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theatlantic:

Inside a German Prison that Is Now an Artsy Hostel 

So it goes at the Elwe Knast-Hotel, a circa-1875 penal institution that’s functioning this summer as an edgy destination spot. Graffiti writers have transformed the jail into a unique art installation as part of the dOCUMENTA (13) festival in Kassel, a city of about 195,000 souls plopped in Germany’s midriff. This arts bash has been going on since 1955 – one 1977 participant made Kassel the first city in the world to be lit up by lasers – but this trendy jail is a new feature that’s sure to delight culture lovers and guard/inmate role players alike[…]

Just like a regular jail, there are a few rules here. No subletting cells. Check out is at 11. Making pruno is prohibited; the warden would rather you drank at the resident Biergarten. Follow these simple guidelines, and you’re free to stay locked up until September, when this curious adventure in tourism ends.

Read more. [Images: Elwe GmbH on Facebook]