- Title: POLAND-PRISON/SALE Historical prison up on sale in Poland
- Date: 14th July 2015
- Summary: LECZYCA, POLAND (JULY 7, 2015) (REUTERS) DECOMMISSIONED PRISON BANNER READING: (Polish) "PRISON FOR SALE" BARRED WINDOWS MAIN GATE PRISON BUILDING GUARD TOWER VARIOUS OF LECZYCA OFFICIALS OPENING PRISON DOOR CORRIDOR AND CELL DOORS VARIOUS OF DIRECTOR OF LECZYCA REGIONAL MUSEUM, ANDRZEJ BORUCKI, ENTERING CELL BUNK BEDS VARIOUS OF OBJECTS IN CELL (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) DIRECT
- Embargoed: 29th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Poland
- Country: Poland
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA1NQ3KA2QHMH47ZX6OSC02QG4P
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The town Leczyca in the central Poland is trying to find a new owner for a centuries-old prison which comes complete with large share of local history.
The complex was a Dominican monastery used during the Spanish Inquisition, and turned into a prison in the XVIII century, which it remained until 2006. The complex was used by German forces during World War II to imprison Jews before they were sent to be killed in the Holocaust and later by Poland's communist authorities for political dissidents.
"In this prison there were notorious criminals with very long and hard sentences, political prisoners and people who were sent here during World War II and [later] exterminated, this means the Jewish people. This prison illustrates in a dramatic way 200 years of Polish history," the director of Leczyca's regional museum, Andrzej Borucki, said.
For less than 1 million zloty (250 000 euro) a potential buyer will have the prison grounds along with all items left over by its inhabitants.
Before being put up for sale, the complex was used as a venue for art and film projects, but the town of 15 thousand has found it increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain.
The next auction to sell Leczyca prison will be held in September - the sixth, after previous bids failed, dragging the price down by nearly a half.
District administrator Wojciech Zdziarski said that investors only needed an unbarred imagination to make the most of the site.
"This object can be used for various purposes because the city's development plan included a varied target ranging from trade, catering, hotel or even the possibility of a retail establishment. And it is this that was interesting for potential buyers who appeared and were interested in small manufacturing that would not be disturbing for the complex and surrounding area," Zdziarski said.
Despite the prison's steady decay over the years in need of an investor, architectural designs forecast a brighter future for any interested buyers who aren't put off by a life in the cells. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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