USA 2016: Alcatraz

In San Francisco Bay, we visited the most notorious (former) prison, Alcatraz. From 1933 to 1963, this prison island housed the most dangerous prisoners in the United States. Al Capone, among others, served his sentence here. During a tour of the cell complex, we saw everything from the place where you received your prison uniform to the solitary confinement cell. One of the rangers demonstrated the mechanism that allowed all the cells in a block to be opened or closed simultaneously: The Slammer. The Slammer is a nickname for the prison, derived from the sound of the slamming cell doors. Interestingly, the sound of the cell doors on Alcatraz has been used as a soundtrack in many films, including some unexpected ones. For example, in Star Wars movies, the sliding doors in the Death Star. Alcatraz was known as the most heavily guarded prison. Escape is virtually impossible due to the construction, security, and the strong currents surrounding the island. Over the years, there have been quite a few attempts. We could still see the marks of hand grenades thrown during a major uprising in 1946 on the floor between the cells. The only escape that may have been successful dates back to 1962. That attempt was filmed in "Escape From Alcatraz." In one cell, the hole in the wall, carved out piece by piece with spoons, was visible. The prisoners then climbed through the hole into a space between the cells, using pipes, and eventually made it out. Whether they made it out unscathed remains a mystery...