Prison “Crosses” - one of the most beautiful sights of the City of Petrov. Films are made about the Crosses, songs are dedicated to her, she appears in many TV shows. Punishment was served by many famous criminals. “Crosses” attract hundreds of tourists who wish to see the dark side of the Northern capital. This article is devoted to the history of pre-trial detention center No. 1 (namely, the name of one of the most famous prisons in Russia) .
How were the Crosses built?
“Crosses” is not just a prison, but a unique architectural monument, which was erected by order of Tsar Nicholas II on the banks of the Neva. The construction was led by architect A.O. Tomishko. By the way, from the era of the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna, in the territory where the pre-trial detention center is now located, there was a complex of cellars called “Wine Town”, which in the middle of the 19th century was converted into a place for prisoners.
In 1892, the prison acquired a modern look, which is known to almost every resident of St. Petersburg. The building was built of red brick, produced by the Strelins brothers artel. The prison "Crosses" resembles a medieval castle complex because of the curly masonry of the facade.
During the Second World War, the Cross building was badly damaged by constant bombing. In order to receive funds for the restoration, it was decided to open a cardboard factory at the prison. The prisoners themselves worked at the factory.
Why did the Crosses get their name?
Prison "Crosses" is a complex of several rectangular buildings, which form a height of two huge crosses. And the architect Tomishko made such an interesting decision for a reason. He believed that the prison should remind criminals of the cross on which the Savior was crucified: it was supposed that this would contribute to their repentance of their sins. The prison was originally designed to support 1,150 people; it had 960 cells. Obviously, for the most part, the cells were solitary: Tomishko decided that the place where the criminal would spend a huge amount of time should resemble a monastic cell, where it would be easier to pray for forgiveness from God. “Crosses” is a prison, in the architecture of which the deepest meaning is embedded.
By the way, there is a legend that initially there were 961 cameras. Tomishko himself was supposedly walled up in one of them: this was done so that no one could find out all the secrets of the largest prison in Europe.
Misfit Souls
In 1890, a church was opened in the administrative building of Krestov, which, only 28 years later, was liquidated by decision of the Bolshevik government. The temple was located in such a way as to connect both “crosses” together. There is a legend that as soon as the Bolsheviks entered the temple, the souls of people who lost their lives in prison materialized under the dome. The souls of criminals could not go to hell because they survived it on earth, therefore they were forced to stay in solitary confinement of the Crosses. The Bolsheviks with horror left the church. Nobody believed their stories about the souls of the dead prisoners: they decided to execute the unfortunate communists. After this, the souls of the criminals finally found their peace. True, it is not clear where they went: to hell or to paradise.
A club was built on the site of the temple. Services resumed only in 2004.
Famous Prisoners of the Cross
Before the revolution, Trotsky, Lunacharsky, Antonov-Ovseenko managed to visit the “Crosses”.
In the 1930s, “Crosses” was a prison where the victims of the Stalinist bloody repressions convicted under article 58 were serving their sentences: Gumilyov, Rokossovsky, Zhzhenov. Near the walls of this frighteningly magnificent prison, Anna Akhmatova spent almost two years waiting for news about her loved ones. Today, the “Crosses” prison, the photo of which you can see in this article, is decorated with a memorial plaque depicting the portrait of Akhmatova and lines from her “Requiem”.
"Sharashka"
In 1937, one of the many "sharashka" functioned within the walls of the "Crosses", which was officially called a special prison. In the "sharashka" prisoners worked for the good of the country, who were large experts in the field of military affairs and the defense industry.
How did the “cross sharashka” appear? The fact is that in the 30s there was a need to create new weapons for military courts. Specialists of the Bolshevik plant were engaged in the development of naval artillery. However, due to the repression, many valuable cadres have turned into political prisoners. Then the idea came up not to deprive engineers of the opportunity to do what they love, even during their stay in the prison.
In fairness, it should be noted that the conditions for prisoners working to improve the defense of the USSR were created pretty decent. Professor V. R. Bursian, who died in 1945 in a prison hospital from tuberculosis, mathematician A. M. Zhuravsky, who founded the school for the calculation of ship engines E. E. Papmel and many other talented scientists, visited “Crosses”. Surprisingly, the Crosses prison, whose photos are amazing, has become a place where amazing discoveries were made and inventions important to the armed forces were made.
Is it possible to escape from the "Crosses"?
Of course, there were attempts to escape from the Crosses. In 1947, prisoners managed to make a hole in a brick wall with sharpened spoons. True, it was rather difficult to disguise the red fragments of bricks on the gray prison floor. It is impossible to flush them into the toilet - the sewage system may become clogged. The same goes for the sink. Therefore, it was decided to use the brick, extracted from the wall, inside.
The prisoners managed to make a through hole in the wall and they went down to the prison yard with sheets. There the fugitives were captured by security officers.
Prisoners who attempted to escape were sentenced to death. Prison “Crosses” in St. Petersburg is a place that is much more difficult to escape from than from the legendary Shawshank.
Life of prisoners
Nowadays, there are almost no single rooms in Kresty. The cameras are furnished with three-tier bunks, equipped with a radio point and, of course, a bathroom. Nowadays, St. Petersburg can hardly be proud of this place - the Kresty prison is considered one of the most unsuitable places of detention in Russia.
In cells that were once designed for two prisoners, up to 16 people can stay. You have to sleep in two shifts, due to crowding, the temperature rises to 40 degrees. Meals at Kresty are scarce and not of high quality.
Planning a vacation in St. Petersburg? Prison “Crosses” is one of the main attractions of the city, which, of course, is worth seeing to all those who are interested in the culture and history of Russia.