The demolition of the Maze prison near Lisburn in Co Antrim has begun.
The prison, which was first known as Long Kesh, housed republican and loyalist paramilitaries and was the scene of the IRA hunger strikes and a mass break out of republican prisoners in the 1980s.
The jail was closed down following the early release of prisoners as part of the Good Friday Agreement.
The British government now wants to build a new £55 million stadium on the 365 acre site, which will accommodate Gaelic football, soccer and rugby.
The complete demolition process is expected to take one year to complete, however one of the old H blocks and the prison hospital are to be retained as a centre for conflict transformation.
Work began on clearing the site this morning with the removal of the Nissen huts which housed the internees, and the H blocks are to be demolished over the next year.
Minister of state at the Northern Ireland Office, David Hanson, said clearing the Maze Prison site was part of the mission to transform it into a symbol of economic and social regeneration.
