Robben Island, Prison island in Table Bay, South Africa
The rocky island spans 5.08 square kilometers with a maximum elevation of 17 meters, located 6.9 kilometers from Cape Town's coast.
Nelson Mandela spent 18 years imprisoned on this island during the apartheid era, before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994.
Former political prisoners now guide visitors through the maximum security prison, sharing personal accounts of their incarceration during apartheid times.
Ferry services operate daily from Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, with tours lasting approximately three and a half hours.
The island houses a colony of African penguins and contains numerous shipwrecks in its surrounding waters dating back to the 17th century.
Location: City of Cape Town
Elevation above the sea: 17 m
Part of: Liberation Heritage Route
Website: http://robben-island.org.za
GPS coordinates: -33.80500,18.37000
Latest update: May 26, 2025 19:09
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.
Table Mountain
18 km
Non-Violence
12 km
Two Oceans Aquarium
12.3 km
Granger Bay Boulevard
11.7 km
Green Point Stadium
11.7 km
Green Point Lighthouse
11.1 km
Nobel Square
12.2 km
Robben Island Prison
541 m
Chavonnes Battery
12.3 km
Green Point Common
11.4 km
Bloubergstrand Beach
10.2 km
Cape Medical Museum
12.1 km
Robben Island Lighthouse
1.1 km
Mouille Point Lighthouse
11.6 km
Breekwatervuurtoring, Kaapstadhawe
12 km
Robben Island Museum
612 m
V&A Waterfront clock tower
12.3 km
Church of the Good Shepherd, Robben Island
619 m
Robben Island Embarkation Building
12 km
Iziko South African Maritime Centre
12.1 km
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront Swing Bridge
12.3 km
Highfields
10.6 km
Sea Point Ridge Pinnacles
12.3 km
Old Port Captain's Building, V&A Waterfront
12.2 km
Morphous
11 km
Time ball tower, V&A Waterfront
12.1 km
Dolphin Coast
7.7 km
The Blue Peter Hotel
8 kmReviews
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