Fort Leavenworth ? An Army prison that once was the home of some of the military’s worst criminals is scheduled to be torn down, starting in mid-August.

The opening of a new U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in 2002 left the old Fort Leavenworth military prison obsolete. Officials announced Friday that “the castle,” which once housed as many as 1,500 prisoners, will be demolished 129 years after it was built.

The facility is part of Fort Leavenworth’s National Historic Landmark District.

Officials said people who wanted to get an eyeful of the old prison would have to do so from a distance, because structural problems could pose a risk to tourists.