The Pitești penitentiary was built between 1937-1941. From the beginning, it was the place of incarceration for political prisoners in addition to regular inmates. The first of them were the legionary students imprisoned by the Antonescu regime.

Between 1949 and 1951, most political prisoners here were students, but there was also a section for the Special Intelligence Service, and a few cells for women. After the students were released, the prison was the place of incarceration for peasants who opposed collectivization, as well as people convicted for espionage or for religious reasons.

After the release of political prisoners in 1964, the prison housed regular inmates. In 1977, the penitentiary was moved to a different location, while the buildings and the land were taken into administration by Argeș Industrial Construction Trust, a state company.