Leopoldov Prison

The Leopoldov Prison (Slovak: Ústav na výkon trestu odňatia slobody a Ústav na výkon väzby Leopoldov) is a Slovak state-operated penitentiary facility located in the town of Leopoldov. Initially a 17th-century fortress built to defend against Ottoman Turks, it was converted into a high-security prison in the 19th century, and it used to be one of the largest prisons in the Kingdom of Hungary under the Habsburg monarchy. In the 20th century, it became known for housing political prisoners and dissidents under the Stalinist regime, particularly the future Communist President of Czechoslovakia Gustáv Husák, who was imprisoned after an intra-party purge.

After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the Leopoldov Prison was the place of a series of violent revolts, prison escapes, and riots, requiring multiple interventions led by high-ranking government officials, including members of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister, who personally conducted negotiations and reforms inside the prison. The building complex was also severely damaged during the riots, and in 1990, the Slovak National Council officially voted to close the prison down, before the decision was ultimately reversed in 1993, allowing it to continue operating in the present day after modernization and reconstruction. Leopoldov Prison was also the place of a mass escape of inmates in 1991, where a group of seven prisoners fought their way out of the facility and became wanted fugitives, murdering five prison guards in the process.

Text adapted from “Leopoldov Prison” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Leopoldov Prison ranks #2,290 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #22 of the 136 mapped in Slovakia. Founded 1855, it is older than 8% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 562 atlas entries founded in the 19th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 4,178 times in the last 60 days, more than 81% of the atlas. 1 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Trnava, 16 km away. See how Slovakia compares in the castle statistics.

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