A public execution is a capital punishment carried out in a public space where members of the general public are allowed to attend. Historically, public executions were intended to deter others from breaking the law by demonstrating the consequences of defiance and to showcase the authority of the government or monarchy over life and death. Sometimes, the events were highly ritualized and could last for days, drawing large crowds who viewed it as a form of entertainment or a communal event.
Public executions were typically done through a variety of methods; most commonly, hanging was often seen as more humane than other options. The condemned would ride in a cart to the gallows, in a procession where crowds could line the streets to throw things at the condemned or jeer at them. These events were highly ritualized, often including a final sermon and a moment for the condemned to address the crowd, usually described as a "theater of horror," with thousands attending to witness the event. They were considered a deterrent to others, but also a form of communal entertainment, and in some cases, the punishment continued after death. For example, the heads of traitors were sometimes displayed on London Bridge as a warning to others. Burning at the stake was used for crimes like heresy. This method involved being tied to a stake while a fire was set. In some cases, mechanisms like gunpowder were used to hasten death or beheading, which was typically reserved for nobility; this was considered a more "merciful" death. For commoners, other methods like "hanging, drawing, and quartering" were used for treason, which involved hanging the person until near death, followed by dismemberment, and were often treated as public spectacles. Criminals were frequently led to the execution site, such as a gallows or stake,
However, they are now rare and often held in private.