Hoa Lo Prison: Hanoi Tours & Attractions

Hoa Lo Prison is one of the famous tourist destinations in Hanoi. This place witnessed the torture of our country’s soldiers and their heroic sacrifices. But do you know all the information about this place and how to visit? Please refer to the article below for the most useful suggestions and information.

Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison – The locations where patriotic soldiers are imprisoned. How to transport there?

Hoa Lo Prison is located in a prime location in the center of Hanoi at 1 Hoa Lo Street, Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. This place is only about 15 minutes away from the famous tourist destination Hoan Kiem Lake, so it is easy to plan a suitable travel schedule. This is also a location near many other famous attractions in Hanoi.

Because it is located in the center of Hanoi and near many routes, it is not too difficult to get to this location. If you are in the Hoan Kiem Lake area, you just need to go towards Hang Trong street along Ly Thai To street. Then, you move towards Hai Ba Trung street and turn about 500 meters further to Hoa Lo street and see Hoa Lo Prison at house number 1.

If you do not travel by private car, Hanoi city currently has a double-decker bus service so you can visit famous places, including Hoa Lo Prison. Additionally, you can travel on the following bus routes:

Bus

• Bus route 02: Bac Co goes to Yen Nghia bus station and vice versa
• Bus route 32: Giap Bat bus station to Nhon and vice versa
• Bus route 34: My Dinh Bus Station to Gia Lam Bus Station and vice versa
• Bus route 38: Nam Thang Long bus station to Mai Dong and vice versa
• Bus route 45: Times City to Nam Thang Long Bus Station

Direction to Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison is the place where political prisoners and many patriots of Vietnam were detained in the past. This place witnessed many crimes of the enemy and the stubborn will of the patriotic Vietnamese people. Hoa Lo Prison was built by the French army in 1896 to detain political prisoners protesting the war.

Direction of Hoa Lo Prison

Since 1954, Hoa Lo Prison has been under the management of Vietnamese people after the French were expelled from our country. From 1964 to 1973, this place held many captured American pilots. In the years that followed, as the war ended, the prisoners were gradually released.

Opening times and tour ticket prices

Hoa Lo Prison is open from 8am to 5pm (regardless of holidays). When visiting this location, children under 15 years old, people with disabilities, and people with meritorious services to the revolution will receive free admission. For pupils, students, the elderly, and people receiving social policies, tickets will be purchased for 15 thousand. For adults and children over 15 years old, the ticket price is 30 thousand for 1 person.

Opening times and tour ticket prices

Things to do at Hoa Lo Prison

The first thing you need to do when visiting Hoa Lo Prison is to prepare to rent a pair of headphones so you can hear more detailed information. Even though there is a tour guide, it will be easier to imagine when listening to the narration recounting the stories of the prisoners of war. Furthermore, you can get the most complete emotions.

When entering the attraction, you can go to the display area first. Then, go one by one to areas with realistic images to be able to see the cruelty of war and the invaders left behind. In addition to renting a pair of headphones, you can also hire a tour guide to lecture and explain when you have questions.

In particular, visitors can buy a tour to visit Hoa Lo at night and transform into political prisoners who have been detained here. If you come on the weekend, you will probably also experience the typical dishes here such as almond leaf sweet soup, almond leaf cake, almond leaf jelly,…

Outstanding photo in Hoa Lo Prison?

As expected of being the most notorious prison in Indochina, your first impression of Hoa Lo Prison is the 4 meter high and 0.5 meter thick wall. Furthermore, there was broken glass and barbed wire around the wall to prevent any escape. Prisoner activities are monitored through 4 guarded towers at 4 corners of the prison.

Outstanding photo in Hoa Lo Prison

Photo the door is made of ironwood

The first wooden door you can see as you enter has a mass of up to 1.6 tons. Behind that iron door are extremely harsh detention rules, brutal torture from the prison guards and painful torture methods. This is a place where once in, it is very difficult for political prisoners to have a way out.

Photo the door is made of ironwood

Photo of prisoners in prison D

One photo that will surprise you is that prison D is a place for mass detention and gathering of political prisoners. In such a small space, there were times when up to 100 prisoners were detained while the maximum regulation was 40 people. Here, you will see an image of the toilet built right in the middle of the room. However, at that time the prisoners were not allowed to go to the toilet, so it was very stinky, making many people sick.

Photo of prisoners in prison D

Cachot area – bare prison

An equally haunting image is the Cachot area. This is the place that the French colonialists used to isolate and punish prisoners who committed acts of rebellion. Not only is the space dark and stuffy, the floor of this area is also designed to slope upside down so that blood rushes straight to the head when sleeping.

Cachot area – bare prison

Photo death penalty area by  guillotine

During its operation, Hoa Lo Prison imprisoned both physically and mentally and tortured many Vietnamese revolutionaries. One of the photos that you cannot help but be impressed with when coming here is the French guillotine located at the Hoa Lo prison museum. The guillotine was up to 4 meters high, making this place a notorious prison in the world and region at that time.

Photo death penalty area by guillotine

Not only the guillotine, the images that scare you equally are the sharp iron shackles and many other torture tools. It was these tools that the enemy soldiers used to torture Vietnamese prisoners mercilessly and this action took place every day. Here, you can also review illustrations of the enemy’s torture of our country’s prisoners such as hanging upside down, not being fed, electrocuting,…

References you may not know about Hoa Lo Prison?

When visiting Hoa Lo Prison, visitors are not allowed to take photos of some sensitive areas. Please respect the regulations of this historic site. Also, bring an umbrella or jacket if it’s cold as the building does not have a heating system. Besides, you are not allowed to smoke in the sightseeing area, do not touch or move artifacts, you are only allowed to burn incense at the memorial area,…

Furthermore, one thing to note when visiting this place is psychological preparation. As you go deeper inside, the light becomes weaker and weaker so you can feel the death scenes that you normally only see in movies. Therefore, you can go with friends, family or other people to feel more comfortable.

The best time to visit Hoa Lo Prison

The best time to visit Hoa Lo Prison is in the morning or noon, to avoid crowds in the evening hours. Also, avoid major holidays because they will be crowded. Besides, you can refer to the “Sacred Night" tour to visit Hoa Lo Prison at night with many interesting, meaningful things and possibly cooler weather.

The value of Hoa Lo Prison relics

Hoa Lo Prison records painful memories but also becomes a symbol of the heroism and indomitable will of the Vietnamese people. Besides, this place also leaves many other values ​​such as cultural value and educational value.

Cultural values:

• Hoa Lo Prison is one of the typical relics of the history of the Vietnamese people’s struggle against foreign invaders.
• Artifacts, images and spaces inside the prison vividly reflect the life, spirit and philosophy of political prisoners.

Educational value:

• Hoa Lo Prison is a place to educate the patriotic traditions and resilient will of the Vietnamese people for many generations, especially the younger generation.
• Visiting this relic helps people better understand the nation’s history of fighting against foreign invaders.
• Through the crimes of the invaders, motivate today’s generation to strive to build the country and know how to prevent reaction.

Conclusion

Although history has ended, the painful losses that war left behind for our nation are still enormous. Visiting Hoa Lo Prison is not only to know but also to realize the resilience and indomitability of the Vietnamese people. Try to experience a visit to this place to better understand the history and qualities of Vietnamese people!

A companion unit is extremely important for you to comfortably experience Hoa Lo Prison without worrying about accompanying services. 

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