A European spot that’s become popular among divers and thrill-seeking tourists has a dark history many are unaware of.
Today, this sunken ruin is a summertime favourite, which for an entrance fee of £2.53 (€3), allows tourists to paddleboard, canoe and snorkel along its waters, none the wiser to the secrets this quarry lake holds.
In fact, this Estonian underwater site was once a prison built by the Soviet Union.
This semi-emerged site was once known as Rummu Prison and housed inmates back in the 1940s.
It may be a place of joy and laughter today but back then the site held a very different atmosphere where prisoners were forced to work since the prison’s establishment in 1938.
Since Rummu Prison officially closed in January 2013, the location has become an archetypal reminder of the harsh justice system which was once enforced by Estonia’s Soviet rulers.
While Estonia was part of the USSR, the prisoners at Rummu were forced into labour at the nearby limestone quarry.
After Estonia gained its independence in 1991, Soviet officials left the country, and most of the USSR’s former institutions fell in its wake, including the labour prison at Rummu.
Over time, natural groundwater quickly seeped into the former quarry, drowning its painful memories and later forming a new lake at an alarming speed.
The rising water filled so quickly that many of the mining machines and some of the buildings were swallowed up by the rising waters.
The site’s submerged buildings below the surface have beckoned intrepid travellers to visit and has become a popular beach.
The ruins of this abandoned prison camp allow visitors to get the sense of what life once was back then.
Visitors can explore this abandoned building with the shells of housing units, shops, and even a gym still remaining surrounded by broken glass.
During summer, sunlight hits the lake’s surface, creating a sparkling turquoise tint.
There’s an inflatable obstacle course set up with families and children enjoying a fun day out splashing around in the tranquil waters.
There’s even a summer cafe with prison tours and hiking options for all.
“The Rummu quarry is very nice and one of the highlights of my Estonia trip,” wrote one review on TripAdvisor.
Another added: “Absolutely worth a visit. It’s amazing how something that was abandoned some time ago now is a real tourist gem.”
