom safety in the Middle Ages. One careless whisper, one loaf gone missing, or a sermon that questioned authority could plunge anyone-peasant or prince-into a dungeon where agony, torment, and endless darkness ruled. Today we ask the unnerving question: what did medieval criminals face when the church, the crown, or an angry crowd […]
Throughout history, societies have constantly debated the effectiveness and morality of capital punishment. Today, execution methods like lethal injection are designed to be quick, humane, and minimally painful. But imagine if our modern justice system reverted to historical medieval torture methods for punishment? Could medieval torture replace executions, and would this approach effectively deter crime, […]
From Dungeon Shadows to Public Offices: How to Become a Torturer in Medieval Times Before a man-or, on rarer occasions, a woman-ever touched the rack or tightened a set of chains, society first had to decide how torturers were selected in the Middle Ages. Candidates were usually plucked from the fringes of urban life: blacksmiths […]
Are you ready to face your fears? This summer, take a spine-chilling journey through history, terror, and mystery with the ultimate Summer Horror Tour. Visit three of the most eerie and haunted locations in the United States: the Medieval Torture Museum in Chicago, the Medieval Torture Museum in LA, and the Medieval Torture Museum in […]
Each year, June marks a powerful chapter in the ongoing story of equality, identity, and justice. But when is Pride Month 2025, and what does it mean today? From June 1st through June 30th, we honor the LGBTQ+ community with events, awareness, and reflection. At the Medieval Torture Museum in Chicago, we invite you to […]
