PRISON MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD
The more gruesome side of social history has always appealed to the darker side of people's curiosity and in recent years, prison museums have become much more popular, with many now offering ghost tours, overnight stays and other experiences to pique a visitor's interest. Some prison museums are a place to learn about the terrible criminals kept within their walls, whereas others are memorials; places for remembrance of atrocities committed against people who were wrongfully imprisoned. Whatever their history, there is no better place to get a true understanding of what life was like for those inside than a visit behind their once locked doors.
With the article Prison Museums in the UK being such a big hit with readers, we have decided to expand to Prison Museums around the World. Unable to visit them all, we enlisted the help of other travel writers who have each written about a prison museum they have visited.
Click on the arrow next to each title to expand the listing
Prison Museums in Europe
Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin
by Cath from Travel Around Ireland
One of the best prison museums to visit in the world is Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland. Built in 1796 as a new county jail for Dublin, it had inmates varying from common petty thieves to famous political figures. Most inmates were incarcerated for petty crimes or debt.
It was a disorganised place that did not separate men, women and children from one another, and overcrowding became a probably soon after its opening. Cells were meant to house just one person but often there were five prisoners in each. Part of the problem with overcrowding was the fact the prison was often used as a holding site for inmates destined for Australia. The site consists of cell blocks, yards and a thick wall surrounding it. Public hangings took place just outside the entrance until the late nineteenth century and within its walls, political figures were shot to death. In the late 1850’s the east wing was completely replaced by what is arguably Kilmainham Gaol’s most famous appearance. It was designed around a central interior yard from which prison officers could see the doors of every cell. And when you visit, you’ll get an appreciation for this. Kilmainham Gaol is most famous for its political inmates, those who fought for the independence of Ireland from British Rule. The most famous were the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. They were held in Kilmainham Gaol shortly before their execution in Stonebreakers Yard in the prison.
Kilmainham Gaol is most famous for its political inmates, those who fought for the independence of Ireland from British Rule. The most famous were the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. They were held in Kilmainham Gaol shortly before their execution in Stonebreakers Yard in the prison.
Political prisoners included Joseph Plunkett, who married his sweetheart in the prison chapel the night before his execution.
Others included Padraig Pearse who read out the Proclamation of the Republic during the Easter Rising and Eamon de Valera who went on to become President of Ireland. He escaped execution thanks to, in part, his American citizenship. Eamon de Valera was one of the last prisoners to leave the jail in 1924 before its official closing order in 1929.
When it comes to Irish independence and the formation of the Irish Free State, as the Republic of Ireland was first known, Kilmainham Gaol is an important part of that history. Visitors to this Dublin attraction can take guided tours of the prison, learn about conditions within it and some of its former inmates, and visit a museum afterwards to immerse themselves in Irish history. If you are visiting Dublin and looking to learn more about Irish history, this former prison is a must.
Spike Island, Ireland
by Amber from Amber Everywhere
Along the southern coast of Ireland is Spike Island, a prison that was in use in Ireland from 1847 until 2004. Long before Spike Island became a prison, it is thought to have first been a monastic settlement. There is some debate over exactly when the island became inhabited, but it could have been as early as the 7th century. Starting in the 17th century, Spike Island started to be recognized for its strategic location at the entrance to Cobh Harbor. Then, in response to the American Revolution in 1775, artillery fortification of the island began in 1779. Spike Island served as a military base from 1779 until it was converted into a prison in 1847 in response to the increased convictions due to the Great Famine. During this period, it was said to be the largest prison in the British Empire and would later become known as “Ireland’s Alcatraz.”
Later, the prison was used to hold IRA soldiers during the Irish War of Independence, with over 1400 men imprisoned at the peak of the prison’s use. The island’s geographic features, including a steep hill atop which a star-shaped fortress was built, made it ideal for both a prison facility and a military outpost. The open hillside served as a natural barrier, making it more difficult for prisoners to escape. Many famous people have passed through Spike Island, both as prisoners and guards. One of the most famous is Percy Fawcett, an adventurer from the late 19th and early 20th century who spent three years as a guard on Spike Island. It is rumored that George Lucas was inspired by Fawcett’s escapades in South America when he created the character of ‘Indiana Jones.’ Today, visitors can see Spike Island while on a day trip from Cork.
O Vello Cárcere, Lugo Spain
by Carol from Libro Maniacs
Like many of the prisons on this list, such as the Kilmainham Gaol noted above, the O Vello Cárcere prison in Lugo, started as your normal run-of-the-mill prison, housing people who committed typical crimes like theft. But in 1936 when Franco came to power in Spain, things changed. His long dictatorship oversaw a period of brutal repression of freedom of speech and civil rights. As a result, what had been a normal prison transformed into a political prison. And cells housing two robbers, became cells housing twelve prisoners. With the return to democracy, the prison was closed and turned into a museum. Their goal is to keep the memory of that dark period alive so that the country doesn’t repeat it. Like other prison museums, there are displays showing the history of the prison. But O Vello Cárcere has two additional things which make it truly unique. The first is a series of vignettes performed live, which tell stories of the prisoners and their experiences. And the other is that most of the prison cells have been transformed into mini-art galleries. It’s very cleansing to see art in place of prisoners, and it adds a touching spot of culture to what is otherwise a dark topic. To learn more about Spain’s history and culture, we recommend immersing yourself in some books set in Spain. And be sure to add Lugo to your Spanish itinerary. In addition to the museum, it’s a lovely city with an intact Roman wall and stunning cathedral.
Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs, Spain
by Anya of The Road is Calling
Nestled in the heart of Cordoba, Spain, lies the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs, an impressive fortress with a rich history that spans centuries.
While the site served as a seat of power for many Moorish and later Spanish rulers throughout history, it has also witnessed some of the country's darker moments and in our time became an important World Heritage Site with a fascinating prison museum. This prison was set inside the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs during the Spanish Inquisition from the 15th to the 18th centuries. As Spain was one of the countries where the European Inquisition was particularly prominent, Cordoba's fortress prison was one of the scariest and most oppressive prisons during that time in Europe. It was a place where people accused of heresy were detained, interrogated, and often subjected to torture before being put on trial. The conditions in the prison were notoriously harsh, and many inmates were held in small, cramped cells with little access to light, fresh air, or basic amenities.
If you visit Alcazar today without a guide, you can easily miss the prison section as there are not many exhibits devoted to it. But what you can do instead, if going with a guide is not an option, is to download online guides (or posts) prior to a visit with a detailed history of Alcazar. Many of them include facts about the life of the fortress under the rule of Christian Monarques and illustrate the history of crime and punishment in Spain, talking in detail about medieval torture devices, prison cells, living conditions of prisoners, and more. With a visit there, you will be able to learn about the shocking impact of the Spanish Inquisition on Spanish culture and politics. And how it contributed to the decline of Spain as a world power, as the country's focus on religious orthodoxy and the suppression of dissent stifled intellectual and cultural innovation.
Helsinki County Prison / Katajanokka in Helsinki, Finland
by Audrey from That Backpacker
Helsinki County Prison dates back to 1837 and it began as a 12-room prison with two guard rooms and a chapel - coincidentally the second oldest church in Helsinki. It was also known as Katajanokka, meaning 'Juniper Point' in Finnish, named so after the neighbourhood it's located in. Katajanokka originally opened as an investigative prison holding criminals awaiting trial and people imprisoned for unpaid fines. It is said that nearly 40% of all inmates that ended up in Finnish prisons, spent ti