Atmospheric Description

The following text is an atmospheric description of my experience of visiting the ruins of Richmond Penitentiary in February. The text was written the day of my first visit.

Walking west of Christiansted I find myself in an area between the seaplane airport and a big power plant. The sound of waves and trees moving in the wind meets music and the sound of daily life in Richmond. Arriving to the site of old Richmond Prison, only the outer southern wall is visible, reaching out of the heavy overgrown grove. The extent of the building complex hiding in the bushes, are still unknown.

Through the grove I enter the keepers building, walking two steps up. The room is half covered with a traditional wooden hip roof, half disposed to lianas and roots growing from the top of the wall and down.

What catches my eye in this open room is the double iron door opposite of the entrance. Walking closer, a breathtaking sight catches my eyes. A long narrow room, lowered three steps from where I stand, with endless repeated openings on each side, before disappearing into daylight from the iron door in the far end. Walking through the room, every cell feels like a new world to discover. So full of history and individual destinies. All keeping their own dark secrets.

The cells are cool and dark, only lighted by a small opening lifted high above the ground. Daylight softly touches the walls and reveals only parts of the small rooms, keeping the rest to the imagination. Some cells are removed to connect the building with the garden outside. These dark, narrow openings gives access to a lush green garden bathing in sunlight. The now overgrown garden allows me only to get a glimpse of the buildings connected to the encircling wall.