Pishchalauski Castle
The Minsk Detention Center No. 1 (SIZO No. 1, Russian: СИЗО №1, informally known as Valadarka (Belarusian: Валадарка)) is the central prison of the Republic of Belarus located in Minsk.
Pishchalauski Castle | |
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Пішчалаўскі замак (Belarusian) Пищаловский замок (Russian) | |
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Alternative names | Pischalauski Castle Piszczalauski castle |
General information | |
Location | Valadarskaha Street Minsk, Belarus |
Coordinates | 53°53′56″N 27°32′52″E |
Completed | 1825 |
Design and construction | |
Architect | Pishchala |
Modern usage
Operated by the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs, SIZO No. 1 is also the only facility that houses death row inmates. The execution of death row inmates occurs at the prison.
It is also a pre-trial detention centre where arrested political activists are held.[1]
The building
The historical building is known as Pishchalauski Castle (Belarusian: Пішчалаўскі замак), also spelled Pischalauski Castle. The castle is also sometimes called the Belarusian Bastille.[2] It is a registered state architectural monument.[3]
The castle was built in 1825. It formerly served as a prison. The architect was named Pishchala.[3][2]
A portion of one the castle's four towers collapsed in April 2008.[2]
Famous inmates
- Yakub Kolas, Belarusian writer, from 1908 to 1911.
Opponents of president Alexander Lukashenko
Arrested during the 2020 presidential campaign
- Ihar Losik, blogger
- Aliaksandr Kabanau, blogger
- Siarhei Piatrukhin, blogger
See also
References
- "Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk". charter97.org. Retrieved Aug 14, 2020.
- "Tower collapses in "Belarusian Bastille"". BelePAN. April 22, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
- "Pishchalauski Castle, Minsk, Belarus". Retrieved Aug 14, 2020.
External links
Media related to Piščalaŭski Castle at Wikimedia Commons- Belarus Castles, Palaces and historical Manors database of Belarusian State Archive (in Russian)