Home > Philadelphia Attractions > Places of Interest > Eastern State Penitentiary

Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, Eastern State was the world’s first true penitentiary, a prison designed to inspire penitence in the hearts of criminals. The original seven cellblocks spread like the spokes of a wheel, and had running water and central heat before the White House. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and “Scarface” Al Capone. The prison stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and a surprising, eerie beauty. Tours today include the cellblocks, solitary punishment cells, Al Capone’s Cell, and Death Row.