This is actually one of my first Urban Exploring „harvests“. In 2007, The German Museum for Architecture used the old building as temporary home during some renovation work at the actual museum. During this short intermezzo the site was partially open to the public.
The Detention was built in 1886 and throughout its history it has mainly been used as short term detention facility by the Frankfurt Police Department. Thus, the incarceration conditions were very „modest“ (to put it positively) and thus rather repulsive, the single cells for example were very small (i.e. 3.5 x 1.5 m). Besides these cells there were also bigger rooms which could be stuffed with up to 120 people.
Men and women were kept separated in different floors.
During its last years the brown stone building was used to hold illegal immigrants until their return to their home countries.
The facility was finally closed in November 2001; it is currently not clear whether the building will be demolished or renovated for subsequent new purposes…
A comprehensive article (in German language) can be found here.
