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II-VII 10:00-18:00
T. Kosciuškos St. 1, Vilnius
Adult ticket – 5,00 €

The Former Detention House

Vilnius
museums
history
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Those who like to discover unconventional places with an element of creepiness and mystery must visit this seemingly unremarkable building at the beginning of T. Kosciuškos Street, where the Vilnelė flows into the Neris. The clue is in the name of the museum, which means exactly what you think it means. It’s a former prison with a long and colorful history.

The buildings of the museum date back to the second half of the 18th century. After the Russian Empire occupied the territory of Lithuania, the new government turned the place into a military fortress. Initially used as barracks, the building took on a much darker function during the Uprising of 1863-1864. It was in this very place that political prisoners were held. Since then, and up until 2019, when a museum was finally established, it served as a detention center. A visit to the Former Detention House is an opportunity to try to empathize, at least in part, with the people who were held here. The museum guides will tell you about what helped those people not only survive but also retain their ability to think freely and withstand the hardships of life. The museum pays particular attention to the Uprising of 1863-1864. It contains authentic archaeological research material, documents, and personal belongings of the participants of the Uprising. There’s no better place to gain some understanding of what these brave people had to go through.

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