Katajanokan vankilan rakennus, Former prison building in Katajanokka district, Finland.
The red brick building features neoclassical architectural elements with large windows, high walls, and a central courtyard in downtown Helsinki.
The prison facility operated from 1837 to 2002, housing both common criminals and political prisoners during periods of Finnish social changes.
The structure represents the evolution of Finnish corrections system, transforming from a detention center into a modern hotel establishment.
The building contains 106 guest rooms created from former cells, with preserved original details and thick brick walls ensuring complete silence.
Former inmates' exercise yard now serves as the hotel restaurant, where guests dine surrounded by the original stone walls.
Location: Helsinki
Inception: 1837
Address: 1a Vyökatu 1 00160 Helsinki
Phone: +3589686450
Email: sales@hotelkatajanokka.fi
Website: https://hotelkatajanokka.fi
GPS coordinates: 60.16664,24.96923
Latest update: March 18, 2025 18:55
This collection brings together penal institutions that have marked the history of incarceration worldwide through their architecture, detention conditions, or roles in major historical events. From the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba, established in 2002 for holding individuals suspected of terrorism, to high-security facilities like Red Onion in Wise County, Virginia, these sites document the evolution of penal systems across continents. Among the institutions transformed into memorial sites, Diyarbakır Prison in Turkey stands out for its conversion into a cultural center and museum since 2019. Its 24 dormitories spread over two floors, its cells, and corridors allow visitors to explore this chapter of Turkish penal history. In Argentina, Mendoza Prison, built in the early 20th century, reflects the prison practices of that era and the development of the regional judicial system. Other facilities remain operational and raise questions about prisoners' rights and incarceration conditions. Gldani Prison in Tbilisi caused national protests in 2012 after images exposing systemic abuses were released, leading to major reforms in the Georgian penal system. Ciudad Barrios Prison in El Salvador continues to function as a correctional center in the eastern region of the country. These sites, spread across multiple continents, provide documented insights into penal practices in various political and social contexts. From Rwanda to North Korea, passing through Colombia and the United States, they help understand the evolution of judicial and correctional systems while raising current issues related to detention and rehabilitation.
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