Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary, which once held Al Capone, was also a model for solitary confinement

There is an abandoned prison in Philadelphia, USA, called Eastern State Penitentiary, completed in 1829. From the air, it looks like a wheel: a large hall in the center, with seven long cell corridors radiating outward.

The idea at the time was quite unique, driven by a group of Quaker believers: prisoners should not be beaten, but should "reflect". So each person was locked in a separate cell, with only a bed, a toilet, and a skylight above, said to be "the eye of God". Each prisoner had only one Bible, and when taken out of the cell, a hood was put over his head so he could not see others, nor be recognized by others. The exercise yards were also one per person, separated by high walls.

This method soon became famous, and people from Europe came specially to visit, learning to build many such prisons. But in 1842, British writer Dickens came, talked with prisoners, and wrote in his book after returning: such punishment is more cruel than beating, because it slowly destroys people's minds. In fact, among prisoners who were locked up for a long time, more and more developed mental problems. By the early 20th century, the prison itself abandoned strict solitary confinement, putting two people in a cell, then several people in a cell, and eventually every floor was full.

In 1929, gang boss Al Capone was caught in Philadelphia for carrying a gun and was held here for eight months. His cell was different from others, with a carpet, a desk, a radio, and a lamp by the wall. In 1945, twelve prisoners dug a tunnel underground and escaped, including a famous bank robber named Willie Sutton, but they were all caught back later.

In 1971, the prison closed and was deserted for more than twenty years. The roof collapsed, trees grew out of the cells, and every corridor was full of cats and weeds. In the 1990s, someone stepped in to stop the demolition, and it was turned into a museum.

The staff guarding this place and visitors all say there are shadows in the corridors, laughter, and someone walking behind you. Around Halloween every year, they hold "haunted house night tours" here, with long queues at the entrance. If you go during the day, the wall paint falls off piece by piece, sunlight shines down through the broken skylights, one corridor after another, until you can't see the end.

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