When was arkham asylum founded

All exterior windows at Arkham were installed with heat detectors and microwave motion detectors. Magnetic foils in the walls were used to block radio waves from penetrating locked cells. Even with these new security protocols, the most devious inmates found ways to escape the asylum. Because what Arkham did not know, was that the contractors he hired to build his new labyrinth had been blackmailed by an asylum inmate into building a secret corridor that connected to several padded rooms, including his own.

This would essentially enable several inmates to escape at their leisure. Arkham asylum is often damaged by escape attempts. At one point, the original Arkham Asylum suffered massive structural damage when the criminal Bane orchestrated a large-scale break-out, setting dozens of patients free. This is evidenced by the fact that several staff members, including at least one director, have becomes inmates — most notably Dr. Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn , Dr.

When he sold the building to the Arkhams, Blood locked many souls inside the basement, who starved to death. The reign of madness and chaos that plagued the Arkham Asylum may be mystical in nature. There is actually a secret, second Arkham Asylum that remained hidden from the public eye for a long time. Situated just off of Mercey Island, a towering building once owned by a wealthy Gotham elite was turned into an insane Asylum by Jeremiah Arkham a descendent of Amadeus Arkham — found of Arkham Asylum.

It was the Joker who found the complex in Shadow of the Bat Since it was on an island, there would never be any breakouts and escapes. Amadeus Arkham was a brilliant psychotherapist and neuro-scientist. His forte was understanding the human mind and the fragile, ever-changing psyche of people.

But he harbored a dark secret. When Amadeus was young, he had murdered his mentally ill mother. Repressing that part of his memory, Amadeus convinced himself his mother had actually killed herself. He founded Arkham Asylum within his own family grounds to help other mentally challenged people. One day, an inmate escaped and broke into his house, raping and murdering his wife and daughter.

Amadeus Arkham lost his sanity and started using occult rituals to treat his patients. He was later admitted into the same Asylum he helped build. Even now, it's difficult to find a detailed, chronological history as it's scattered throughout multiple stories and viewpoints.

The original property where the asylum now stands was owned by the Arkhams, a prominent family in Gotham. After the death of her husband, the matron of the family began to wither. Elizabeth Arkham fell into a severe state of dementia, causing her son, Amadeus Arkham, to care for her both night and day. Doing so inspired young Amadeus to pursue psychiatry as a career. After his mother passed, he inherited the home and opened the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane within its walls.

Before DC had a chance to flesh out its history, the basic concept of the asylum was based on one found in author H. Lovecraft's works. Known as Arkham Sanitarium, it evoked a creepy, unsettling feeling of madness that makes up all of Lovecraft's published literature.

When reimagining the concept of Gotham City in the 70s, writer Dennis O'Neil depicted a dark, brooding city. The apex of this gothic-leaning narrative was Arkham Asylum, a grim reflection of the Batman story and the villains he faced. Before the creepy asylum existed as modern Gothamites know of it today, it was no more than a Victorian mansion owned by a wealthy family. Although they weren't the ones to build it, the Arkhams bought the building and made it their home. Even with the asylum built around it, remnants of this era still remain.

In many iterations of Arkham Asylum, it's not uncommon to see gothic architecture, ominous statues, terrifying gargoyles, and other features common in Victorian homes. The most striking of these is the main gate that grants access to the property. A famous DC character lived on the property long before the Arkham family. The true owner of the mansion is none other than Jason Blood, a powerful occultist. Ironically enough, he also treated the mentally ill, although his methods were more religious in nature as he used exorcisms and torture.

Blood sealed some of the lost souls in the basement before selling the building to the Arkhams. Since the Arkhams dealt with their fair share of tragedy after moving onto the property, and the future of Arkham Asylum being nothing but madness and mayhem, can it all be traced back to Blood?