Robben Island, South Africa

Robben Island was used a hospital for the mentally and chronically ill between 1846 and 1931: its location in Table Bay, 6.9 miles off the coast of Cape Town, allowed authorities to effectively imprison patients who suffered from conditions for which there was no known cure. Many apartheid activists were also incarcerated here: Robben Island's most famous inmate was Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years here, while current South African president Jacob Zuma was also imprisoned here for ten years. Today, there are regular tours of the site and a there's also a museum, with regular talks by former political prisoners.

www.robben-island.org.za