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Bagne de Cayenne Kourou, French Guiana Last Updated: 06/27/2026 |
| The Bagne de Cayenne, also known as the Cayenne Penal Colony, was a notorious prison system located in French Guiana that operated from 1852 to 1953. The prison system was established by the French government as a way to exile convicts and political prisoners to a distant location where they could be forced to perform hard labor in harsh conditions. | |
| The prisoners at the Bagne de Cayenne were subjected to brutal treatment, including forced labor, physical abuse, and disease outbreaks. The prison system was infamous for its high mortality rates, with many prisoners dying from disease, malnutrition, and overwork. Today, the remains of the Bagne de Cayenne serve as a reminder of the dark history of the prison system. The ruins of the prison can be visited by tourists, and there is a museum in the city of Cayenne that tells the story of the penal colony and its prisoners. Dreyfus Tower is a small structure that resembles the leaning tower of Pisa, standing where the river meets the ocean. | |
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French Guiana » Kourou
Place » Tourism