Patarei / an abandoned prison fortress

After a successful breakfast, we bought 'Vana Tallinn' for our dear relatives. A liqueur for social evenings. In the afternoon, we visited the Patarei fortress.

Patarei was built as a cannon factory in 1840. The sea fortress was used as a prison between 1920 and 2002. Cells with 16 beds often accommodated more than 30 people. The cells facing the sea had no daylight since 1980. This was to prevent prisoners from contacting foreign sailors during the Olympic Games. Until 1991, during the times of the USSR, people were executed in this prison. Many of them were political prisoners.

As I walked through a large iron gate onto the prison grounds, I felt uneasy. We were able to explore the grounds on our own. First, we came across the execution room. I couldn't stay in that room for long. The suffering was palpable. Then we went to a bridge for guards. From there, we could see the outdoor cells where the inmates had daylight and fresh air. After that, we visited the cell block. The building is damp, quite musty, and the plaster is peeling off the walls. There must have been great overcrowding in the cells. It's unimaginable. In the corner behind a small wall, the prisoners could relieve themselves. We also saw the infirmary.

To make up for it, we enjoyed the afternoon in the hotel's spa area. We spent the last evening of our vacation in a pirate restaurant.

I am now realizing that an interesting and beautiful vacation is coming to an end. 😓