The Patarei fortress, built by Nicholas I in the early 19th century and used in the 20th as a Soviet prison, is open to the public from May to September.

The authentic prison interior of Patarei vividly introduces the nature of communist ideology and its crimes in different countries, the stories of the victims of communism and Nazism, and the eventful history of Patarei since its construction as a naval fortress in the 19th century. The exhibition area “Communism is Prison” introduces totalitarian ideologies and their implementation, warns against the dangers of such ideas and reminds us of the value of human dignity and freedom.

The exhibition area of Patarei Prison is the first stage of establishing the International Museum for the Victims of Communism and the research center that will be built in the Patarei complex in the coming years. 

Update August 2023: The Patarei exhibition is scheduled to reopen in 2026.