Museum of the Qasr Prison, Tehran

Persian for “castle,” the Qasr Museum was originally built as a Qajar-era palace by architect Nikolai Markov, who combined elements of Persian and European architecture. It was later converted into two prisons (criminal and political) before permanently closing years later and reopening in 2012 as a museum. Former inmates lead guided tours and provide firsthand accounts of atrocities they endured while behind bars, making the experience of visiting this beautiful prison all the more haunting.