We are not serial prison tour visitors, though that might change in the future. The defunct prison tourism circuit is a thriving one. We’ve yet to even visit Alcatraz, so close to home.
Paterei Prison in Talinn Estonia made a prison tour believer of me. It turned out to be one of the most haunting, confusing and inspiring tours I’ve ever taken. All at once.
A little background on Paterei Prison in Tallinn, Estonia:
Patarei Prison was built as a fortress and then used as a prison during the Soviet era. It was overfilled and housed both male and female inmates for a variety of reasons ranging from political to psychiatric disorders, alcoholism, and petty crimes. Inmates were a mix of nationalities and ages, and in for numerous different types of offenses. They were sorted accordingly. They were housed in different areas of the facility.
What’s most shocking is that this prison was in operation until 2005. That’s barely a decade ago that prisoners were still resident in this nightmarish, American Horror Story film-set looking place. Tough to imagine, but then not really, because it’s practically untouched. When it closed, it was not emptied entirely. Much of the supplies, signs, inmate’s graffitti and posters, medical equipment etc, sits in the now abandoned and decaying building.
Outside in the courtyard are reels and reels of razor wire and broken glass. You can find the “walking yards” here. These are dog-pen like outdoor cells with caged roofs where the inmates would be taken for a chance to get fresh air.
There wasn’t really anywhere to go inside the cramped quarters, other than in circles. Or insane. The space is barely more than 100 square feet and would be used to air out up to 40 prisoners at a time.
Naturally they would want to use the opportunity to try and talk to prisoners from other cells in the next walking yard/pen, or yell to the windows of the inmates in the hospital wing. They managed to message each other, with wall thumps and tossed notes, despite the careful watch of guards on the ramparts above the cages.
The hospital wing was the luxury part of the prison. These cells had windows facing the sea, though many are high up and covered with bars. A few rooms had an actual view. Slightly cruel. The sea seems so close, and yet so far.
The remnants of years of despair still shimmer in the air. Human dust, blinking sadly, suspended in thick slivers of sunlight.
The less luxurious parts of the prison are soul crushing and unphotographable due to the darkness (see video above).
The darkness masks the many dank basement-like isolation cells that are, essentially, windowless holes. Pathological root cellars. The damp smell of decay is still peppered with menacing undertones of sweat, adrenaline, and hopelessness.
Prisoners were at the guard’s mercy here. If a guard didn’t want you to go home after time was served, they would throw a lit match at you. The burnt match would then be used as evidence of your infractions – a sure sign that you’d been “smoking”. Six more months.
Magazine ads still cling to the walls in poignant flaking patches here and there above mattress-less beds, and on cabinets and next to communal sinks. Despite the desolation, prisoners attempted decorate and claim their spaces. Cars and perfume, mostly. A few magazines and books still linger as well.
In one cell, a massive fantasy mural, drawn entirely in pencil spans the length of an entire wall. I’d guess at least 12 feet. This was considered a lucky cell to be confined to, as the resident tattoo artist was housed here. His pencil drawings are evidence of his skill.
Just down the hall however, one furry walled, damp and almost entirely dark cell was the worst one to be placed in. Nearly everyone in this cell contracted TB, and suffered from the wet and unhealthy environment.
I asked about ghosts – it was impossible not to, in an environment like this. And so we heard the tale of “cell 100” – in a part of the prison no longer safe to access. Supposedly haunted, nobody placed in that cell would survive a night there, and no-one was able to explain their deaths. It was so controversial that the cell was welded shut long before the prison closed. It’s still closed and one of the few areas that cannot be accessed, even by event planners who rent the space for parties. Yes you can do that there. Don’t even try and think about the liability issues from a US perspective. Your head will explode.
Somehow, there were stubborn weeds of beauty poking up thru all the decay. Some of the them, literal, wildflowers blooming in cracked cement. Local artists have also used the abandoned structure as a canvas for new images.
Hashtags floating up the staircase and a “Go F*ck Your Selfie” spot for all the selfie enthusiasts, inevitably trampling through. We’re all prisoners in a way. Time can’t be stopped. Nature is competing with pop culture in a race to reclaim the space.
Outside, near the entrance, there is a makeshift Soviet Era “junk” shop, that is grateful for your business. We found a few trinkets here, including the exact same dolls we found in a Siberian orphanage during our adoption trip. There were some posters of questionable taste (see gallery) and lots of pins and buttons.
Around the back of the prison there is a decent cafe. Here you can sit seaside on mattress-like cushions and drink a paper-cup macchiatos like a hipster, while reflecting on the prisoner’s one time view. Cruise ships now park in the middle distance. The cafe sells locally produced art along with coffee and pop culture.
This fortress/prison is for sale and eventually a developer will make it into something like luxury apartments or a shopping mall. It’s not going to be left as is for much longer. It was a rare opportunity to see a sliver of history, unedited. I am so glad I had the chance.
The prison was not on the tour my friend booked (we tagged along, and are so glad we came!) but our guide Dmitry who works with Tours by Locals made it happen. He’s extremely knowledgeable – just a font of information and clearly loves history and a good story as much as we do. Please look him up if you are in the area. I know we will if/when we go back!
Thanks so much also to my friend Heather Sievers. I’m down for any outing you’ll let our crew tag along on from here on out.
Very interesting post. Sorry I missed it when I was there.