Katajanokan vankilan rakennus, Former prison building in Katajanokka district, Finland.
Katajanokan vankilan rakennus is a red brick structure with neoclassical details and large windows in downtown Helsinki, now operating as a hotel with roughly 100 guest rooms. The interior keeps the original layout of a former detention facility, including the central courtyard and thick walls that provide excellent sound insulation.
The building functioned as a detention facility from 1837 until 2002, holding a central role in Helsinki's justice system for over a century and a half. During that period it housed both ordinary prisoners and political detainees, reflecting the turbulent political changes Finland experienced.
The building tells the story of Finland's correction system through its transformation from a detention facility into a hospitality space where the past remains visible. Original features like thick walls and the preserved courtyard keep the former purpose always present in visitors' minds.
The location sits near Helsinki's harbor area and is easily walkable, with bus stops and parking options close by. Visitors should expect narrow corridors and low ceilings in some areas that reflect the building's former use, so comfortable shoes are recommended.
The former exercise yard where prisoners moved about daily now serves as the hotel's restaurant space, where guests dine surrounded by original stone walls. This repurposing creates a direct link between the past and visitors' everyday moments in the building.
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