Eastern State Penitentiary

The Eastern State Penitentiary is a now serves as a museum Detention Center in Philadelphia.

First reflections on the building were already in 1787, hired by a group of famous Philadelphians, including Benjamin Franklin. Concrete plans were but come on until 1821. The construction was implemented from 1822 to 1829. After commissioning on 23 October 1829, the prison was used until 1971. In 1994, the museum opened today be moved there.

In order to obtain from afar as a deterrent, the detention center is modeled from the outside of the look of a medieval castle. The building has two floors. For ease of monitoring the cell blocks were arranged radially around a central structure.

The prison was constructed with the time reformist basic approaches. The overriding principle was going to isolate the prisoners from the outside world and each other. Therefore, each cell has a separated also by walls outside. Work was the prisoners as well as visit not allowed ( except by a prison chaplain ).

During a tour of the museum gives the state of the cells from each phase - there were several conversions over time - to see. A large part of the building is still in the original state of disrepair.

In Eastern State Penitentiary who served prison sentences among other things Al Capone and Willie Sutton. The cell of Al Capone was reconstructed and can be visited.

At present, the exhibition is complemented by a cell as it is in the infamous Guantanamo Bay base in use.

Although originally built outside the city, the city, the building has now included. It is located in the 22nd Street / Fairmount Ave. The museum is open from April to November.