That Time I Went to the Inquisition Museum

 

Years ago I was traveling in Granada, Spain, and I decided to check out this little museum dedicated to torture devices. I'm not entirely sure why I wanted to go there... ghoulish curiosity? I guess that's why... what other reason could there be?  

I think my curiosity quickly curdled into revulsion and I remember feeling pretty ill when we left.  And some of the things I saw there stayed with me.  Most notable was a kind of combination screw-press and metal cap.  There was a chin rest at the base and the idea was to twist the press until ... ugh.  I can't even bring myself to write about it in detail.  

There's a version of that awful thing in a recent episode of TOTM; I called it the iron wolf.  

If you ever get the chance to visit one of these places, I'd say: don't.