Central Penitentiary

The Estabelecimento Prisional de Lisboa (Lisbon Prison Establishment) is a prison facility in Portugal operating under the tutelage of the Court of Appeals. The prison holds a maximum capacity of 887 inmates.

Modeled in the style of traditional Portuguese architecture, this facility is marked by the history of the country and the numerous cultures that have settled and influenced the current Portuguese territory. It is this diverse background that makes Portugal’s architecture unique among many nations.

Portuguese design takes cues from several European and Middle Eastern regions, from Romans to Arabs and many more groups throughout history. Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassicism all have a place in this country’s legacy buildings.

These influences gave rise to Portugal’s own adaptations. Among the main local manifestations of Portuguese architecture are the Manueline, the exuberant Portuguese version of late Gothic. In addition, a mix of late Baroque and Neoclassicism, the Pombaline style, developed after the Great Lisbon earthquake of 1755.