Constructed: 1783
The Museum of Vladimirsky Central, also known as the Museum of the History of Vladimir Central Prison, is a specialized historical institution dedicated to chronicling the evolution of one of Russia's most notorious penal facilities. Located on the grounds of the still-operational Vladimir Central Prison in Vladimir, Russia, it offers a sobering glimpse into over two centuries of incarceration practices, political repression, and inmate life. The museum occupies two former prison cells and adjacent spaces within the prison complex, emphasizing the site's dual role as both a functioning maximum-security prison and a preserved historical site.
Vladimir Central Prison traces its origins to 1783,
when it was established by decree of Empress Catherine II as part of
broader penal reforms in the Russian Empire. Designed by architect
Nikolai von Burke (sometimes referred to as Nikolai von Berg), the
initial construction included simple wooden huts and structures for
holding criminals, with a focus on "workers' houses" where inmates could
labor to repay damages from crimes like petty theft. By 1838, it was
renamed the Vladimir Workhouse, serving as a short-term detention center
for socially useful labor, similar to modern temporary holding
facilities. It evolved into a full-fledged prison by 1902 and gained
notoriety after the 1905 Russian Revolution for housing political
prisoners opposed to Tsar Nicholas II.
Following the 1917 Bolshevik
Revolution, the prison was repurposed in 1921 as a "provincial isolator
for special purposes," or politisolator, detaining opponents of the
Soviet regime. Under NKVD control in the 1930s and later the Ministry of
State Security (MGB), it held "enemies of the people," including
intellectuals, dissidents, and postwar collaborators with fascist
forces. A 1948 USSR Council of Ministers resolution formalized it as
part of a network of "special camps and prisons" for particularly
dangerous state criminals, such as spies, terrorists, nationalists, and
anti-Soviet activists. Its official name became the "Vladimir special
prison of the MGB of the USSR."
In the late Soviet era, ahead of the
1980 Moscow Olympics, high-profile political prisoners were relocated to
reduce visibility in the tourist-heavy Golden Ring region, shifting the
focus to serious criminals like murderers and recidivists. After the
USSR's collapse in 1991, it transitioned into a regular federal
penitentiary under the Federal Penitentiary Service, housing up to 1,220
inmates serving long sentences (typically 10 years or more, including
life terms) for grave offenses like organized crime and murder. Today,
conditions are more humane than in the past, with amenities like TVs,
refrigerators in some cells, access to literature, and family visits. In
1995, a cell was converted into an Orthodox church dedicated to St.
Nicholas, complete with a dome and belfry added later. The prison gained
cultural fame through songs like Mikhail Krug's "Vladimir Central" and
references in international media.
The concept for a museum emerged in the 1980s amid growing interest in Soviet-era history, but it materialized in the mid-1990s through collaboration between prison staff and the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve. Materials were sourced from the latter, with the exposition designed by V.E. Gurinovich. It officially opened in 1996 (some sources cite 1997), making it one of the first prison museums in Russia. The museum aims to document the prison's role in Russian history, focusing on repression, inmate experiences, and penal evolution, rather than glorifying crime.
The museum's collection spans from the prison's
founding to the present, housed in compact spaces that retain the
original cell architecture, including embedded window openings for an
authentic atmosphere. Key themes include historical documents, inmate
artifacts, and punitive tools, providing a multifaceted view of
incarceration.
Historical Documents and Photographs: Archival
materials cover dissidents, German POWs, intelligentsia, and Soviet
elite victims of purges. Notable items include 1935-1940 photos of
"enemies of the people" (e.g., relatives of Joseph Stalin's wife) and
foreign contributions like documents from U.S. relatives of pilot
Francis Gary Powers, imprisoned here from 1960-1962 after his U-2 spy
plane was shot down. Displays also detail 19th-century punishments like
branding foreheads and cheeks (abolished under Alexander II) and
post-1945 gulag-era striped uniforms inspired by Nazi camps.
Inmate-Crafted Artifacts: A highlight is the array of ingenious items
made by prisoners, showcasing creativity amid hardship. Examples include
a tattoo machine fashioned from a razor, a mobile phone charger hidden
in a shoe sole, handmade playing cards, knives and saws concealed in
spoons or books, counterfeit $100 bills painted from memory, and chess
sets molded from bread crumbs. Bread figurines depict scenes like
pirates, women, or self-portraits in prison stripes. An antique samovar
from Catherine II's era still provides boiling water.
Punitive and
Everyday Items: Exhibits feature medieval torture instruments, spiked
throat-cuffs, 1906 handcuffs (praised for their durability over modern
versions), narrow prison beds, and wooden mannequins in gray-and-black
striped suits. Workshop productions by current inmates, such as
footballs, boxing gloves, judo kimonos, and telephones, demonstrate
rehabilitative labor.
Art and Therapy: Paintings and drawings by
prisoners line the corridor to the museum, often beautifully executed
and narrative-driven, such as depictions of escape attempts ending in
tragedy. Post-Soviet reforms include an art therapy room where both
inmates and guards create works, reflecting efforts toward
rehabilitation.
Other Notable Displays: Books by imprisoned writers,
photos of Japanese visitors honoring POW ancestors buried nearby, and
details on the prison's "Legal Information Center" (opened in 2003 for
inmate legal aid).
The exhibits collectively illustrate the
prison system's role in Russia's turbulent history, from imperial times
to the present, with a focus on human stories rather than
sensationalism.
The prison has confined a roster of historical
figures, underscoring its significance in political history:
Vasily
Stalin (Joseph Stalin's son), imprisoned for anti-Soviet propaganda.
Francis Gary Powers (U.S. spy pilot).
Vasily Shulgin
(pre-revolutionary Duma deputy).
Lidiya Ruslanova (famous singer) and
her husband.
Daniil Andreev (writer and philosopher).
Natan
Sharansky (Jewish dissident).
Alexei Navalny (opposition politician,
in recent years).
Various WWII figures like German Field Marshal Paul
von Kleist, Estonian General Johan Laidoner, and Armenian revolutionary
Garegin Nzhdeh.
The museum is situated at Bol'shaya Nizhegorodskaya
Ulitsa, 67, Vladimir, Vladimirskaya oblast', 600020, Russia—about 180 km
northeast of Moscow, accessible by car (3 hours via Gorkovskoye Shosse)
or train/bus from Moscow's Kursky Station, then trolleybus No. 1 or 12.
Visits historically required advance booking, with guided tours lasting
40 minutes (total experience 1.5-2 hours) and fees varying by group
size; contact details included phone numbers like (0922) 32-3997/2033 or
applications via the prison's website. It was open to both Russians and
foreigners, including relatives of former inmates.
However, recent
reports indicate that public access to the museum is currently
restricted or not allowed, possibly due to the site's active prison
status. Visitors should verify current availability through official
channels, as extreme tours (e.g., simulated "one day in prison"
experiences) were discontinued around 2006. Reviews from past visitors
describe it as informative for history buffs but depressing, with
security checks creating a heavy atmosphere—not recommended for those
sensitive to such themes. Some highlight the contrast between historical
torture exhibits and modern art therapy initiatives, noting ongoing
allegations of mistreatment as late as 2008.