Past Watch Site

Although the 600 convicts that occupied the 380 cells in the Ushuaia prison up until its closure in 1947 were not exactly town citizens, their work was integral to the daily life of the city beyond the formidable walls. Public works projects and houses were often built by prison labor, which also supplied the southern Argentine town with such staples as firewood, bread, and electrical power; prisoners and citizens relied on each other. Given the prison's prominent site in town, its restoration would be the key impetus for overall local development. The presidio is defined by a central ward from which radiate five cellblock spokes. One of the wings has housed a maritime museum, but the plan is for the prison to become a revenue-generating cultural center, a goal that remains distant unless emergency maintenance is done. Windows need to be reglazed and portions of the corrugated metal roof replaced to make the building watertight. Once these repairs are addressed the prison's transformation into a cultural center can proceed.

UPDATE

Following the 1998 Watch, the leaking roof was sealed, windows were replaced, and damaged interiors were repaired. Today the prison houses the Museo Marítimo y del Presidio, dedicated to the maritime history of Tierra del Fuego, the building's own history as a prison, and the history and biology of Antarctica. January 2011

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