Pablo Escobar has a criminal legacy like no other.
Heralded by some communities in his hometown of Medellin, Colombia, as a hero, his vast fortune transformed parts of the city and made him the wealthiest criminal in history.
Escobar even managed to negotiate a huge plot of land to build his own fortress-like prison, known as ‘La Catedral’, immortalised in Netflix’s Narcos Season Two – and the truth behind the prison is just as wild as the drama makes it out to be.
Since housing the king of cocaine, the prison has transformed into a home for monks, religious pilgrims and senior citizens – but before it received its new lease of life it first saw a showdown between Escobar and the Colombian authorities as Escobar desperately tried to escape a life behind bars.
This is how Pablo Escobar created his perfect prison – and how he ultimately escaped it.
Larger-than-life Escobar was able to acquire a huge plot of land to create his dream lock-up – from hand-picking the people who built the prison itself to choosing his perfect location.
Positioned on a steep hill, the prison’s premises gave Escobar the ability to spot advancing enemies should they come his way and was often engulfed in thick layers of fog, making it invisible to airborne attacks.
