Hoa Lo Prison Relic

Hoa Lo Prison Relic – one of the famous historical relics in Hanoi, is the place that witnessed the arduous days of thousands of Vietnamese soldiers during the period of expelling the colonialists. If you have the opportunity to travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, don’t forget to stop by here to learn specifically about the stories of the soldiers during their years of detention.

Tourists can refer to some attractive destinations in Hanoi such as:

>> The Temple Of Literature in Hanoi

>> About Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi

>> About Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

1. History of Hoa Lo prison

Hoa Lo Prison was built by the French in 1896, initially named Prison Centrale (Central Prison), but to avoid people’s curiosity and excitement, it was changed to Maison Centrale (Central House) and Until now, this name is still on the main gate leading to the monument. This place detains mainly political prisoners and patriots who oppose the colonial government. In the heart of the bustling capital, there is still a Hoa Lo prison that is always there and preserves historical ups and downs over time.

The prison is known as “hell on earth” because during its years of operation, the prison has become a place to imprison generations of heroic soldiers and talented revolutionary activists of the nation. Vietnam has many extremely cruel forms of torture. The most typical example is the guillotine machine, which has brought the prison into the top 10 most notorious prisons in the world.

• Address: Hoa Lo Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam.
• Hoa Lo Prison opening hours: Hoa Lo prison is open from 8:00 to 17:00 every day of the week (including Vietnamese holidays and New Year). 
• Hoa Lo Prison entrance fee: 50,000 VND/person
• In addition, Hoa Lo also provides voiceover service with headphones for 50,000 VND/headphone.

Hoa Lo Prison reviews, we suggest toursits that to visit Hoa Lo prison, in addition to traveling by personal vehicle, you can choose a bus to get here with bus numbers: 02, 34, 38, 40, 49.

2. Architecture of Hoa Lo prison

Previously, the total area of ​​the entire prison area was more than 12,000 square meters. However, today only 2,434 square meters remain to be preserved to become a relic site, serving the purpose of sightseeing and tourism for those who want to come and witness firsthand the scenery of what the colonial prison looks like. What to do when exploring Hanoi.

During the war, Hoa Lo prison was designed and built with a structure consisting of 4m high, 0.5m thick stone walls reinforced with electric steel wires. 

Hoa Lo Prison is divided into 4 areas as follows:

– Areas A and B: This place is for prisoners under investigation or prisoners whose crimes are not important, or simply violate the prison’s discipline.

– Area C: this area is for French or foreign prisoners.

– Area D: the area with the most obsessions because it is the place for prisoners awaiting the death penalty.

3. Things you need to know about Hoa Lo prison relics

3.1. Hell on earth with many forms of brutal torture

This place was built and designed to accommodate about 500 prisoners. The prisons are designed with harsh and extremely brutal detention and coercion regimes.

From a famous pottery craft village, the colonialists turned the land of Hoa Lo into a place of imprisonment and physical and mental torture of thousands of patriotic soldiers. Living in an imperial prison with a harsh detention regime, the soldiers still maintained their courage, turning the prison into a school, a place to disseminate revolutionary theory.

3.2. Many barbaric torture weapons

When you come to Hoa Lo prison, you will also see with your own eyes many terrifying weapons of the French colonialists. Some typical prison torture tools such as guillotines, electric cameras, canes… All door designs, locks, and shackles here are specialized designs brought from France, and are extremely tightly managed.

A typical example is the giant guillotine – the most used weapon during that time. That machine made the prison one of the most notorious prisons of its time. When you come here, you will also have a very horrifying feeling. Images of beatings and barbaric acts of torture will be clearly reproduced.

3.3. The image of prison is recreated realistically and vividly

In the years 1950-1953, Hoa Lo imprisoned up to 2,000 prisoners, becoming a hell on earth that no one wanted to enter.

Putting their feet in iron shackles day after month, it sounds like only statues can endure it, but revolutionary soldiers and political prisoners endured every hour, every moment. It is truly admirable that they continue to live and fight.

The dungeon is considered a horrifying obsession for any prisoner with painful slaps on the skin, deep whips that go deep into the skin, being shackled, being shackled, eating, sleeping, and cleaning all the time just in a dark, cramped space.Most people who are locked up here will get sick after a while due to lack of hygiene and sunlight.

The image of the prison of that day with brutal beatings, trials, and torture, despite many years of experience, still lingers in the memories of the Vietnamese people through every page of history books. Everything is depicted clearly and honestly in every corner of Hoa Lo prison, helping visitors easily feel the hardship, hardship, and pain of the generation of Vietnamese ancestors during the days of fighting for independence of the country.

3.4. Hoa Lo Prison – the horror of many revolutionary soldiers

Surrounding the prison is a 4m high, 0.5m thick, reinforced stone wall reinforced by a system of barbed wire with high voltage current running through it. Every prisoner’s every move is observed from all sides. Outside the cell are notorious guards, with many years of experience in prison management, ready to oppress and even take the lives of prisoners.

Cruel, barbaric, barbaric is not enough to describe the hardships and hardships that countless generations of soldiers and revolutionary activists have had to go through in hell on earth. As one of the most notorious prisons in the world, Hoa Lo Prison takes you back in history, feeling all the hardships and hardships of the heroes who sacrificed for national independence.

3.5. The “gratitude” almond tree – historical proof

The origin of the almond tree dates back to before 1930, when sentenced prisoners had to work as janitors at the courthouse. They collected wild almond trees growing on grass bushes and planted them in the prison yard. After a while, the almond tree grew and became attached to many generations of political prisoners here. 

Whenever they go out, political prisoners will gather around the almond tree to enjoy the fresh air and discuss measures to fight against the colonial prison regime. 

This tree has become a place to witness daily life, listen to the sharing and confessions about dreams, goals, ideals and feelings of communist people. Besides, it is also an important “secret mailbox” for prisoners to exchange information and propagate revolutionary documents.

4. Hoa Lo prison tour

4.1. Hoa Lo prison day tour 

Day tours at Hoa Lo Prison cost only 50,000 VND/person. After purchasing tickets, visitors can rent a walkie-talkie with headphones to listen to explanations and quotes from people who were imprisoned in prison. In addition, there are signs in each gallery and each item providing detailed information to visitors.

Starting the tour, visitors will be able to visit each area of ​​the prison from the moment there is a flicker of light until it is completely immersed in darkness. The prisoners’ artifacts on display such as utensils and clothes, when combined with the narration, will definitely make visitors feel “scared” by the brutality of the colonialists in the past.

4.2. Hoa Lo Prison night tour

To help tourists better understand the pain of the wars in Vietnam, Hoa Lo prison relics organized a night tour with the theme “Sacred Night”.

By combining sound, light and the actors’ acting skills, Hoa Lo prison gives visitors an extremely realistic and vivid experience about the time of the heroic struggle of the soldiers who sacrificed himself to regain freedom for the people and the country.

In addition to providing a fascinating visual and auditory experience, Hoa Lo prison relic staff also prepare souvenirs such as tea, sweet soup, cakes and almond jelly, made from the last remaining almond tree in the cave. prison to give to tourists participating in the tour. 

The ticket price for the Hoa Lo prison night tour is 300,000 VND/person. The organizers will record images so the whole group can review them whenever they want.

5. Tourist destinations near Hoa Lo prison

• Hanoi Cathedral is 850m away.
• Sword Lake is 1.1km away.
• Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam is 1.3km away.
• Tran Quoc Pagoda is 4.4km away. 

6. Experience visiting Hoa Lo prison relics

To have a smooth and memorable trip to Hoa Lo prison, visitors should keep in mind the following useful notes and experiences: 

• You should only bring necessary, lightweight items. Do not bring potentially explosive substances into the prison. Before going inside, you should leave your bulky luggage in the right place.
• When visiting monuments, do not smoke, behave civilly and politely, do not speak too loudly and do not move installed artifacts. 
• If you want to burn incense and lay flowers, please only do so in the memorial hall area.
• Although weekends are often crowded, you don’t have to worry about booking tickets in advance because you can easily buy tickets right at the entrance. 
• If you go sightseeing with a large group or have the purpose of learning and researching, you should contact the management board in advance for assistance in preparation.

Above, Smile Travel has just introduced to tourists some information about Hoa Lo prison – a relic that left many historical marks on the Vietnamese people during the war against the enemy. In addition, Smile Travel is also proud to be one of the reputable travel companies in Hanoi providing Vietnam package tours or cruise tours on Halong Bay, event organization, car booking, hotels, etc… To be provided with the above services at the cheapest price, please contact us via hotline: (+84) 941776786 for 24/7 support.

Smile Travel is one of the fast growing Tour Companies in Vietnam. We are as Inbound and Outbound Tour Operator Licence No 01-1051/TCDL-GPLHQT. We specialize in tailor-making and customizing individual, Couple, family and group tours throughout Indochina destinations.

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