Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern state penitentiary was a marvel for its time. It was the largest and most expensive public structure ever erected at the time it was built. With running water and some other ground breaking systems. The prison was built is such a way so that the guards to see down each hall from one location. This design sparked hundreds of prisons worldwide to be designed in the same way. The prison ran on a solitary confinement model that aims to “reform” rather than punish. You were not allowed to speak for the whole time you were imprisoned. This model turned out not to work and there were a lot of scandals that came out of the prison. Willie Sutton and Al Capone famously were incarcerated here. This is a fascinating place with free tours with very informative guides all day.