Estonia's Rummu former Soviet labor camp transformed into popular tourist lake

Rummu, a small settlement in north‑west Estonia near Tallinn, was the site of a limestone quarry and the notorious Soviet‑era Murru prison labour camp founded in the late 1930s. Prisoners, many political dissenters, were forced to work under harsh conditions.

After Estonia regained independence the quarry was closed, pumping stopped and underground water filled the pit, creating a turquoise artificial lake that submerged most of the prison complex by 2013. The lake now attracts thousands of visitors for swimming, kayaking and scuba diving, who can explore the sunken buildings, machinery and prison cells.

Visits are organised with tickets costing €5 for the quarry area and an additional €10 to enter the submerged prison section. The site is promoted as a symbol of Estonian resilience and remembrance of the Soviet occupation.