History

From its inception until March 1999, the building was used as a prison. It is considered a historic monument by determination of the Federal Law on Monuments and archaeological, historical and artistic, in accordance with Articles 35 and 36 (sections I and IV).

During the administration of General Gutiérrez Díez, hired the architect Carlos Suarez Fiallo for project development. Its construction began in February 1884, laid the first stone on day 5 of that month. The building was opened, still unfinished, on May 5, 1890 and was completed in 1904.

Incorporated concepts that were at the forefront of architectural design for the time and had already been used in the so-called "Black Palace" of Lecumberri.

The most important concept was called the "Panopticon", which had already been applied in Europe since the late eighteenth century in buildings where the function and the user required visual domain and controlled access to all areas, this can be seen in hospitals and prisons of the time.

In the year 1910 there was an historical fact, and that General Porfirio Diaz ordered the arrest of Francisco I. Madero on charges of attempted rebellion and outrage to the authorities, and was then transferred to the penitentiary of San Luis Potosi.

That started the drafting of the Plan de San Luis, enacted a few weeks after Madero managed to escape and travel to the United States.

During the decade of the 60 prisoners were prominent figures who contributed significantly to important democratic processes of political and social transformation, as Dr. Salvador Nava.

Similarly, in this property was changing prison system rehabilitation center, thanks to the tireless work of a director, Jose Luis Vega Rodriguez, who believed was the inclusion of artistic activities as part of the social rehabilitation.

It is intended that this building belongs to the estate dedicated to commemorate the bicentenary of the beginning of the Independence of Mexico and the centennial of the beginning of the Mexican Revolution.