A historically lawless or disreputable area, especially within a city, where criminals could hide from authorities; named after the region of Alsace.
From 'Alsatia,' the Latin name for the Alsace region in France/Germany. In 17th-century London, 'Alsatia' referred specifically to the Whitefriars district, a sanctuary for criminals—the geographic name became a general term for such areas.
London's Alsatia (Whitefriars) was a genuine no-go zone where police couldn't enter because it had special legal immunity—it shows how even modern cities have had their own 'lawless zones' hidden in plain sight!
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