Maison centrale d'Ensisheim, Historic prison in Ensisheim, France.
Maison centrale d'Ensisheim is a prison housed within a former Jesuit college building from the 1600s that now holds around 200 inmates. The structure retains its stone walls and original layout while functioning as a modern facility for people serving extended sentences.
Architect Louis-Ambroise Dubut converted the college into a prison in 1811 following Napoleon's imperial order. When France closed its overseas penal colonies in 1938, many prisoners from those territories were transferred here.
The prison reflects how France organized punishment and social order during the 1800s. Its conversion from a religious college into a security facility shows how the same building served very different purposes across centuries.
The facility sits in central Ensisheim and operates as an active high-security prison with limited public access. Visitors should plan ahead as strict security protocols apply and casual visits are not permitted.
The building received protected monument status in 1987, making it one of the few working prisons with this designation. This creates a rare situation where historical preservation and active daily use exist side by side.
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