Groundbreaking ceremony in the fall

Splendor or functional building? 178 million for a new prison

A modern prison is being built on the outskirts of Klagenfurt at a cost of 178 million euros. Initial work is already underway; the groundbreaking ceremony is planned for the fall.

(Bild: Wassermann Kerstin)

For years, Klagenfurt prison has been considered the "ugliest" in Austria. The gray walls are dilapidated, there is a lack of space - and there are even reports of a cockroach invasion. But this is set to come to an end from 2027 - as the go-ahead was given these days for the new building, which could ultimately also bring judges into containers. 

It is a highly controversial decision that Justice Minister Alma Zadic made quickly during her time in office: The long-promised new building for the Klagenfurt prison is now going ahead after all - under a different federal government, the decision for the mega-project would probably have been different due to the exploding costs.