EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY

Opened in 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world. Today it stands in ruin as a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. The facility quickly became one of the most copied buildings in the United States. It is estimated that more than 300 prisons worldwide are based on the Penitentiary's wagon-wheel or "radial" floor plan. It is known for its grand architecture and strict discipline; a prison designed to inspire penitence or true regret amongst its convicts. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held the notorious Al Capone and bank robber "Slick Willie" Sutton.