Hegningarhúsið (, "The Penalty House") at Skólavörðustígur 9 in Reykjavík was a

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

run by the

Icelandic Prison Service The Prison and Probation Administration (Icelandic: ''Fangelsismálastofnun ríkisins'') is the national correctional agency of Iceland. Along with the Icelandic National Police, Directorate of Customs, and the Icelandic Coast Guard, the Icelandi ...

. Built in 1872 by the designs of G. Ch. W. Klentz, it was the oldest prison in Iceland. All operations in Hegningarhúsið ceased on 1 June 2016. The origins of the Icelandic phrase "going to the stone" (''fara í steininn'') is purportedly due to the stone interiors of this prison. It was last used as a reception prison, where prisoners stayed for a short period of time when at the beginning of serving a sentence. The house was designated as historic property in 1978. There were 16

prison cell A prison cell (also known as a jail cell) is a small room in a prison or police station where a prisoner is held. Cells greatly vary by their furnishings, hygienic services, and cleanliness, both across countries and based on the level of punishm ...

s in Hegningarhúsið, small and narrow with poor ventilation. The cells were without toilets and sinks.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hegningarhusid Buildings and structures in Reykjavík 1874 establishments in Iceland Defunct prisons Prisons in Iceland