The Old Prison

The old prison in Lugo, now known as O Vello Cárcere, was built at the end of the 19th century as the Judicial District Prison, based on a design by architect Nemesio Cobreros and Cuevillas, dated 1878. It is a rare example of ‘cellular’ prison architecture from that period in Spain and functioned as a prison until 1981, playing a particularly harsh role during the Franco dictatorship.

Architecturally, the building is organised around a central block from which the cell wings extend, with clearly differentiated courtyards and control areas. It is built of white-plastered granite, with exposed stone reinforcements, a wooden structure and a slate roof, following the Galician building tradition and giving it a sober and imposing appearance.

The recent renovation, carried out by architects Juan Creus and Covadonga Carrasco, sought to preserve the essence of the building while transforming it into a cultural centre and space for remembrance. The original structures were consolidated, the façades were cleaned and restored, and the interiors were adapted for cultural uses, introducing more natural light and accessible routes, without erasing the traces of its past as a prison.

  From a photographic and documentary perspective, O Vello Cárcere is a particularly complex and evocative space, where architecture, history and new uses coexist in a very direct way. A place where images can help interpret the past, understand the building’s transformation, and communicate the value of contemporary cultural spaces without losing the memory of what they once were.