The prison was in use when the site was a working monastery as well as in the 20th Century when the Soviets took over. In Stalinist times political prisoners were kept here, often before being sent out to their deaths in Siberia and their heartbreaking letters and photographs are on display. Then in a macabre twist of irony, the very same prison was used as a prisoner of war camp by the Nazis during World War II, pictures of which period are also on display.