The Scariest Prisons in History

[@daintybeigli]

That Mongolian coffin jail is utterly terrifying

[@banyalaplace]

Especially when you're claustrophobic or have the specific fear of being buried alive, I got chills just but looking at it

[@johnyurick8785]

Yea I thought that the worst as well!!!!!!!! And what could you possibly do to get this punishment??????

[@WagwanHappyPappyHapPap]

Waste or spill water, it was considered holy

[@justincarreras7753]

Came here to say this. All of these prisons sound horrific, but the Mongolian coffins sound like literal hell.

[@tomz5704]

Yea Mongolian coffin jail is the worst, right after that I'd say hms jersey

[@RossC42]

I’ve been to eastern state penitentiary. It’s terrifying. Even during the summer it’s somehow extremely cold inside.

[@joaquimrodriguez8961]

Somewhere in Russia

[@stephvandykeozzy]

From what I've heard, it's said that the place is haunted. There've been a few TV shows about ghost hunters visiting the place.

[@erin19030]

You need to see the prison in Jim Thorpe, Pa. It was designed in 1868 by the same architect. The handprint on the wall is still there.

[@SB_41]

We went this past Summer. Interesting, but I didn't feel scared. Definitely had a dampness. Worth the visit if you're ever in Philly.

[@vicky42559]

Been there, it really was a cool tour.

[@ultraredd]

You can tour Eastern State Pennitentary in Philadelphia. Really interesting and informative. I highly recommend it.

[@reneehomen2226]

It never ceases to shock me how humans can come up with more and more cruel ways to torture each other.😢 😢😢

[@candicemirisha912]

It makes me really sad

[@theblackmoth1111]

Indeed. So sad. Yet the most cruel never will or did step a foot in prison . Which is even more sad

[@Roddy556]

It's pretty muddy waters and a bad situation all around: how horribly do you punish someone for doing horrible things?

[@Scavenger12345]

This is the shit why I believe humanity is fundamentally evil regardless of what wishful thinking some like to believe.

[@jazzmusician46]

This is one of the best you’ve done. Thanks. You could easily unpack any of the topics discussed here and present a new documentary.

[@lindacoolbaugh962]

That prison that kept the prisoners in boxes gave me the chills!!

[@fiffii]

I am from India. During British Raj, we had a prison called Cellular jail on Andaman island. It was called Kala Pani (black waters) because it was impossible to escape due of it's remote location. I don't have exact figure, but thousands died here. Many of India's freedom fighters were shot, hanged, taken their own lives, tortured to death, succumbed to diseases or died in hunger strike.

[@thevozhd9846]

Yes.

[@effexwhore]

Thats awful. Sounds like Alcatraz but a million times worse

[@isaiahpadilla7981]

Tuol Sleng should be mentioned in this list. A school turned into an execution site for political prisoners ran by a former teacher. Every prisoner was photographed upon arrival and forced at gun point to write a false, self-incriminating "confession" that would appease the Khmer Rouge. Entering the prison was essentially a death sentence and tens of thousands of innocent people met their ends in unspeakable ways before being buried in mass graves right next to penal camps and failing crops. It is now a genocide museum.

[@Traint_Trungdrundringsron]

I've been trying to remember the name of "Papillon" movie for years, my dad showed it to me decades ago. Great film.

[@colewhite4184]

Great movie, even better book. Give it a read if you haven’t!

[@tinacarrazzo8888]

Incredible that Australia was skipped from this list. The intention was to create a convict colony, which essentially happened for the first few years after “settlement”. There are many famous prisons that have a terrible past. It’s surprising that none of this was mentioned.

[@ElsaMusicVideos]

They gotta make a part two lol. The entire country was a prison at one point!

[@ariadneschild8460]

@@ElsaMusicVideos only the eastern parts around Sydney were settled in the early penal years.

[@Philozzi]

The State of Georgia in U.S.A.

[@abitofbyte]

Apparently it doesn't fall into the SCARIEST prisons list.

[@seanriopel3132]

I know. It was an entire CONTINENT prison

[@brianfuller757]

Roman prisons were not planned for long-term confinement. They only held those waiting trials or punishment.

[@RickyL305]

That makes sense of what jail is today. People often confuse jail for prisons in America. Jail is only utilized for those awaiting trial or sentences to a year or less in confinement . Prisons in America are utilized strictly used to house inmates sentenced to a year or more in custody. Inmates who are placed in a re trial or other court dates are transferred from prison to a local jail untill the court dates are finalized but it's usually very short term then they return back to their prisons .

[@stephenhancock1578]

I've been to jail, but I heard prisons are a lot better for quality of life than jail is.

[@RickyL305]

@@stephenhancock1578 ... I to went to jail over my own stupidity of driving on a suspended driver's license. However I was only in for less than a overnight stay if not out the same night in both situations. Therefore I can't say regarding prisons but you are correct, I have heard the same thing regarding the quality of life.

[@stephenhancock1578]

@@RickyL305 I was being a stupid drunk and they put me in for 11 days, charges got dropped though.

[@crlaf1978]

As it should be

[@m.f.richardson1602]

Always interesting and informative. Thank you Peace 💕🇺🇲

[@btetschner]

It would be hard to survive some of those, especially Devil's Island. A+ video, just fantastic and so interesting.

[@TetsuShima]

*Fun fact:* The Mamertine prison makes an appearance in the infamous 1979 film "Caligula." When the mad Emperor, who was walking down the street as a simple citizen in great depression over the death of his sister/lover Drusilla, is arrested for causing a riot in the street, he ends up in the notorious prison, where he befriends a mute giant through magic tricks

[@joshallen4848]

Then there's a lotta blowjobs and other stuff.

[@TetsuShima]

@@joshallen4848 Yep 😉

[@benisaten]

We visited Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin Ireland while I was there. Man that was quite the fascinating tour. What an awesome city. WH, another great one. Cheers from 🇨🇦.

[@paulcowlishaw]

WH?

[@antoniotassi253]

Additional information about Holmsburg prison for those not from Philadelphia, believe it or not some parts of that prison are still open to this day. For overcrowding in the Philadelphia county or CFCF, cots are set up for those unfortunate attendees that have less offensive crimes such as child support or probation violations. Was told by a few that they have permanent problems bc of this situation ranging from respiratory from mold to skin issues like ciriocis. And highly recommend seeing Eastern State Pennitentary on a tour, extremely creepy, haunted and amazing historical structures. Charles Dickens was horrified by the prison as well!

[@Hellheart]

Bro, I live a few blocks from Holmesburg, that jawn is still intimidating to look at. Eastern State's Halloween thing is, supposedly, crazy. Never been thru it. But, my daughter said it was scary as hell. Edit: FUCK CFCF!

[@mommonald224]

I grew up near Holmesburg. There is a huge forest park across from the prison front (Pennypack). I used to ride my bike into that park wondering if the prisoners could see me and wish they were going for a bike ride too.

[@AM-ff2ce]

I particularly enjoyed the picture of beehives, when describing the Mongolia cells... 🤔

[@christie3668]

Love this channel!

[@Ph.40Lowks]

I’m about to read papillion I’m so excited thanks for mentioning it!!

[@annemariecronen9096]

I feel like Andersonville could've been on this list. I know it was a wartime prison, but since you had the prison ship from the Revolutionary War, it could be included

[@michaelconran5252]

I was going to say same thing.

[@ladynikkie]

Yeah I feel the same thing too it was definitely one of the worst prison camps in it's time

[@miriambucholtz9315]

My great-grandfather was there and he survived it.

[@aaronwoodard1749]

I figured it would be.

[@ShelbyFarrow]

Agreed.

[@gtageri100]

What’s the song at 2:55? I already stretched my earlobes against an hour worth of classical music and can’t remember who made it

[@marcoperdomo283]

By far my favorite channel, always look forward for new videos. And love the sarcastic humor...

[@dvdv8197]

A man with a stutter died in prison... He never got to finish his sentence. 😭😭😭😭

[@cd5433]

Awesome vid choice . Excited to watch this one! Having a bad week but this made me happy for a bit . Thank you

[@CowgirlSamurai]

Could you do one on which was the worst kingdom to their staff, which time or whatever but where hell to work for? That would be cool

[@Alliebaba7782]

Scariest insane asylums could be terrifying

[@NASCARFAN93100]

Love Weird History!

[@kovary77]

I love that Philadelphia has TWO representations on this list! Go Philly!

[@NewMessage]

You'll never take me alive, Weird History!

[@WindKing0]

..I mean, history never takes *anyone* alive, but..😉

[@Holvik3]

I live in Carlisle, we are a small northern city right on the border to Scotland and nobody seems to even know where it is if they aren't from the area so it was a pleasant shock to see a team of writers for this had delved into our history a bit! Albeit not the best circumstances, but oh well 😂

[@AlanaRenton]

Hi from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@TheMormonPower]

You'd be shocked to know, we have worse prisons here today. Any state or federal " Super-Max" can be just as bad as nearly any of these. Isolation for years on end...handcuffed showers...the list goes on and on. The US holds more people on incarceration than the rest of the world combined. 😨

[@dennisridolfijr8353]

Starvation, disease, not enough room to extend your arms out, legal beatings/torture for people that have done the simplest /non-existant crime vs. Scum having to do 23 lockdowns? WTF is wrong with you? How many years did you do and how far away from children must you remain..... Nope, I'm done. Don't care. Almost deleted this. May the fleas of 1000 camels infest your armpits

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

Yes, the U.S. does and that’s saying something especially considering even China has way less imprisoned citizens than we do. 😔

[@joannabaparileszczynska]

Not a single prison but something found in old ones: oubliette , scariest shit ever.

[@davidgerow]

I would of likely gone crazy locked in one of these prisons.

[@johnyurick8785]

You and 90% of others

[@Dankleosteus]

I was at the wall of tears on Galapagos in november. That stone wall is crawling with lava lizards these days. :)

[@differentfins]

I am torn between the inhumanity of these prisons and the question 'why should we have empathy for criminals?'

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Fantastic video keep it up your doing amazing job

[@davidllewis4075]

In an old episode of Law & Order DA tells jury: "In 6,000 years of human history prison has never accomplished anything, but it's all we've got."

[@v.emiltheii-nd.8094]

Ayy, Romania gets mentioned! Awesome!

[@terrusmarkz236]

That was al Capones cell you showed during the eastern state penitentiary pics. And only some cells had a small outside area, very few actually. Most cells had a hole in the ceiling and that's all of the outside they saw. It was called the eye of God.

[@dvdv8197]

I work as a librarian in a prison The job has its prose and cons. 🤷‍♀️🙈

[@margaretlumley1648]

Interesting video!

[@datheamore6395]

And people wonder why aliens don't come down here to say "Hello"...

[@daveschiemerjr8453]

Can you do a video on history of mental hospitals?

[@samanthal133]

Eastern state penitentiary now does tours but also Halloween Attractions, my families from Philly & it’s a fun thing to do each year🦅🤙🏽

[@kaylafarley167]

My one friend worked in every year for a long time!

[@donnadunlop7853]

Thankyou 🖤🖤

[@pawwalker3492]

I wonder why, at 1:11, on the altar in the Mamertine, the crucifix in upside down.

[@juwanwarner5450]

🤔

[@juwanwarner5450]

🤔🤔🤔

[@hominahominahomina1]

Make a part 2!

[@lamar7bn]

All of these prisons are horribl but you forgot to mention the worst prisons ever in modern history, Sydnaya Prison and Tadmor Palmyra prison. Unimaginable stories from those who miraculously survived

[@JohannHitz]

You forgot to mention a youth prison camp where they force kids to dig 6 foot holes in the middle of a desert. I heard the staff is inhumane, they hardly get water, and some kids would rather risk dying out in the desert on the run than to stay at the camp and dig holes(no matter how good the songs they sing are).

[@kakarroto007]

I don't get why the Navy Hymn was playing in the background, during the description of a medieval prison that held St. Paul and St. Peter...

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

I went to Eastern State years ago. Capone’s cell was nice, but that was about it. Definitely not somewhere you would’ve wanted to get locked up in.

[@colleenpopal]

Got added to the list of favorites 😊, yeah

[@azado237]

I love this channel ❤

[@fidhammer]

I happen to have had to do weekends in Holmesburg (in trailers on the property) and I've been to the Halloween event at Eastern State Penitentiary. Now everyone knows

[@KingofgraceSARA]

I remember my mother had a boyfriend in Holmesburg & we went to visit him when I was about 9 or 10. The chairs had HMBG or HMBRG on the back of the seats. Edit: that was in 1990 or 1991 or so.

[@justlavinder]

love the food vids

[@KateRambo]

That’s crazy you feature Carlisle Castle when I live along Hadrians Wall close by it! It’s an absolute fortress and very foreboding!

[@user-zg4pw2nu8i]

HI. Has Weird History done a documentary/overview on man-eater attacks, animals who hunt humans only. There is a dozen of these events over the decades and are rarely ever discussed. It should be interesting, and strange to learn about.

[@Hellheart]

I live a few blocks from Holmesburg Prison. Because I pass by it so often, I always forget how horrendous the place actually was.

[@Diana.DSWMinistries]

It was interesting you mentioned Chateau D'If because I love The Counte Of Monte Cristo.

[@sallykohorst8803]

Great story about those prisons.

[@sandi1263]

Great video….

[@callmekris3447]

Do worst schools in history next :>

[@KingofgraceSARA]

I've lived around the Art Museum area for many years and never once felt the need to go to ESP.

[@PatrickDowdle]

One of the worst prisons in the past 50 years, was the Tuol Sleng prison in Cambodia . It operated between 1976 - 1979 and housed around 20,000 inmates , all who were deemed enemies of the Khmer Rouges revolution . There prisoners were interrogated, tortured, starved and ultimately killed by those in power. Of the approximately 20,000 inmates only 12 survived

[@JesseJames1]

U should do a video on asylums

[@kereckelizabeth3625]

Security Prison 21, or S-21 (Cambodia) used by the Khmer rouge, should be on this list.

[@Amen.ahmed1]

I wonder why you don't mention Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib

[@nolesy34]

Not sure if the equivalent of a tropical gulag is a prison, more a slave camp As for abu grahbi. The mia khalifa is very grubby as they have to carry their own poop to trucks

[@skyden24195]

Fyi: a significant portion of the 1944, Humphrey Bogart film, "Passage to Marseille" takes place on "Devil's Island."

[@happyshamrock73]

Can you do a video on V-Mail from WW2? Or how old fridges had UV lights?

[@viggycat8592]

I worked in a county lock up and the old section of it was haunted.

[@v.emiltheii-nd.8094]

The Pitesti Experiment...now that's some surreal torture from the depths of hell.

[@Kat-tr2ig]

If you're into these kind of things, you'd probably want to look into the Holy Week Mutiny at the Sierra Chica Maximum Security Prison in Olavarría, Argentina. 12 men calling themselves the 12 Apostles took over the prison during Holy Week of 1996. The entire event lasted 8 days. Guards and some of the other prisoners were taken hostage. Some were killed and were turned into empanadas, which were fed to other guards. They also played soccer with one of the guy's severed heads. It is still talked about today (I know because I live here)

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

That’s absolutely terrible!

[@rhonnichan]

In a couple of years, Angola Prison in Louisiana and Ryker's Island in NYC will be apart of this list

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

As will single unit apartments in NYC in the Village. At least you don't have to shell out $3k a month to stay at Ryker's, and you get free a continental breakfast

[@TheMormonPower]

Ryker's was shut down recently.

[@cd5433]

@@TheMormonPower nope

[@heinoo9983]

I'd like to know more about 19th century psychiatric wards!

[@The7Reaper]

I toured Eastern State once, just an all around creepy feeling from it

[@kayladunham2360]

I don’t think you’ve done a video on leper colonies. At least I can’t find one. I think that would be a great topic.

[@donHooligan]

it's just a county jail, but.....try Castle Greyskull in P-Cola, FL. they have porcelain toilets....just consider the potential massacre!

[@donHooligan]

@carinarosales6899 that just sounds like Trump failed at the private prison business, too...had to do something with all the leftover steaks!

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

If anyone could be called a subject matter expert on whether or not an island was escapable, it would be Napoleon.

[@spoodlenoodle]

I’ve visited Robben island twice as I am South African, it’s truly a haunting place

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

I bet!

[@garycarpenter6433]

I didn't know that the Galopolgos had a prison I thought it was just an island chain full of animals

[@ABeautfulMess]

Asylums..my grandma spent to much time in one..I would love to know more history

[@gonzo_ayres]

Uhhhh why are the Lanikai beach islands in Kailua, Hawaii being used for the Galápagos Islands at 5:46 in the video!?!?

[@imsatanscott]

I served a 25 year sentence in my mothers house.

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks for this! ⛓ #WeirdHistory #Prisons

[@mrfiddlebottom]

Hey, weird history! I have some suggestions! 1. the real history of monopoly 2. Timeline: the 60's.....please. 3. the science of body language 3. The mother sauces in French cuisine. (W.H.F.)

[@teresaromero8655]

Forgot “ ALCATRAZ “

[@foofighter1790]

Hes back!

[@Monatio79]

Elmina Island, Hoa Lo Prison and Tuol Sleng need to be on this list.

[@jlbay1]

I came here to add Hoa Lo … the atrocities during the French colonial period alone make it a worthwhile contender for this list. Better yet, a video on the time in Vietnam

[@marthaperdew]

I agree

[@ChefKevinRiese]

Are any of those worse than Rikers Island?

[@amandaquezada2854]

I think anyone would go insane in those conditions.

[@ladyhonor822]

Thanks for your podcast. Yeah we have it ALL !!!! Oh boy how horrible. Philadelphia USA 🙏🇺🇸❤️ AMEN

[@stevehunter5505]

You missed out S2 prison run by the Khmer Rouge. The ones covered have nothing on S2 in Phnom Penh...

[@feresmourali5783]

Please make a video about Emma Goldman!

[@philipvitale6555]

I suppose Alcatraz, since it is missing from this grouping, is a country club by comparison. BTW I've visited Eastern State PA penitentiary on Fairmount Avenue in Phillie. The notorious Al Capone was there for a bit and his cell with all its luxuries is on display. And luxurious they are compared to other cells.

[@kellyshomemadekitchen]

The county jail in Xenia, Ohio is almost 100 yrs old now and is FULL of apparitions! A female deputy refuses to work 3rd shift after doing her rounds one night and the control room informed her of an “inmate” that was walking behind her. She couldn’t see anyone anywhere near her but the guys in the control room were going nuts watching the inmate behind her. Especially when it vanished on their CC-tv cameras. That’s just one of many ghostly incidents at that jail.

[@Katertismenae]

If you’re going to talk about the Jersey, you should be sure also to include the ships of the Middle Passage. 😢😢😢😢😢

[@laurensteiler8981]

Scariest insane asylums!!! Please!!!

[@jenniferbreaux7385]

I'm surprised that Angola, in Louisiana, parchment in Mississippi and black dolphin in Russia did not make the list.

[@KingofgraceSARA]

I was thinking of Angola, too.

[@jenniferbreaux7385]

@@KingofgraceSARA I know right.

[@TripleCrossProduct]

Prisons aren't supposed to be a Holiday Inn, like they are today. Though I don't believe in the torture and abuse they did, it should be subject to hard labor; 10 hours A-day 6 days a week. This is a deterrent to come back, too many people live their lives going back-and-forth out of prison.