About Fort 13 Jilava
Fort 13 is part of the ring of forts built around Bucharest at the end of the 19th century to plans by the Belgian general Henri Alexis Brialmont. It is a low, earth-covered structure, with a redoubt whose plan resembles an ace of spades. Until 1907 it was an arms depot and barracks; that year the first prisoners were brought here, peasants from the 1907 revolt, and the fort then remained a military prison.
On the night of 26–27 November 1940, the Legionary Police killed 64 political prisoners, former dignitaries of King Carol II's regime, in the cells at Jilava. On 1 June 1946, Marshal Ion Antonescu, Mihai Antonescu, Gheorghe Alexianu and General Constantin Vasiliu were executed nearby, at a place called Valea Piersicilor. After 1948 the communist regime used the fort as a transit and sorting prison for political prisoners; its rooms, meant for 50 people each and crammed with up to 200, held Corneliu Coposu, Nicolae Steinhardt, Monsignor Vladimir Ghika and Richard Wurmbrand. The last prisoners were participants in the December 1989 Revolution.
The fort is a listed historic monument, and in July 2024 it was added to the UNESCO Tentative List as part of the "Former communist prisons in Romania" nomination, together with Sighet, Pitești, Făgăraș and Râmnicu Sărat. Since 2024 it has also been managed by Ilfov County Council, which is preparing its restoration and conversion into a memorial museum.
What you can see
The visit leads through the long brick-vaulted corridors, with the heavy wooden cell doors, and through the fort's 52 rooms. The shared cells still hold their iron bunk beds, walls with peeling plaster and barred windows. The "Black Room", the underground punishment cell without windows, shows the conditions of detention most directly. Above the entrance, the "Fortul No 13 Jilava" plaque survives.
Good to know
The fort adjoins the București-Jilava Prison, which is still in operation, and access is through the prison grounds, escorted only. There are no public opening hours: visits are for groups, booked through Ilfov County Council. The building is in poor condition and unrestored, with no museum displays.
Information verified on 21 October 2026.
- The long brick-vaulted corridor, with the heavy wooden cell doors open one after another.
- The shared cells with iron bunk beds and barred windows, where up to 200 prisoners were crammed together.
- The "Black Room", the underground punishment cell without windows.
- The "Fortul No 13 Jilava" plaque above the entrance, with the name and number of the fort in the Bucharest ring.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from central Bucharest (Piața Unirii) it is ~12 km: Calea Șerban Vodă, then Șoseaua Giurgiului (DN5) south to the ring road (Șoseaua de Centură); turn left there, and after ~1.4 km turn onto Strada Sabarului towards the prison (~25 minutes, longer at rush hour).
Public transport: Jilava is linked to Bucharest by the bus lines running along Șoseaua Giurgiului; check the current route in the STB app. Groups usually come with organised transport.
- Fees & discounts
Ilfov County Council does not publish a fee for visits. The organisers provide the guide; groups may also bring their own guide.
- Rules
Access is through the grounds of a working prison, by appointment only and escorted by representatives of Ilfov County Council or the prison; an identity document is required. The organisers set the rules on photography and phones. This is a place of remembrance: keep quiet and show respect. The rooms are cold, damp and unrestored, with uneven floors: wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket even in summer.
- Facilities
No visitor facilities: the fort is not set up as a museum
Frequently asked questions about Fort 13 Jilava
- How long does a visit to Fort 13 Jilava take?
- A visit to Fort 13 Jilava takes about ½ – 1 hours (guided tour of ~1 hour).
- Can you visit Fort 13 Jilava with kids?
- No, Fort 13 Jilava is not recommended for visits with children (difficult subject; from about 14).
- How do I get to Fort 13 Jilava?
- Fort 13 Jilava is located at Strada Sabarului 1, within the grounds of the București-Jilava Prison, Jilava, Ilfov County. By car: from central Bucharest (Piața Unirii) it is ~12 km: Calea Șerban Vodă, then Șoseaua Giurgiului (DN5) south to the ring road (Șoseaua de Centură); turn left there, and after ~1.4 km turn onto Strada Sabarului towards the prison (~25 minutes, longer at rush hour). Public transport: Jilava is linked to Bucharest by the bus lines running along Șoseaua Giurgiului; check the current route in the STB app. Groups usually come with organised transport.
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