Toruń Prison Okrąglak

Almost at the corner of the Fosa Staromiejska and Piekary street is a lamp-post with signs with the names of five of the many hotels in Toruń.
The signs point to the direction in which the hotels are situated.

It’s strange that one "hotel" is not mentioned, namely the ”hotel” that you see behind the signs. It’s the Toruń “Government Hotel” :) or better the city prison, built in the XIX century.

In 1992 the prison, called Okrąglak for it has been built like a rotunda, was renovated and

after that still in use.

Before the renovation I have seen how women and children had contact with the prisoners during their break. By sign language and screaming they bridged the distance between the high windows of the prison and the street. Slanging matches seemed to take the best part of the time.

Nowadays the windows are hermetically closed and that is the end of the lively street theatre.