Spandau Prison

Spandau Prison was a military detention facility in western Berlin that held convicted Nazi leaders after World War II. The complex contained multiple cell blocks, a courtyard with a garden, high walls, watchtowers, and barbed wire for complete surveillance.

The facility was built in 1876 as a military prison for Prussian soldiers and later housed civilians and political prisoners. After the Nuremberg Trials, the four Allied powers jointly controlled it to hold convicted Nazi leaders until the last inmate died in 1987.

The name comes from the western Berlin district where the facility stood and served as a known landmark for years. After the last prisoner's death, authorities demolished it quickly to prevent the site from becoming a gathering place for extremists.

The site is located on Wilhelmstrasse today and is easily accessible by public transport. A shopping center and parking area now occupy the space where the prison buildings once stood.

The inmates maintained a large garden where they grew vegetables and flowers to spend time outdoors. After demolition, the bricks were ground to powder and scattered in the North Sea so no physical traces remained.

Location: Spandau

Inception: 1876

GPS coordinates: 52.52111,13.18528

Latest update: December 8, 2025 08:20