In the heart of the noisy and busy capital, there is still a Hoa Lo prison that is always there and keeps historical ups and downs over time. When you come here, you will feel like going back in history and feel the indomitable spirit in difficult times of the nation.

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1. Introduction to Hoa Lo Prison relic

Hoa Lo Prison is located on Hoa Lo Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Hoa Lo Prison was started building by the French colonialists in 1896 (4 years after the prison in Con Dao was built) and has the French name Maison Centrale.

The prison was built for the purpose of holding political prisons and patriots against the French colonial government from 1896 to 1954.

In October 1954, after the North was liberated, the Government of Vietnam managed and temporarily used Hoa Lo prison to detain law-breakers. However, from August 5th, 1964 to March 31st, 1973, Hoa Lo prison was used to detain American pilots who were shot down while bombing North Vietnam. During this period, American pilots gave Hoa Lo the funny name "Hanoi Hilton".

In 1993, to meet the requirements of economic development of the Capital, the Government of Vietnam decided to convert the use purpose of Hoa Lo prison. The remaining part of the Southeast is preserved, restored and embellished to rank as a historical relic of Hanoi. There is a memorial to Vietnamese patriotic and revolutionary soldiers who heroically sacrificed themselves at Hoa Lo prison for the independence and freedom of the nation.

At the time of completion, Hoa Lo Prison had the largest and most solid scale in Indochina with a total area of ​​12,908m2, including the following work items such as a guardhouse; two dispensaries; an alms hospital; two prisons for the accused; a workshop; five prisons.

Today, the area retained for conservation and tourism is only about 2,400m2.

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2. Ticket price to visit Hoa Lo Prison

Address: No. 1 Hoa Lo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Opening hours: 8:00 - 17:00

Ticket price: 30,000 VND/person

• Subjects get 50% off:

- Students (with student cards).

- People with severe disabilities.

- Elderly people (Vietnamese citizens who are older than 60 years old).

- Persons subject to social policy.

• Subjects get free:

- Children under 15 years old.

- People with particularly severe disabilities.

- People with meritorious services to the Revolution.

- Members of associations: Veterans, Resistance Liaison Committee, Prisons Liaison Committee throughout the country.

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3. Where is Hoa Lo Prison? Guide to go to Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison is located in an area limited by four streets Hoa Lo, Hai Ba Trung, Quan Su and Tho Nhuom with the exact address is No. 1 Hoa Lo Street, Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi city.

You can move to Hoa Lo Prison by private car, public car, or even on foot.

If traveling by car or motorbike, from Hoan Kiem lake area, you go on Le Thai To street in the direction of Hang Trong, straight through Ba Trieu. Then, turn right onto Hai Ba Trung Street, go another 500m, then turn left onto Hoa Lo Street.

In case you choose to take the bus, you can refer to routes 02, 32, 34 and 38 that pass by Hoa Lo Prison. Hoa Lo Prison is also on the route of the Hop On Hop Off bus to visit around Hanoi.

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4. What's Inside Hoa Lo Prison?

Hoa Lo Prison is divided into four separate zones A, B, C, and D, in which:

• Zones A and B are for inmates under investigation, misdemeanors, or prison rules violations.
• Zone C is for French or foreign prisoners.
• Zone D is for serious criminals and is awaiting execution.

Through the symbolic images at Hoa Lo Prison Memorial, you will see tools used for torture, specialized designs of doors, locks, and shackles, as well as images of the prison life.

With the most barbaric guillotine that the French colonialists placed here, Hoa Lo Prison is among the 10 most notorious prisons in the world, as well as topping the list of the 5 most macabre tourist destinations in Southeast Asia according to selected by CNN in 2014.

Hoa Lo Prison guillotine

Among the tools used to torture, must be mentioned is the giant guillotine, which is a terrifying obsession when it comes to Hoa Lo Prison.

The guillotine has a structure of two wooden columns about 4m high, with a sharp blade kept aloft, and below are two semicircular boards connected to hold the death row inmate's head, and in front is an iron box to catch the dead man's head, and next to it was a wicker basket containing the body.

During the years from 1986 to 1954, this barbaric weapon was circulated from prison to prison throughout Tonkin to behead Vietnamese Nationalist soldiers.

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Hoa Lo Prison cachots

The cachot is likened to the hell of hell, where prisoners are shackled, tortured in a tight and dark space, causing those who have been locked here for a while to be swollen, scabies due to lack of hygiene and sunlight. In addition to being tortured, the prisoners were also forced to do hard labor under the strict supervision of the warden.

The prisoners sentenced to death were imprisoned in the depths of the prison where have to go through three iron doors to arrive.

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Tropical almond tree in Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison has large tropical almond trees in the yard, some of which are nearly 100 years old up to now. These trees are said to have been planted by revolutionary soldiers from the wild trees on the side of the court.

Thanks to the tropical almond trees in the yard, the prisoners have a place to rest and cool off. In addition, the kernels of the seeds and leaves are also used as precious remedies to heal wounds or treat the sick and debilitated body. Dried tropical almond tree branches are also used as a pen handle with the nib being a tigon flower bud. It can be said that the trees in the yard mean a lot to Hoa Lo prisoners at that time.

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5. Experience visiting Hoa Lo Prison

When visiting Hoa Lo Prison, please note the following rules:

• Do not carry explosives or incendiary substances.
• No smoking.
• Do not move the object.
• It is allowed to arrange incense and place flowers at the memorial

If you have the opportunity to visit Hoa Lo Prison historical site, you can combine visiting many tourist attractions in Hanoi such as Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, Opera House, 19.12 Book Street, Long Bien Bridge, Sword Lake, Walking Street, Old Quarter, Temple of Literature...

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Source: collected