A retrospective/prospective: The Penitentiary of Coti – yesterday and today

Immersed in history once again, I revisited this former penitentiary around 37km outside of Ajaccio recently, where many signs of elapsed circumstances still reside. There’s a charming drive up there, accompanied by the sentfuleucalyptus trees that stream and guide you on the way, so, take your time driving up too.

Opening in 1855, this penitentiary was to shelter thieves, soldiers who had disobeyed and other categories that were catalogued as ‘menacing’ individuals for society – and often in irons. Just imagine, some of the youngest were no more than 16 years of age. Now, amazing to note here, they had to be catholics too, and this was indeed a strict rule apparently. Malaria, and high fevers ravaged in the beginning, wiping out a very high percentage of its occupants. Imagining up to 800 prisoners were held here at one stage, being obliged to labour the earth, thus planting olive trees, vineyards, and water tanks/dams. You can well imagine the death rate too, many were to never to leave, and for the year 1857 alone – 110 out of 501 prisoners were to decease.

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