History

The former prison is one of the few structures to avoid the huge fire that swept through Umeå in 1888. The main block is now the town’s oldest preserved stone building and a key feature of the townscape. The prison is considered one of Sweden’s best preserved examples of the many jailhouses that were built following the prison reform of 1841. The reform humanised the prison service and changed the face of the prisons themselves. With their own individual cells and the pastoral care of the prison chaplain, the inmates could atone for their sins and repent their crimes. The prisoners would be rehabilitated and returned to society.

The old prison in Umeå was officially called “Umeå länscellfängelse”. It was inaugurated in 1861 and was part of a national initiative for modern prisons with individual cells, inspired by the American Philadelphia system. The building was designed by architect Wilhelm Theodor Anckarsvärd and is today Umeå’s oldest preserved stone building.

In popular parlance, the prison was sometimes called “Vita Duvan”, (The white dove) a nickname that has also been used for other prisons in Sweden.

After the prison was closed, the building has been used for various purposes, including as a theatre venue during the 1980s and 1990s. In 2007–2008, it was renovated and opened as a hotel under the name Hotell Gamla Fängelset.

The cell prison in Umeå consists of a main building with a facade of smooth plastered brick and two low red-painted wooden wings with hipped roofs. The main building has two floors plus a basement and attic.

The prison in Umeå comprices a main building with a facade of smooth rendered brick and two low wooden wings painted red, with hip roofs. The main building has two floors plus a basement and attic. The cells were placed along the outer walls, with an atrium running down the middle. The west wing previously housed a courtroom, while the east wing was a laundry and mangling room. Around the main building and wings runs a wooden palisade. Along the southern section, you can still see the outer shape of the prison’s round-edged exercise yard. The well-preserved palisade is unique in this country.

SFV manages Umeå Prison

Umeå Prison became a national monument in 1992 and is managed by the National
Property Board (SFV). The prison has been painstakingly restored in the early 2000s
and adapted for new tenants. The aim is to ensure the cultural heritage for future
generations.  Today, the old prison has volunteer guests staying at Hotell Gamla
Fängelset.