The concept of a second life, or reincarnation, is often discussed in religious and philosophical texts. It is also something you’ll find in the heart of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Sitting in the heart of the capital city is Lukiškės, which until 2019 was Lithuania’s only high-security prison. Opening in 1904, the stone fortress was lined with high walls and barbed wire. During its 118 year life it was the home to political prisoners, social activists, exiles, and some of the country’s most notorious criminals sent there by authorities Tsarist Russia and Nazi Germany.
It also served as the biggest and most modern prison in the Russian Empire, and was the only prison to build places of worship for Russian-Orthodox, Roman-Catholic, and Jewish inmates.
After closing for good in 2019, work began on its transformation. To give it a brand new lease of life; a regeneration; a fresh start. In 2021, the site reopened to the public as Lukiškės Prison 2.0 – an epicentre for art, culture, and creativity. It what this place I visited during a trip to Lithuania.
As of 2025, the prison has over 600 resident artists working in various areas, including music, visual arts, design, dance, film, and crafts. The building also houses theatres, gig spaces, and art installations across six former prison buildings. The space also holds summer festivals with acts such as Jungle, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Mac Demarco, King Krule, and the Viagra Boys.
The prison is not hiding its dark history either. Lukiškės Prison offers guided tours in English around the penitentiary, which show you the old temporary holding cells, the interrogation room, the exercise blocks, and finally, the cell where criminals sentenced to life spent their time.
Tickets for the two-hour tours cost 20 euros, but what you get is worth far more than the cost. I walked to the prison for a 2.30pm tour, and the first thing I noticed was how big the place was—and how ominous it felt.
The walls surrounding the complex towered above my 5’3 “self, and the discoloured and rusted barbed wire on top was a little chilling. The dark, gothic aesthetic of its façade softened the place with the faint sound of drumming and electric guitar riffs.
A guard came up behind me as I stood by the iron entryway and made me jump. He smiled and chuckled before introducing me to my guide Martyna. I asked her if the guards were real – or for the aesthetic. “They’re real,” she said, “the prison only shut a few years ago and sometimes we have old inmates come back. It’s just to keep things calm and the people working here safe.”
Martyna first took me around the courtyard and pointed out the different blocks, the festival square, plus the new sauna shack – which is in fact a new addition along with its ice-y plunge pool. I opted out of a dip on this particular January afternoon.
I then got to explore the labyrinthine cell blocks. Martyna led me through the dark corridors and unlocked several gates on our journey. Even though the prison is open to the public, there are areas that are “no go” and can only be seen on a guided tour.
The cells had all been emptied since the prisoners left, so the confined spaces the inmates lived in felt much colder and unfeeling than they would have before. Each room had a simple bunk, small desk, sink, and toilet in the corner. Martyna pushed the cell gate shut, followed by the heavy iron door, and through the hatch, asked me how it felt.
I stood in the centre of the cell, and for a few seconds, I felt isolated, alone, and uneasy. The off-bright lighting was uncomfortable, and all I could think about was the fact that two people could share one of these cells and how my childhood bedroom, which I shared with my sister, was bigger than this – and how that was hard.
Different variations of the cells existed over the 100 year. During many of those years, the prison’s conditions were miserable, with overcrowded cells, poor ventilation, and harsh treatments. Overall, it was a bleak place to be, and sometimes, people walking by heard screams.
Some of the cells have also been left untouched to show what they might have looked like for a prisoner living there towards the end of its run. Walking into this one was very different. In fact, the cell looked straight out like a typical London six-bed house share, which would set you back £950 a month. According to my guide, the set-up was based on cells from the late 2000s, but it felt as if it was out of 1992. Everything looked a little vintage, but when I considered it, I realised that prisons would not be up to date with the times.
After this, we checked out the exercise blocks, which contained huge murals painted by the actual prisoners. Apparently, it was quite the pass time for them. We also saw the location where they filmed part of season four of Stranger Things, so it’s definitely one for the fans.
The final stop on the tour was the holding cells, which were just by the main gate. They looked like toilet cubicles but were much smaller. There was a slab of concrete to sit on and messages from the people who were placed there were carved all over the backs of the doors. Some were in there for hours on end, so you would need to keep yourself entertained somehow.
I couldn’t understand most of the writing, but there were a few profanities which I did recognise and made me chuckle – “f*ck this” being the feeling I would likely have felt too.
I finished my time at the prison with a Negroni in the bar, which was one of the main halls. The drink set me back 10 euros – so wasn’t badly priced. According to one of the bartenders, the best cocktail on their menu is the “No Name”, which is gin, aperitive, grapefruit syrup, lime juice, and egg white shaken with ice.
A prison may not sound like the most upbeat thing to do on your travels, but it truly was an interesting experience. There was a good balance of serious and light-hearted tales, which allowed you to understand the haunting and complex history of the place while also enjoying yourself. The concept of reinvention is exciting, and Lukiškės Prison certainly solidifies the notion – so, this is a must-see when you visit Vilnius.
Book it
LOT Airlines now connects London City Airport and Vilnius. Flights take two hours and fifty minutes and cost around £100.
Tickets to Lukiškės Prison cost from 15 euros.