Estremera Prison facts for kids

The Estremera Prison is a special building in Estremera, a town in the Community of Madrid, Spain. It's officially called the Centro Penitenciaro Madrid VII. It's a place where people who have broken the law are kept.

Catalan politician Quim Torra (centre) visiting jailed colleagues in March 2018

When did Estremera Prison open?

Estremera Prison opened on July 15, 2008. A government official named Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba helped open it. People started staying there in September of the same year.

It was the seventh prison built in the Madrid area. It was also the first new one in the 2000s. It was built to help with too many people in other prisons.

How big is Estremera Prison?

The prison has 1,214 rooms, called cells. Some of these cells are for people who need extra security. It became the largest prison in the region.

An architect named Marta Cao designed the prison. She used colors, gardens, and solar panels. This was to make the place feel a bit more comfortable. Women also stay at the prison, but in separate areas.

By 2017, the prison could hold about 1,500 people. It cost around €100 million to build.

What happened during the COVID-19 pandemic?

In April 2020, Estremera Prison was greatly affected by COVID-19. Some people staying there and some workers became sick.

Who has stayed at Estremera Prison?

Many different people have stayed at Estremera Prison. Here are a few notable examples:

• Patrick Nogueira: He was a Brazilian person. He was moved from Estremera in 2021.
• Francisco Granados: He was a politician from the People's Party. He stayed at the prison before his trial. He had even helped open the prison years before.
• Catalan Politicians: Several politicians from Catalonia stayed here. These included Oriol Junqueras, Raül Romeva, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Carles Mundó, and Santi Vila. They were arrested after the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
• Francisco Javier García Gaztelu: He was a commander from the ETA group. He was known as "Txapote." He was moved to Estremera in March 2021.

See also

In Spanish: Prisión de Estremera para niños