No prison is ever truly humane, but Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi is infamous for its particularly brutal conditions and torturous punishments. Its very walls echo the resilience and strong will of the Vietnamese people who endured it.
History:
Hoa Lo Prison was constructed in the early 20th century, during the period when Vietnam was part of French Indochina. It was built on a site previously used for making earthenware. Construction began in 1896 and was completed in 1901. Initially named Maison Centrale, a comparatively mild term for a prison, it was used primarily to incarcerate political prisoners fighting for independence.
Over time, the number of prisoners rose drastically. By 1954, around 2,000 revolutionaries were held within its walls under harrowing conditions—chained to walls, hands and feet shackled. The French also used a guillotine here, with decapitated heads displayed to instill fear among inmates, making the prison a symbol of both oppression and the enduring courage of those who resisted.
Hoa Lo Prison After 1954
In 1954, after the French were driven out of Hanoi, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam repurposed Hoa Lo Prison as a center for educating citizens in revolutionary doctrine.
With the escalation of the Vietnam War (Second Indochina War) from 1964 to 1973, the prison began housing American prisoners of war (POWs), including notable figures such as Senator John McCain and Douglas Peterson, the first U.S. ambassador to post-war Vietnam. While POWs endured harsh treatment, the conditions were comparatively milder than those faced by Vietnamese revolutionaries under French rule. Due to this, American prisoners humorously nicknamed the facility the "Hanoi Hilton."
Following the war, Hoa Lo continued to detain political prisoners for the next two decades. By 1990, the prison was officially closed and largely demolished to make way for modern high-rise development in Hanoi, leaving only a small section preserved as a museum to commemorate its history.
Escapes from Hoa Lo Prison
Despite strict security and thick walls, a few prisoners managed to escape over the years.
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In 1932, some prisoners feigned illness and escaped while being taken to the hospital.
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In March 1945, 150 prisoners successfully fled by exchanging clothes with visitors.
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On Christmas night in 1951, 17 prisoners on the death list attempted a daring escape through the prison’s sewer system. They emerged near Nha Dau Xao (now the Viet-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace in Hanoi), but blaring sirens alerted the guards.
The escapees were captured, beaten, and 12 were returned to the prison. Some faced torture and were later executed, while the rest were transferred to
Con Dao Prison. Ultimately, only
five of the 17 prisoners managed to escape fully and reach freedom.
yellow colored stone prison from outside
The prison was surrounded by thick walls 4 meters high and 0.5 meters thick. It had barbed wires through which passed high voltage electricity to prevent prisoners from escaping.
As an extra security, it had broken pieces of glass on the wall.
Structure and Security of Hoa Lo Prison
Hoa Lo Prison was heavily fortified, with four watchtowers at each corner of the complex. Guards kept a vigilant eye on prisoners, making escape extremely difficult.
Inside, conditions were harrowing and torturous. The lack of natural light led to widespread skin diseases, and the oppressive atmosphere made it one of the most feared prisons in Southeast Asia.
The prison’s
entrances were secured by massive 1.6-ton ironwood doors, so tightly constructed that not even an ant could pass through. All doors and locking mechanisms were imported from France, further emphasizing the meticulous security designed to keep prisoners confined.
Main entrance of then Hoa Lo
entrance ticket
At the start of tour, each visitor is given an option to use headphones for which you pay a certain amount. It takes you to each numbered stations and one gets to hear the history and account at each point.
earthen wares made by the people of Phu Khahn village
painting showing the village life
Cell D:
Cell D was one of the largest cells in Hoa Lo Prison and was used to house male political prisoners. The room had solid walls painted with black tar and a tiled roof without a ceiling, trapping heat and darkness inside.
Initially designed for about 40 inmates, the cell often held as many as 100 prisoners. The air inside was hot, stale, and suffocating, making breathing extremely difficult. Those who fell ill were allowed to sleep near the door, where a small amount of air could enter.
Winters were equally harsh. Without warm clothing, prisoners endured bitter cold. To survive, they lay side by side in a fetal position, pressing closely against one another for warmth—the curled legs of one fitting against the next, chests resting against backs.
From 1946 to 1954, Cell D remained constantly overcrowded. As the war intensified, the number of detainees increased steadily. Many Vietnamese soldiers once imprisoned here later went on to become senior leaders of the Vietnamese Communist Party, making Cell D a place not only of suffering but also of enduring resolve
model reconstruction of the prison
Panorama of prison, 1896 to 1954
kitchen and common bathing area
death cell and detention room
Cruel persecution and hard life in the colonial prison:
Life for the prisoners was extremely harsh. Chronic lack of nourishment often led to serious conditions such as heart edema. The food provided was unpalatable, poorly prepared, and so hard that it was difficult to chew, further weakening the already frail inmates.
thick iron door, impossible for anyone to break through
solid iron door hinge, bolt and latches used
Cruel persecution and hard life in prison:
rice bowl, cup, chopsticks and bowl, and tumbler for prisoners
coconut shell bowls and spoon
Food served:
According to prison regulations, the prisoners’ diet followed a fixed but meager routine. On Sundays, meals included pork—usually meat from an old sow, which was tough and stringy. On three days of the week, prisoners were given boiled buffalo meat, notoriously hard and difficult to chew.
Other meals consisted of small chub fish boiled whole with its entrails in soybean paste, molded dried fish, or boiled soybean curd. Vegetables depended on the season and included morning glory, water dropwort, radish, boiled squash, or pumpkin. The rice provided was often expired or of very poor quality.
wooden frame around the neck and feet
common toilet
Male cell:
The room contained two rows of wooden stocks to which prisoners were bound at the ankles, making it impossible for them to stand or move freely. The cells were dark, cramped, and severely overcrowded, adding to the relentless physical and psychological suffering.
male cell
Legs shackled at the ankles so they could not stand or move. Inmates were routinely starved, tortured, beaten and isolated.
Cachot or dungeon:
Prisoners who defied prison rules or were considered violent criminals were confined in a special cell known as the cachot. Regarded as the most dreaded part of the prison, it offered almost no space, no light, and virtually no ventilation, making survival inside an ordeal in itself.
cachot
It was considered hell of hell and was a nightmare to be there. Due to the absence of sunlight, the prisoners developed cloudy eyes, skin had scabies, and bodies puffed up.
heavy iron to secure their feet
One shudders to think about it now.
Almond tree:
A tropical almond tree (Bang) stands within the prison complex and played a vital role in the daily lives of the prisoners. The inmates used its bark to treat ailments such as dysentery and diarrhea, while the fruit was eaten as a health supplement. Its branches were creatively repurposed to make flutes, pipes, and pen holders, offering both practical use and a small measure of solace amid harsh conditions.
The place served as a collection point for making strategies and discuss measures against the French. Chopsticks were also made of branches.
Just beside the almond tree are concrete plaques which show the torture suffered by prisoners.
struggle against enemy's terrorism
struggle and the treatment of French
turning the prison into a school to propagate anti revolution
The inmates quietly discussed anti revolution.
In spite of such tight security, 16 prisoners who were sentenced to death, tried to escape through an underground sewer. 5 were successful and they continued the struggle against the French.
part of the sewer line
Between 11th to 16th March 1945, over 100 prisoners escaped through this underground sewer.
Escaped people started a violent uprising against the French.
trying to remove the iron grill of underground sewer at the time of escape.
revolting against the authorities
Apart from being shackled, the Vietnamese prisoners tortured and beaten everyday by guards. Electric shocks, upside down hanging were common tortures. Bad rice was also fed as a method of torture.
Detention center for women:
Women who took part in the independence struggle were also imprisoned at Hoa Lo. The women’s detention area covered only about 270 square meters and contained four small sections, including a cell for women with children, a cell for female prisoners, and a bathhouse. The cramped space and limited facilities reflected the harsh conditions endured by women inmates as well.
There was only a single small tap to serve nearly 200 female prisoners. To manage this scarcity, the inmates created their own system. Those who bathed daily were allotted a dipper made from a coconut shell, which allowed water to flow out through a small hole once it was filled. Those who bathed every two days were permitted only two coconut-shell cups of water.
There was no privacy at all—women had to bathe naked in front of one another. The rooms were extremely small, and prisoners had to clean the floors before lying down to sleep. Those who were elderly or suffered from weak lungs were given priority to sleep on wooden boards rather than directly on the cold floor.
women cell with small children.
torture equipment for female political prisoners included electric shocks with wire, torture by electric engine, bottle, cane stick.
Pictures of few political female prisoners who were confined at this prison (1930-45)
Guillotine:
One of the highlights was the inhumane guillotine.
The guillotine had two planks of wood 2 to 4 meters high. A huge blade was attached at above and two semicircular pieces of board below. This formed a circle in which the neck was placed.
Few revolutionaries beheaded were Nguyen Thai Hoc, Pho Duc Chinh in 1930, Nguyen Hoang Ton in 1931, Nguyen Duc Canh, Ho Ngoc Lan on 31st July 1932.
The French colonists executed and displayed the heads of patriotic soldiers so as to frighten the weak hearted.
Condemned cells:
These were solitary cells where death row inmates were confined.
Memorial space:
A space has been dedicated to the prisoners who sacrificed their lives for Vietnam, which shows how the common people were prepared for war.
Concrete pipes sheltered civilians against American airstrikes
Students learning how to make straw hats to prevent injuries against sharpnel bombs
Learning first aid
A memorial within the prison परिसर honors the prisoners who sacrificed their lives for Vietnam. Visitors pay their respects by offering flowers and lighting incense sticks.
Walking through Hoa Lo Prison is far from pleasant, but history is not always meant to comfort us—it is meant to be remembered.
There was only a single small tap to serve nearly 200 female prisoners. To manage this scarcity, the inmates created their own system. Those who bathed daily were allotted a dipper made from a coconut shell, which allowed water to flow out through a small hole once it was filled. Those who bathed every two days were permitted only two coconut-shell cups of water.
