The ensemble of Pitești Penitentiary, the former prison of anti-communist political prisoners, has been classified as a historical monument. The Romanian Minister of Culture, Raluca Turcan, signed an order on Wednesday.
Pitesti Penitentiary was included in Romania’s List of Historical Monuments and was granted the regime of group A historical monument.
Experts and specialists certified by the Ministry of Culture prepared the historical and architectural study that served as the argumentation for the decision to designate the Pitesti Penitentiary as a historical monument, which will be subject to Law 422/2001 on protecting historical monuments.
“The prison in Piteşti is a painful memory but also a testimony of the human spirit’s strength to resist oppression. The closing of the Piteşti Penitentiary is a crucial moment in trying to raise awareness and recover the recent history of Romania,” Turcan said.
“The story of the Piteşti Prison and the Piteşti experiment helps to honour the victims and the courage of those who fought against the injustices of the communist regime. Also, the recognition of the prison as a historical monument reconfirms its position as a symbol of the fight against communist oppression in Romania and a symbol of the protection of democratic values,” the Minister of Culture added, recognising the prison as a historical monument.
A museum opened at Piteşti in 2014, with weekly services held in the attached chapel, where the martyrs of the prison are commemorated.
Photo source: public domain
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