The Panopticon

The set up of a Panopticon building is something that I found very interesting. After learning that English philosopher Jeremy Bentham designed it in the late 18^th century and it was considered to be “the perfect prison”, I was curious to see if the design was actually implemented anywhere.

The Presidio Modelo was a model prison of Panopticon design, built on Isla de Pinos in Cuba. It was built between 1926 and 1928 under the rule of Gerardo Machado and had the capacity to house up to 2,500 prisoners. Many “famous” prisoners were held at this prison at one point, including Fidel Castro himself. After Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Presidio Modelo was used to jail counter-revolutionaries, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and anyone else considered an enemy to the Socialist Cuban State. The prison was active until 1967 when it was shut down by the government. It now serves as a museum and has been declared a national monument while the old administration building is being used as a school and research center.