Buzz
Hoa Lo Prison
Mytour
Hoa Lo Prison - an emotional exploration in the capital @shutterstock
1. Introduction to Hoa Lo Prison
Hoa Lo Prison
Back then, situated on the outskirts of the city, this prison was built as a central detention facility for both North and South Vietnam. It mainly housed political prisoners and patriots opposing colonial rule. With an area of 12,000 m2, Hoa Lo Prison was the most high-security prison in Indochina.
Hoa Lo Prison, once the premier penitentiary in Indochina @shutterstock
The architectural design of the prison features sturdy 0.5m thick stone walls, standing at a height of 4m, reinforced with additional electrified steel wires. The prison facility is divided into 4 zones, each serving distinct purposes:
Hoả Lò Prison
2. Opening hours and ticket prices for the Hoả Lò Prison tour
Explore the historic Hoả Lò Prison
The site offers guided tours designed for tourists @shutterstock
3. Transportation and getting to Hoả Lò Prison
Hoả Lò Prison is situated on Hoả Lò Street, in the central area of Hoàn Kiếm district, near Hoàn Kiếm Lake and various other popular tourist attractions. Hence, you can explore this location using personal or public transportation.
Hoả Lò Prison
Various transportation options are available to take tourists to visit the historical site of Hoả Lò Prison @shutterstock
Additionally, tourists can opt for bus routes with stops near the Hoả Lò historical site, such as:
Operating hours: from 5 AM to 10 PM.
Fare: 7,000 VND/ticket.
Frequency: every 5 – 20 minutes per trip.
Operating hours: from 5 AM to 9 PM.
Fare: 7,000 VND/ticket.
Frequency: running every 15 – 20 minutes per trip.
Operating hours: from 5 AM to 9 PM.
Fare: 7,000 VND/ticket.
Frequency: running every 10 – 20 minutes per trip.
4. Accommodations near the Hoả Lò Prison Site
For convenient exploration of the Hoả Lò Prison site, it is recommended for tourists to stay at guesthouses or hotels in Hanoi's Hoàn Kiếm district. You can use the Mytour travel app to search for hotels near Hoả Lò Prison. Mytour consistently updates affordable hotel room deals at your destination, facilitating quick bookings with diverse payment methods.
Tourists are advised to stay in Hoàn Kiếm district for easy access to sightseeing and transportation @shutterstock
Recommended hotels in Hoàn Kiếm district, near the Hoả Lò Prison site:
Location: 49 Hai Bà Trưng, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm.
Rate: starting from 2,408,722 VND/ night.
Somerset Grand Hanoi, an ideal retreat after a day of exploration. Beyond offering high-quality accommodations, the hotel provides premium amenities such as a swimming pool, restaurants, and breathtaking views. Its central location and convenient transportation are additional advantages for this hotel.
Location: 54 Thợ Nhuộm, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm.
Rate: starting from 1,426,219 VND/ night.
Lenid Hotel is the ideal destination if you're seeking a high-quality, affordable hotel in Hoàn Kiếm district. Its prime location is the biggest advantage, placing Lenid Hotel in close proximity to famous attractions in Hanoi. Additionally, the room options are diverse, offering a variety of choices for guests.
Location: 78 Thợ Nhuộm, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm.
Rate: starting from 1,434,830 VND/ night.
Hoả Lò Prison
Location: 44 Lý Thường Kiệt, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm.
Rate: 3,976,993 VND/ night.
Melia Hanoi Hotel, positioned in the luxury segment, promises a high-quality resort experience. The diverse range of rooms here is modernly decorated, equipped with all essential amenities. Your experience will be enhanced with facilities like a swimming pool, restaurants, and stunning views.
5. What's special about Hoả Lò Prison?
Hoả Lò Prison has a capacity for approximately 500 prisoners and is known as the 'hell on earth' during the French colonial period. The prison cells here are designed with harsh confinement, brutal coercion, and cruelty. Visitors will witness various chilling weapons, notably the giant guillotine, making Hoả Lò one of the most infamous prisons in the world.
Recreating the once infamous world-renowned prison @shutterstock
Upon completion, Hoả Lò Prison consisted of various construction components: 5 prison blocks, 2 interrogation blocks, 1 guardhouse, 1 workshop, 2 infirmaries, and 1 execution ground. The exterior architecture was robust and seamless to prevent prisoner escapes. Surrounding the prison's corners and watchtowers were walls embedded with broken glass pieces and high-voltage electric wires.
Forms of torture and inhumane treatment @shutterstock
Currently, visitors exploring Hoả Lò Prison can witness the remaining historical sites, including:
5.1 The giant guillotine
The giant guillotine served as a tool for torture, coercion, and the horror experienced by Hoả Lò prisoners. The guillotine had 2 4m-high wooden columns with a sharp blade suspended above, while below were two crescent-shaped boards joined together to secure the prisoner's head. In front was an iron box to collect the decapitated head, accompanied by a woven bamboo basket containing the remains.
The giant guillotine - a haunting nightmare for the prisoners Source: mia
From 1986 to 1954, this gruesome tool was continuously transferred from this prison to others in the North. It claimed the lives of countless soldiers of the Viet Minh during the same period.
5.2 The dark cell
Hoả Lò Prison
Powerful impressions captured inside the dark cells of Hoả Lò Prison @shutterstock
For female prisoners, although they aren't shackled, they still endure a great deal of pain through the use of electric shock torture in sensitive areas. Beyond the humiliation, all inmates here are forced into hard labor under the supervision of guards. Prisoners sentenced to death are held deep within the prison complex, only reaching their destination after passing through three iron gates.
5.3 The large banyan tree in the Hoả Lò Prison courtyard
Hoả Lò Prison
The 'banyan tree of camaraderie' within the prison grounds Source: Lao động Thủ đô
6. Exciting activities at the Hoả Lò Prison site
Currently, Hoả Lò Prison has become a renowned tourist attraction in Hanoi. Visitors can choose from day or night tours, each offering unique experiences.
6.1 Daytime tour of the Hoả Lò Prison site
Hoả Lò Prison
Daytime tours are priced at approximately 30,000 VND/person Source: VOV
Visitors will sequentially pass through each area as the light gradually fades, leaving only dim illumination in the dark cells. Exhibited items such as prisoner clothing, food containers, and drinks will undoubtedly elicit astonishment from visitors. The combination of artifacts and narrations is sure to provide hair-raising experiences.
6.2 Nighttime tour of the Hoả Lò Prison site
Hoả Lò Prison
Realistic scenes portray the hardships and suffering endured by the prisoners Source: Hoả Lò Prison Monument
At each tour stop, visitors will receive information and content conveyed in the most authentic manner. The guide's narration, documentary images, and realistic scenes help you grasp some of the pain, difficulties, and hardships that prisoners had to endure.
Night tour ticket prices for Hoả Lò Prison
7. Important considerations when visiting the Hoả Lò Prison site
Hoả Lò Prison
Mytour
Explore more:
30 must-try dishes in Hanoi
Discover 10 exciting attractions in Hanoi for free
