Former 'Kresty' Prison to Become Hotel Complex

The historic complex of buildings of the 'Kresty' (Кресты) investigative isolation facility, located in the center of St. Petersburg, has been sold at auction for 1.136 billion rubles (approximately 12.8 million dollars). This was reported by TASS.

The new owner plans to replace the prison with a museum preserving the site’s memory and history, a hotel complex, restaurants, galleries, and public spaces, according to the company’s press release.

Throughout its history, 'Kresty' has held notable figures such as Osip Mandelstam, Nikolai Gumilyov, Nikolai Zabolotsky, Joseph Brodsky, Leon Trotsky, Anatoly Lunacharsky, Alexander Kerensky, and Konstantin Rokossovsky in custody.