Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia - darkometer rating : 5 - A large former prison and an imposing hilltop landmark in Philadelphia , USA . One of the most significant historic prisons in the world that can be visited by tourists, this is a premier dark tourism destination. Regular self- guided visits can be augmented by various special guided tours at no extra cost. A superb service! > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: The historical significance of the Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) is immense. At the time it opened in 1829, it was the largest public sector building in the USA . Its architectural layout in the form of a "wagon wheel" became the benchmark for the construction of hundreds of prisons in its wake. The term wagon wheel is, however, only partially correct as a descriptive term – it refers to the seven cell blocks that radiate from a central "surveillance hub" in the centre, but the surrounding prison walls form a square, so not exactly a perfect "wheel" by any standards. Moreover, ESP was the first true full-scale penitentiary. And it was a watershed in the history of the treatment of prisoners. Instead of physical punishment, convicts were put in isolation cells where they were supposed to reach "penitence" (i.e. true regret for their sins) through silent pondering and prayer. This was hence called the "Pennsylvania system" as opposed to the "Auburn system" or "New York system", in which prisoners were made to work together during the daytime and in which physical punishment was still part of the package (cf. West Virginia Penitentiary ).