Exhibition with themes “Steel in fire prison” kicks off in Hanoi.
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Historical photographs, documents and artifacts displayed at the exhibition reflect the revolutionary soldiers’ sacrifice and resilient fighting spirit. The exhibition shows gratitude to revolutionary soldiers who were imprisoned. The event runs until September 30, 2017.
Hoa Loa Prison was a famous prison located in Hanoi's French District that received great notoriety because of its use by French colonial government, and later North Vietnamese fighters during the Vietnam War. In its long history, this place became breeding ground for the Vietnamese resistance movement, and later on became main holding camp for American Prisoners of War that were captured during the war.
During its active years, the conditions in this prison deteriorated as the number of prisoner increased, and in the years of the Vietnam War American POW were held there in truly horrific environment, although Vietnam government denies those claims to this day.
The prison was built in Hanoi by the French, in dates ranging from 1886–1889 to 1898 to 1901, when Vietnam was still part of French Indochina. The French called the prison Maison Centrale - a traditional euphemism to denote prisons in France. It was located near Hanoi's French Quarter.
Hoa Lo Prison is a historical attraction to many local and foreign visitors. There are many Hanoi city tours or sightseeing tours that include Hoa Lo as a stop in their itineraries. The site receives more than 100,000 visitors each year.
