Social media users were shocked to discover the stunning college campus that used to be a prison housing hundreds of dangerous criminals.
The Haarlem Dome Prison, often referred to as the Koepel, was one of three domed prisons built in the Netherlands. The unique circular design was first created in Breda, followed by Arnhem and Haarlem.
The former prison was made into a college campus in 2022
Despite finishing renovation in 2022, the internet has suddenly discovered the existence of the Haarlem Dome Prison.
Now called the SRH Haarlem University of Applied Sciences, the campus currently offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology, Digital Transformation, Creative Media, and Sustainability Management.
“We see the building as an upside-down telescope that helps to change the perspective and invites you to see the world from another angle,” co-founder Timo Timmerman explained on the website. “Let’s use this ecosystem and its ocean of opportunities to connect, exchange knowledge and shape a new world.”
So coquette 👀🎀 #uni #unilife #campus #university #student #studentlife #studyabroad #fyp #fypシ
♬ queen of disaster with sparkles – ˚ ˚｡° ⋆♡˚🎀 ꒰ ྀི ◞ ˕ ก ꒱ ⭐️
New students, incoming
The school was thrust into the spotlight following a recent viral TikTok from Farnia (@__farfar__). Upon visiting her friends at Haarlem University, she simply had to take her followers for a tour.
In the clip, Farnia featured some of the site’s original architecture that had been spruced up for modern-day use. Arguably, it still looked like a prison.
The clip was an instant hit as Farnia accumulated over 1 million likes, 4.2 million views, and dozens of commenters demanding to know more information.
One person suggested: “I feel like the need to let all the artist kids on campus have a slot to make street style murals all along the walls or hang big chandeliers and paint everything black so it looks like a castle.”
“I would wanna know all the prisoners who ever lived in my dorm/cell and memorize their stories of why they were arrested,” another person said.
A third confessed: “We used to have our high school gym class in the basement of a former mental asylum. 100% haunted, I’m telling you.”
