Eastern State Penitentiary (ruined cellblocks)

Eastern State Penitentiary opened in 1829 and operated as a prison until 1971. Its vaulted, radial cellblocks were left vacant and are preserved in a deliberately ruinous, "arrested decay" condition that exposes crumbling masonry, collapsed plaster, and rusting ironwork. The site is a National Historic Landmark and is interpreted as a historic ruin open for public tours and events.