The Pitești Prison Memorial and the Communism Museum for Children

The Pitesti prison became known for hosting the violent action called “the Pitești phenomenon”. Students were tortured to denounce their own anti-communist activities, but also those of their acquaintances. They were also forced to deny their families and friends and renounce to their moral values. More than 600 students were tortured in Pitești and at least 11 died from out of control violence. Inside the former penitentiary a memorial museum was arranged by the Pitești Prison Memorial Foundation. Open to the public in 2014, the Pitești Prison Memorial offers guided tours, cultural and educational activities and hosts a permanent exhibition exploring the history of the communist dictatorship in Romania. Upstairs, in one of the most important rooms in the former penitentiary, there is also a chapel where religious services are held regularly. Since 2022, in the same building of the former penitentiary, it has been opened the Museum of Communism for Children, a project dedicated to children and adolescents, which explores, through games and workshops, the theme of communism in Romania.