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Discover the historical site of Sơn La Prison, where the evidence and testament of a revolutionary period, the indomitable spirit of our nation, are preserved.
Explore the history at the Sơn La Prison heritage site
The historical site of Sơn La Prison is situated on Khau Phạ hill in Sơn La province and is classified as a Special National Monument. Sơn La Prison was built by the French in 1908. By 1930, when the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded and led the people in struggle against the brutal regime of colonial feudalism, the prison was expanded further, reaching an area of 2,170 square meters.
Not only Sơn La Prison, but also the nationwide prison system at that time was strengthened and expanded by the ruling authorities. Sơn La Prison is also a powerful testament to a revolutionary period, the indomitable spirit of the resilient people who were imprisoned and detained by the French colonialists.
The French constructed the prison very solidly, with walls made of stone and brick, a corrugated iron roof, and no ceiling. The prison floor was also built with stone, cemented, raised 0.4m, 2m wide, and 12m long along both sides of the wall. The outer edge of the bed was equipped with a leg cuff system along the length of the floor.
Each prison cell is equipped with a raised toilet hole, lacking covers and regular cleaning. This design, exacerbated by the harsh Lao winds in the summer and bone-chilling salt mists in the winter, contributes to the rapid spread of diseases among inmates due to the harsh conditions and polluted environment.
Through a regime of extreme brutality and vicious torture methods, the French colonialists transformed this place into a terrestrial hell for imprisoning and suppressing the will of the Communists. However, it unexpectedly became a training ground, nurturing outstanding soldiers who contributed to the triumph of the August Revolution in 1945.
Sơn La Prison was constructed and divided into various sections: main gates, surrounding walls, guard towers, above-ground and underground prison cells, and a common courtyard. Despite being bombed twice by the French (1952) and the American empire (1965), the historic site of Sơn La Prison no longer remains intact.
After the peace reunification until 1980, the Sơn La provincial museum commenced the restoration of the prison, rebuilding sections of the surrounding walls, restoring 2 guard towers, the kitchen, the large detention camp, reinforcing the underground bunker and tunnels, and reconstructing the walls of the prison cells based on the traces of the old foundations.
Sơn La Prison has become a notorious site for instilling patriotism among the people, attracting numerous tourists for visits, study, and research. It serves as a tangible evidence of the heinous crimes committed by the former colonial regime against the Vietnamese people, while also affirming the genuine patriotism and indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese nation.
As per Mytour
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Reference: Travel Guide by Mytour
MytourNovember 15, 2022
