San Francisco Bay Area

Alcatraz - San Francisco

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• published: 12 Mar 2016
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Alcatraz is an island to 2 km and 400 meters from the mainland, located in the San Francisco Bay. If you wish to visit this surreal island that houses the maximum security prison most famous of all the United States and perhaps the world, it is good to book the tour in advance. Prison is impressive at any time of the day, but to see at night is definitely the top. The departure of the ferry is at Pier 33. Our ferry leaves at 17:55, for the visit at night (booked 90 days before alcatrazcruises.com !!!). The visit includes boat trip, a first part with a ranger who is our guide; a second individual part with audio guide in Italian and then return by boat. Alcatraz is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, managed by the National Park Service. Alcatraz Island (Spanish for "Sula," a seabird) bears this name because it was populated by these kinds of animals; Now the island is overrun by seagulls are everywhere. The visit is really very impressive, the audio guide illustrates the life of the prison with the prisoners' voices and some guards that tell the key events that took place in those years, actually managing to experience the frustration of detainees, looking out could see the city, however, knowing it will not be able to reach. When it was established, Alcatraz was just a military prison. But then, in 1934, the US government decided to transform it into a maximum security prison where he could hold the most dangerous criminals in the country. Its strategic location in the middle of San Francisco Bay combined with the icy currents, made it soon the "home" of criminals the likes of Al Capone or the Soviet spy Morton Sobell. Alcatraz was notorious for the harsh living conditions they were subjected detainees, locked in small individual cells often without being able to do anything but during the brief hours of air, and the two daily meals. Alcatraz was considered a veritable fortress, no one could get out alive. 36 escape attempts only one, conducted by Frank Morris and the Anglin, he goes ahead. The two brothers left the island on a raft without being noticed by the police, putting dummies made of paper pulp in the beds of their cells. The FBI points out that there is no evidence of the actual survival of the two; Their story is dedicated to the movie Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood. The prison was closed March 21, 1963 for the high costs of its management: it was necessary to transport the island of foodstuffs, drinking water and clothing. All criminals were transferred to other places of detention. Years later, the prison was opened to the public for guided tours