The prison was opened on 15 July 2008 by Ministry of the Interior Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, and took in inmates from September. It was the seventh prison in the region and first to be built in the 21st century. Built to alleviate overcrowding at the other six, it has 1,214 cells including 74 that are high-security; it replaced the one in Aranjuez (1,157) as the largest prison in the region. Architect Marta Cao designed it with colours, gardens and solar panels to create a less uncomfortable atmosphere. Women are also detained at the prison, in segregated blocks.
