Santo Stefano's penitentiary was completed and opened in 1795, according to Atlas Obscura.
The 99-cell prison ran under strict, centralized leadership, while punishments were harsh and food was scant, CNN reports.
Over the course of the prison's lifespan, it has held political dissidents, bandits, criminals, and anarchists. Inmates included the writer and politician Luigi Settembrini, the brigand Carmine Crocco, the anarchist Gaetano Bresci, and the bandit Sante Pollastri, according to the blog Italian Ways.
During Italy's fascist rule from 1922 to 1943, the prison was largely used for political dissidents like Sandro Pertini, who would later become Italy's president, according to Atlas Obscura.
In the 1950s, the jail took a positive turn. Eugenio Perucatti, the jail's director, improved the space and the lives of the incarcerated individuals by adding amenities like a football field, gardens, and a movie theater, CNN reports. He also had the incarcerated people run artisan shops, where they could sell and buy goods, according to CNN.