Hoa Lo museum

hoa lo prison museum or hanoi hilton hotel

Hoa Lo Prison was built by the French colonial government in 1896 on the purpose of detaining political prisoners. It was in a network of unjust and cruel prisons in North Vietnam including Cao Bang, Son La, Lai Chau and Hai Phong prisons.

The 1st generation was many revolutionary leaders who were imprisoned here during the French colonial time including Luong Van Can, Phan Boi Chau, Nguyen Quyen, Hoang Trong Mau, Nguyen Luong Bang. Especially, five future General Secretaries of Vietnamese Communist Party - Nguyen Van Cu, Le Duen, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Van Linh and Đo Muoi.

The 2nd generation was captured American pilots, notably Lieutenant, Junior Grade Everett Alvarez Jr, Senator John McCain and Douglas Pete Peterson, America’s first Ambassador to vietnam. They were kept here from 1964 to 1973. The prison was nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton" by the American POWs, in reference to the well known Hilton Hotel chain.

In 1996, two thirds of the prison was demolished to build Hanoi Towers(serviced apartment and office complex). One third of Hoa Lo Prison is preserved as a museum opening for tourists. The original cells, complete with leg-irons, the guillotine which are labelled in Vietnamese, French and English illustrate the horrors of life in the prison during the French colonial time. Nowadays, Hoa Lo Prison museum is one of interesting places for tourists on Vietnam holidays.

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