Walk through a prison and hear history speak
In 1896, the French colonialists began constructing Hoa Lo Prison on the land of Phu Khanh Village, which was famous for its pottery craft. From a craft village producing kettles, pots, and stoves, the land became a place of detention for many generations of Vietnamese patriotic and revolutionary fighters.
On the entrance gate, the words “Maison Centrale” still recall the colonial-era name of the structure: Hanoi Central Prison. The familiar name Hoa Lo, meanwhile, originates from the craft village that existed here before the prison was built. A name that preserves the memory of two very different lives on the same piece of land.
Hoa Lo Prison was built by the French colonialists starting in 1896; the remaining part is now preserved as a relic site.
From the entrance, the detention spaces bring you closer to the prisoners' lives. According to the site's documents, in the common prison, an ironwood floor runs along the room as sleeping space; the walls are coated with tar up to chest height.
The solitary cells are smaller; some chambers are only about two meters long and nearly two meters wide, holding one to two people. On both sides are narrow concrete platforms with shackles locked from the outside. Looking at a shackle close to the sleeping platform, the harshness emerges through a concrete detail: even changing posture was restricted. The cells thus tell their story through their very size, materials, and arrangement.
Solitary cell No. 13 – where comrade Tran Dang Ninh was held after being arrested by the French colonialists for the second time. Collected photo
Going deeper into the prison camp area, you will encounter almond trees that were once tied to the lives of political prisoners. According to the Site's documentation, before 1930, prisoners who had to work at the courthouse brought wild almond trees back and planted them in the courtyards of the prison camps. Over time, the trees grew and became familiar companions to many generations of prisoners.
The yard beneath the almond tree canopy was once a place where political prisoners, taking advantage of moments outside, sat to talk and discuss measures of struggle.
According to the Site's documentation, the almond tree has been associated with many generations of Hoa Lo political prisoners since before 1930.
Continuing along the visiting route, you will reach the underground sewer gate area. In March 1945, more than 100 political prisoners escaped through this place.
The story of the escape shows that prisoners not only sought to withstand the detention regime but also organized plans to find a way out. In front of the sewer gate, the contrast becomes clear: large walls were built to keep people in, while a small drainage passage opened the way for them to return to revolutionary activities.
The underground sewer gate is where more than 100 political prisoners successfully escaped in March 1945.
The documents and artifacts continue to expand the story beyond the prison space. The section on the colonial period reflects prison life and the struggle activities of patriots and revolutionaries. Even under detention, they still organized study, exchanged knowledge, and found ways to stay in contact.
Another part of the exhibition introduces the 1964-1973 period, when part of Hoa Lo Prison was used to detain American pilot prisoners of war. The timelines and captions help visitors distinguish the periods and understand the circumstances of each group of people who were once here.
The exhibition rooms, which seem silent, tell you a history that stretches across many generations.
