The guillotine - a silent witness to French rule
Weekly
From 9 September 2025, there will be something very special in the Maastricht Museum Museum: a real French guillotine from 1798.
From 9 September 2025, the Maastricht Museum Museum will have an object that is both fascinating and terrifying: an authentic guillotine from 1798. This special loan, established in cooperation with the National Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE) and the Limburgs Museum, is not just any museum piece. It is a silent witness to a time when law, power and humanity were redefined.
A tangible relic of French rule
The guillotine actually stood in Maastricht and was also used. In 1798, the execution of murderer Verdecheval took place on the Markt in front of the City Hall, an event that revealed the radical changes under French rule. Made in Douai (northern France) and brought to Maastricht via Ghent, this device symbolises the new order that took hold after the French siege of 1794.With the annexation to the French Republic, Maastricht became the capital of the department of Lower Meuse. From then on, the French constitution applied, centuries-old bicommunalism disappeared, and the guillotine became the ultimate symbol of strict, centralised justice.
The guillotine in the Maastricht Museum Museum is more than a historical object. It is a silent witness to French rule and invites reflection on law, power and humanity. Come see it in the Maastricht Museum Museum from 9 September 2025 and discover how one object can capture an entire zeitgeist.
Prices
- Students € 10,00
- Children € 7,00
- Regular € 11,00
When
- Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
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The guillotine - a silent witness to French rule can be found in Céramique
Location
The modern Céramique district is characterised by its unusual architecture, where Maastricht's industrial past can still be felt, while at the same time you are in the newest and most modern part of the city.
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Address details
Avenue Céramique 50
6221 KV Maastricht Plan your route to The guillotine - a silent witness to French rule