Långholmen Prison, officially Långholmen Central Prison ( sv, Långholmens centralfängelse), was historically one of the largest prison facilities in
Sweden with more than 500 cells, located on the island of
Långholmen
Långholmen is an island between two other islands, Södermalm and Kungsholmen, in central Stockholm, Sweden.
This island can be reached via two bridges; Pålsundsbron in the east and Långholmsbron in the west.
Långholmen is a popular sp ...
in
Stockholm. It was built 1874—1880 as the central prison of Sweden, and was temporary closed down between 1972–1975. Afterwards,
Långholmens spinnhus
Långholmens rasp- och spinnhus, commonly known as Långholmens spinnhus, was a women's prison in Långholmen, Stockholm, Sweden. The prison was established in 1649 when the Malmgården in Alstavik at Långholmen was erected, and was closed in ...
was moved. Today the building is being used as a hotel/hostel and museum, as well as to accommodate a
folk high school
Folk high schools (also ''Adult Education Center'', Danish: ''Folkehøjskole;'' Dutch: ''Volkshogeschool;'' Finnish: ''kansanopisto'' and ''työväenopisto'' or ''kansalaisopisto;'' German: ''Volkshochschule'' and (a few) ''Heimvolkshochschule;' ...
. Part of the prison was demolished in 1982. The prison is also noted for being the location of
the last execution in Sweden, as well as the final confinement of
the last prisoner sentenced to execution, prior to the abolition of capital punishment in 1921. The hostel was taken into usage in May 1989.
The island itself was originally rocky and barren, but in the 19th century, the prisoners were made to cover the island with mud dredged from the waterways around it. After a few years, the fertile soil had turned the island into a lush garden with a somewhat exotic flora compared to its surroundings, caused by various seeds accidentally brought and spread by the trade and merchant ships from other places and countries that passed by the island. This peculiarity still persists, and today the island is known as a lush oasis.
Notable prisoners
*
Barbro Alving
*
Johan Alfred Ander
Johan Alfred Andersson Ander (27 November 1873 – 23 November 1910) was a convicted Swedish murderer and the last person to be executed in Sweden.
The only person to be executed in Sweden following the instatement of the guillotine, he remains ...
*
Jan Guillou
Jan Oskar Sverre Lucien Henri Guillou (, ; born 17 January 1944) is a French-Swedish author and journalist. Guillou's fame in Sweden was established during his time as an investigative journalist, most notably in 1973 when he and co-reporter Pe ...
*
Mohammed Beck Hadjetlaché
*
Zeth Höglund
Carl Zeth "Zäta" Konstantin Höglund (29 April 1884 – 13 August 1956) was a leading Swedish communist politician, anti-militarist, author, journalist and mayor (''finansborgarråd'') of Stockholm (1940–1950).
Höglund can be credited as t ...
*
Ture Nerman
Ture Nerman (18 May 1886, in Norrköping – 7 October 1969) was a Swedish socialist. As a journalist and author, he was a well-known political activist in his time. He also wrote poems and songs.
Nerman was a vegetarian and a strict teetotale ...
References
External links
*
Långholmen Prison Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Langholmen Prison
1874 establishments in Sweden
Defunct prisons in Sweden
Buildings and structures in Stockholm
Museums in Stockholm
Prison museums in Europe
1975 disestablishments in Sweden