Throughout history, prisons have held a mix of people, from bad criminals to political enemies. Some prisons are famous because they held important prisoners, treated inmates badly, or had daring escape attempts. Let’s learn about some well-known prisons.
List of 10 Famous Prisons In The World
Elmina Castle
This old prison in Ghana, called Elmina Castle, was built in 1492. It’s the oldest European building below the Sahara desert. For over 300 years, it held people who were forced into slavery. Imagine living with up to 200 others in a small cell where you couldn’t even lie down. By the 1700s, more than 30,000 slaves passed through its “Door of No Return” every year. ghanatrvl
Genocide Museum Tuol Sleng
in Cambodia is a place of horror. It used to be a school but turned into a prison in 1975. The Khmer Rouge made prisoners confess by hurting them. After confessing, they were often killed. Only a few survived out of the 17,000 inmates during four years. The place is now a museum, showing the bad things that happened during that time.
Tasmania Port Arthur
in Australia was where they sent the worst criminals from 1833 to the 1850s. It’s like a colony for prisoners. Today, you can see the ruins of the prison, hospital, and other buildings the prisoners made. Unfortunately, a bad event happened there in 1996 when a shooter killed 35 people, making it a sad part of Australia’s history.
Robben Island
Off the coast of South Africa, there’s an island called Robben Island. People used it for many things, like a leper colony. But its most famous use was as a prison during apartheid, a time of separation and discrimination. Leaders like Nelson Mandela were held there. Now it’s a place people visit by ferry, and penguins use it to have babies.
Hanoi Hilton
The Hoa Loa Prison in Vietnam was sarcastically called “Hanoi Hilton” by American soldiers. Originally, the French built it for their political prisoners. Later, during the Vietnam War, it held war prisoners. The prisoners suffered a lot, with torture and not enough food. Some well-known people like John McCain were there. Now there’s a hotel named Hilton Hanoi Opera.
Goree Island
Senegal’s Goree Island was a stop for thousands of slaves before they were taken to the New World. The Maison des Esclaves, or House of Slaves, was where they kept slaves before sending them away. Today, it’s a museum many African-Americans visit to learn about their ancestors.
Chateau d’If
This French castle was a prison from 1634 to the late 1800s. It’s famous because of a book called “The Count of Monte Cristo.” The rich and important prisoners got better treatment, but they had to pay. Now people can visit it since it became open to the public in 1890.
Devil’s Island
Devil’s Island started in 1852 as a prison in French Guiana. Political prisoners and serious criminals were sent there for 94 years. The island’s jungle and dangerous waters made it hard to escape. There were many stories of people trying to get away. The island’s story even became a movie.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London was a prison from 1100 to the middle of the 1900s. It’s famous for holding people like Anne Boleyn and King Henry VI. The Tower is also known for being haunted. People say they’ve seen ghosts there, including Anne Boleyn’s.
Alcatraz Alcatraz
is the most famous prison in the U.S. It’s on an island near San Francisco. Criminals like Al Capone lived there. Because of the cold water around the island, people thought it was impossible to escape. Many tried, but most were caught. A few disappeared, and some think they drowned. Now, it’s a place tourists visit.
