The Old Prison is a space that, after more than 130 years of history, is today a fundamental place for cultural and social encounters in the city, hosting in its spaces all kinds of cultural events and manifestations: exhibitions, concerts, plays, congresses, talks, educational workshops…

The Old Prison of the Judicial District of Lugo is a beautiful building designed by the architect Nemesio Cobreros y Cuevillas in 1878 and located in the area of ​​the Mosqueira da Walla in Lugo (World Heritage Site).

It is the second Model Penitentiary Center in Spain, following the criteria of improvement of the first example in Madrid. It was inhabited by men and women, who, despite being in the same enclosure, barely saw each other and were controlled from the center of an impressive circular space that was designed according to the postulates of Benthan’s panopticon.

The prison remained in use from its opening in 1887 until its final closure in 1981.

It reopened its doors as a sociocultural centre on 30 March 2017. Following a public competition of ideas called by the Lugo City Council, and framed within the Urban Development Plan, the rehabilitation of the building received 70% of its funding from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).