Loading...
English
Русский English
Choose country Add object Visited places map
3263
I was here
0
I want to visit
0

The Prison Museum "Le Nuove", Turin

The Prison Museum

The Prison Museum "Le Nuove" (Museo del Carcere Le Nuove) in Turin can be considered to be one of those museums that have their own special atmosphere. Not so much. There are no soulless exhibits, the place is literally imbued with pain and suffering which the prisoners had to face to obtain the independence of Italy. After all, this is where political prisoners who fought against tyrants were kept.

History of the museum

The prison museum dates back to the second half of the 19th century. Before that, there were several small prisons in Turin each of which contained prisoners convicted of certain crimes. However, King Vittorio Emanuele II ordered the creation of a place that merged all the small prisons together. Construction of a new building began in 1854 and ended in 1869. The project was carried out by the architect Giuseppe Polani. Here ordinary criminals were peacefully serving their sentences. But in 1922, the Nazis led by Mussolini came to power. That’s when the dark page of the prison history began.

It became the place of imprisonment of politically troublesome individuals, opponents of the new regime. Soon partisans and Jews began to appear here. A wing was also opened which was led by the SS unit of Nazi Germany. Prisoners were tortured here quite often. After World War II and the establishment of democracy, conditions in the prison gradually began to improve. In 1986 a new modern building was built, and the old one was turned into a museum.

Exposition and premises of the museum

The museum is dedicated to those people who fought for free and independent Italy, the main emphasis is made on that. This is another important historical evidence of patriotism and the struggle for the just cause. The building of the former prison is also unique for its architecture and infrastructure, characteristic of its time. This distinguishes it from the surrounding modern buildings. The entire museum building is now divided into several zones:

  • Detention cells. There were a total of 648 separate cells in the prison where convicts were contained. They were divided into 13 parts by type of crime. The prison was intended for both for men and women. It was nicknamed "Le Nuvola" which means "Clouds" because of how the cameras were built. They were designed in such a way that the prisoner could only see the sky through a small window. The part where political prisoners were kept and constantly tortured became quite famous. Such places always have a distinctive depressive atmosphere.
  • Church. Two small chapels were created in the prison: one for men and the other one for women. This place wasn’t meant only for praying and repenting. The first head of the prison allowed classes inside this building. So the prisoners had the opportunity to grow not only spiritually but also receive an education. Indeed, the place is not so much for punishment as for correction.
  • Anti-aircraft bunker. It was discovered in 2010. The bunker was created during the reign of Mussolini; the place is located at a depth of 18 meters under the ground and was used not only as a shelter. They say this was where especially famous political prisoners were kept and where they were tortured.

However, the tours are do not go through only the cells and rooms of the prison. You can learn about the famous crimes of the past, famous prisoners, the testimonies of those sentenced to death and the last death penalty in Italy, as well as various periods of history. Those include anti-fascist struggle, racial persecution, and two world wars. Also, themed book exhibitions are regularly held in the museum. It is worth mentioning that it is better to have solid comfortable shoes on if you want to visit the museum.

How to get

The Prison Museum is located near the center of Turin and on one of the largest streets in the city, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. The entrance can be found on Via Paolo Borsellino, 3. The interesting Pietro Micca Museum and the huge monument to Vittorio Emanuele II are 10 minutes away. You can get here by tram №9 and buses 55, 68. Get off at the Palagiustizia stop. The Vinzaglia subway station is located nearby.

Opening hours: guided tours are held from Monday to Saturday at 15:00, on Sundays at 15:00 and 17:00; additionally, the museum offers tours on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at 09:00. Contact number: (+39) 011 3090115, (+39) 011 7604881.

Admission: the cost of a full ticket is 6 euros, preferential (pensioners and students) 4 euros. Children under 14 are free of charge.

The information about admission and opening hours may be changed.

Photos:

Facebook (0)
Add place's description

Feedback
Feedback
Your attention and time spent on the site IGotoWorld.com is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, wishes, complaints, or you desire to learn more about us, select the area you are interested in and click the link to make a comment or ask a question.
Feedback form
Request submitted successfully.
Send