The construction of the prison of Mons started in 1863 and the entry into service took place in 1867. This is a cellular, Ducpétiaux-type, star-shaped prison. The institution covers an area of 1.6 ha.Its history is modelled on that of the country. A memorial to the war prisoners who were deported to concentration camps was erected in the outer walls, where the gate of the prison once stood.You might want to know that Paul Verlaine was detained in this prison from October 1873 to January 1875, after he was sentenced for assault and battery against Rimbaud. There he wrote poems that he first wanted to gather under the title of \”Cellulairement\””. But he dropped the idea and the poems are mainly scattered in three anthologies: \””Sagesse\””, \””Jadis et naguère\””, and \””Parallèlement\””.The men’s ward consists of four wings, which were successively modernized and put again into service in 1992, in 1997, in 1999 and in 2003. It also comprises a psychiatric ward that was renovated in 1997 too. A two-storey, circular ward was built in addition for women in 1987.”