Käyrä prison, Cultural Heritage Prison in Aura, Finland.
Käyrä prison is a correctional facility in Aura built during the late 1800s and still contains its original architectural structures. The complex includes residential blocks, administrative buildings, and security features that together formed a complete working prison system.
The prison was built in the 1800s when Finland was under Russian rule and became central to the country's justice system. It continued operating through Finland's independence and adapted to changing correctional practices over the following decades.
The facility taught inmates practical skills through work programs and craft training available within its walls. This focus on education and labor reflects how Finnish corrections aimed to help people prepare for life after release.
The site can only be visited through scheduled guided tours that must be arranged in advance with the local tourism office. Plan ahead to secure a spot, as tours have limited capacity and provide detailed explanations throughout the visit.
The prison became a research location where scholars gathered data about correctional systems that still influence modern prison management today. This investigative work helped establish Finnish prisons as known for their humane and reform-focused approach.
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