The entrance of the Hoa Lo Prison Museum in Hanoi, which was built by the French in 1896 and originally intended to house local criminals.

Yet, as soon as Vietnamese revolution-aries started their struggle for indepen-dence from France, it was also used to detain political prisoners.

Initially known by its French name Maison Central, it also features an original French guillotine, which was used to behead the leaders and some of the more radical Vietnamese insurgents.

During the Vietnam War it was further used to hold US POWs, especially pilots (fig.) who were shot down by the North Vietnamese Army or crash-landed over Viet-cong territory. The US POWs sarcastically nick-named the prison the Hanoi Hilton.

Today, only one wing of the original building still exists, which has been overhauled and made into the Hoa Lo Prison Museum.