# Was Pawiak prison in Warsaw originally for political or general prisoners? Tags: 19th-century, russia, poland - Score: 6 - Views: 160 - Answers: 1 - Answered: yes - Asked by: Rowan (423 rep) - Asked: 2013-02-24 - Edited: 2013-03-25 - Site: history ## Question I was reading about Pawiak prison in Warsaw and the general consensus appears to be that it was built between 1829 and 1835 during a time of Russian occupation. It seems clear that after the January uprising of 1863 the prison was used for insurrectionists bound for Siberia but can it be assumed that when it was first built (from 1835) that it was mainly for political prisoners? Or was it initially for 'general' prisoners with the focus turning to political prisoners after 1863? ## Answers ### Answer by Darek Wędrychowski (score: 5 [ACCEPTED]) I've just received a confirmation from Warsaw, that as it's written in the book "Encyklopedia Warszawy" (PWN, 1994), by that time, until January Uprising, it was just a marshal prison for criminals, which was transferred there from Baszta Mostowa (Bridge Tower). The linked source says it used to be "Więzienie Inkwizycyjne", which means prisoners temporary arrested for interrogat