Prison "Crosses" - one of the most beautifulsights of the city of Petrov. On the "Crosses" films are shot, songs are devoted to it, it appears in a lot of serials. Punishment here served many well-known criminals. "Crosses" attract hundreds of tourists who want to see the dark side of the northern capital. The history of the pre-trial detention center No. 1 (namely, one of the most famous prisons in Russia) is devoted to this article.

How were the "Crosses" built?
"Crosses" is not just a prison, but a unique onea monument of architecture, which was built by the order of Tsar Nicholas II on the banks of the Neva. The construction was supervised by the architect AO Tomishko. By the way, from the epoch of the reign of Empress Anna Ioanovna in the territory where the remand prison is now located, there was a cellar complex called "Wine Town", which in the middle of the XIX century was converted into a place for keeping prisoners.
In 1892, the prison acquired a modern look,which is known almost to every inhabitant of St. Petersburg. A red-brick building was built, which was made by the artel of the Strelins brothers. The prison "Crosses" resembles a medieval castle complex because of the curved masonry of the facade.
During the Second World War the building of "Crosses"was badly damaged by constant bombing. To receive funds for restoration, it was decided to open a cardboard factory in prison. The prisoners themselves worked at the factory.

Why did the "Crosses" get their name?
Prison "Crosses" is a complex ofa few rectangular buildings, which from the height form two huge crosses. And the architect Tomishko took 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 help them repent of their sins. Initially, the prison was designed for the maintenance of 1,150 people, it had 960 cameras. Obviously, for the most part the cameras were single: 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 beg forgiveness from God. "Crosses" - a prison, the architecture of which is deeply embedded.
By the way, there is a legend that originally there were 961 cameras. One of them allegedly had Tomishko himself immured: it was done so that no one could learn all the secrets of the biggest prison in Europe.

Unwanted Souls
In 1890, in the administrative building of the "Crosses"a church was opened, which, only 28 years later, was liquidated by the decision of the Bolshevik government. The temple was located in such a way as to connect the two "crosses" together. There is a legend that as soon as the Bolsheviks entered the temple, the souls of the people who had parted with life in the prison materialized under the dome. The souls of the criminals could not go to hell because they experienced it on the ground, therefore they were forced to stay in single cells of the Crosses. The Bolsheviks left the church with horror. Their stories about the seen souls of the dead zeks no one believed: it was decided to execute the unfortunate Communists. After this, the souls of the criminals finally found their peace. True, it is unclear where they went: to hell or to heaven.
On the site of the temple was arranged a club. The services were resumed only in 2004.

Famous prisoners of "Crosses"
Prior to the revolution Trotsky, Lunacharsky, Antonov-Ovseyenko had visited Trotsky.
In the 1930s, "Crosses" was a prison where they served timethe punishment of the victims of Stalin's bloody repressions, convicted under Article 58: Gumilev, Rokossovsky, Zhzhenov. Near the walls of this frighteningly magnificent prison, Anna Akhmatova spent almost two years waiting for news of her family. Today, the prison "Crosses", a photo of which you can see in this article, is decorated with a memorial tablet with a portrait of Akhmatova and lines from her "Requiem".

Sharashka
В 1937 году в стенах «Крестов» функционировала One of the numerous "sharashek", which was officially called a special prison. In the "sharashka" for the good of the country worked prisoners who were in the field of large specialists in the field of military affairs and the defense industry.
Как появилась «крестовская шарашка»?The fact is that in the thirties, there was a need to create new weapons for military courts. The specialists of the Bolshevik plant were engaged in the development of naval artillery. However, due to repression, many valuable cadres turned into political prisoners. Then the idea arose not to deprive engineers of the opportunity to do what they liked, even during their stay in the prison.
For the sake of justice, it should be noted that the conditionsfor prisoners working to improve the defense capacity of the USSR, were created quite decent. The "Crosses" were visited by Professor VR Bursian, who died in 1945 in a prison hospital for tuberculosis, mathematician AM Zhuravsky, who founded the school for the calculation of ship engines EE Pappel and many other talented scientists. Surprisingly, the prison "Crosses", whose photo amazes the imagination, has become a place where amazing discoveries were made and important inventions made for the armed forces.

Can I escape from the Crosses?
Of course, there were attempts to escape from the "Crosses".In 1947, the prisoners managed to make a hole in the brick wall with the help of sharpened spoons. True, it was quite difficult to disguise the red fragments of bricks on the gray prison floor. It is impossible to wash them in the toilet - the sewage system may become clogged. The same goes for the sink. Therefore, it was decided to use a brick extracted from the wall, inwards.
The prisoners managed to make a through hole in the wall and they went down to the prison yard with the help of a sheet. The fugitives were captured there by security guards.
Prisoners who attempted to escape were sentenced to be shot. Prison "Crosses" in St. Petersburg - a place to escape from which it is much more difficult than from the legendary Shoushenk.
Life of prisoners
Nowadays in "Crosses" there are almost no single rooms.The chambers are furnished with three-tiered bunks, equipped with a radio and, of course, a bathroom. Today, this place can hardly be proud of St. Petersburg - the prison "Crosses" is considered one of the most unfit for living places of detention in Russia.
In cells that were once designed fortwo prisoners, can stay up to 16 people. Sleep falls in two shifts, because of crowding the temperature rises to 40 degrees. Meals in "Crosses" are rather meager and not of high quality.
Do you plan to relax in St. Petersburg? Prison "Crosses" - one of the main sights of the city, which, of course, is worth seeing to all those who are interested in the culture and history of Russia.