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
Пішчалаўскі замак (Belarusian)
Пищаловский замок (Russian)
Alternative namesPischalauski Castle
Piszczalauski castle
General information
LocationValadarskaha Street
Minsk, Belarus
Coordinates53°53′56″N 27°32′52″E
Completed1825
Design and construction
ArchitectPishchala

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

Opponents of president Alexander Lukashenko

Arrested during the 2020 presidential campaign
  • Ihar Losik, blogger
  • Aliaksandr Kabanau, blogger
  • Siarhei Piatrukhin, blogger

See also

References
  1. "Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk". charter97.org. Retrieved Aug 14, 2020.
  2. "Tower collapses in "Belarusian Bastille"". BelePAN. April 22, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  3. "Pishchalauski Castle, Minsk, Belarus". Retrieved Aug 14, 2020.
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