Patarei Sea Fortress, Patarei prison also known as Tallinn Central prison is am amazing place to visit if you can gain entry before it is turned into a museum planed for 2025.
Patarei Sea Fortress was built between 1830 and 1837 as part of Sea defenses of the tsarist Russian State. After the Russian defeat in the Crimean war it was converted to barracks.
When Estonia gained independence the Fort was converted into a prison in 1918. It served as a prison until 2005.
It is considered by many to represent Soviet and Nazi political terror. Many prisoners were tortured and executed in the prison.
The execution chamber was very grim. It did bring back memories from when I was arrested in Budapest in the 90s at the time police brutality was very real and unfortunately it is something that I had witnessed. I may mention it in a blog one day.
It is one of the best places in the world to see a Soviet style prison. If possible it is best to go a night.
Unfortunately it is not open to the public until May 2022 and their is now a entrance charge.
Adults 10€, concessions 5€ (OAPs, students, teachers, pupils). It may be possible to gain unofficial entry like I did. But, you could face possible consequences if you enter the prison unofficially.
Enter at your own risk and take a good torch 🔦 and do not go alone.
You may be arrested if you get caught entering and that is your personal decision to make.
One of the many cells
Do not move you are going to be tortured
I was told that a common question that new prisoners were asked. "what tastes better ice-cream or pennis" it was a trick question and many unfortunate men would say ice cream that would be interpreted as meaning that they knew what they both tasted like. The answer is "I do not know"
