In the late 19th century, in order to combat the resistance movements of the Vietnamese people, France strengthened its repressive apparatus by expanding the police force, perfecting the court system, and especially building a prison system. Among them, Hoa Lo Prison became the central prison of both Central Vietnam and Tonkin, and was one of the largest French prisons in Indochina at that time.

Hoa Lo Prison was built in 1896 under the name Maison Centrale. However, because it was built on the land of Phu Khanh village, Vinh Xuong canton, Tho Xuong district - a craft village specializing in pottery production, where the kiln is blazing day and night, so it is called “Hoa Lo” (Furnace). Since then, this prison has been called Hoa Lo prison or Hanoi prison.
Relics at Hoi Lo prison have made many visitors shudder with its vivid recreation of arduous prison life, brutal torture, as well as the beheading of Vietnamese patriotic revolutionaries with guillotines. Many notable Vietnamese leaders and revolutionaries were once detained here.

After the Paris Agreement in 1954, the Vietnamese government took over and used Hoa Lo Prison as a civil prison and changed its name to Hanoi Detention Center, under the management of Hanoi Police Department.
From 1964 to 1973, Hoa Lo prison was also a detention center for American pilots, Douglas Peterson being one of them, who later became the first US Ambassador to Vietnam and Senator John McCain, who played an active role in developing the normalization of relations between Vietnam and the US.

After 1993, the Southeast part of Hoa Lo Prison was renovated and preserved as Hoa Lo Prison Memorial Area and recognized as a National Historical Site. The remaining area is turned into a commercial building called Hanoi Tower. Within the relic grounds, there is also a memorial to engrave images of harsh prison labor and to commemorate the soldiers and revolutionaries who died at Hoa Lo Prison. This is a place that attracts many people to visit, and express gratitude to the deceased. Especially with the Tour "Sacred Night 2 - Living Like Flowers" you will hear, see, and feel the legends and stories of those times in the most honest and emotional way.
Address: 1 Hoa Lo street, Tran Hung Dao ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.
Opening time: Every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., including holidays and Tet.
Ticket price:
15 years-old and up: 30.000đ/person
Students, college students, seniors 60 years-old and up: 15.000đ/person
Kids under 15 years-old, disabled people, revolutionary contributor: Free