Oulu’s old prison may become hostel, cultural venue and wine cellar

The new owners of Oulu’s former provincial prison are considering a hostel, cultural activities and other uses for the property, Yle reports. The family business bought the nearly three-hectare complex from Senate Properties last week.

The culturally significant complex has 14 buildings, including the red-brick prison and the Oxenstierna House, completed as a crown prison in 1778. Other buildings include a former pigsty, a garage with a vehicle inspection pit and an old root cellar.

Owner Mariia Yrjö-Koskinen says some prison cells could be turned into hostel rooms as early as next spring. She said Google’s announced data centre construction projects near Oulu reinforced the idea, as workers at the sites may need temporary accommodation in the city.

The prison was renovated in the 1990s, and every cell now has its own toilet. Some corridors also have kitchens, and a few have saunas.

The first rental agreement has been signed: the city’s cultural centre, Valve, will use the prison’s gym as temporary premises during renovations. The move is planned for next August. The gym’s more than 1,000 square metres must be refurbished by the beginning of March, Yrjö-Koskinen said.

A school has also viewed a woodworking classroom in the building. The basement contains holding cells with concrete beds, which Yrjö-Koskinen said could be used for “extreme accommodation” or an escape room.

The protected root cellar in the grounds has not yet been inspected because its key is missing. Yrjö-Koskinen has suggested using it to store wine or potatoes from local producers.

The prison closed in January after a new prison opened in Ruskonselkä. Yrjö-Koskinen said she hopes to organise a public walking tour inside the prison walls before the end of the year.