National Historic Landmark- Eastern State Penitentiary

Constructed between 1823-1836 from a design by noted American architect John Haviland, this massive Gothic Revival structure epitomized the Pennsylvania System of imprisonment, a system grounded in the Quaker concept of reflection through solitary confinement and the belief that labor should teach the prisoners trades.

The largest building project of its day, the penitentiary drew thousands of visitors, many from abroad. As a result, it influenced the construction of over 250 prisons worldwide.

Courtesy National Park Service National Historic Landmarks

Image courtesy Library of Congress Historic American Building Survey