The remnants of
the former French
prison in Son La, in northwestern
Vietnam.
It was established in 1908 and built at the summit
of Khau Ca Hill overlooking the town.
Today, some of the original construction lays in ruins
as a result of the wars fought in this area, including
the one
of
1954 in which the Vietnamese defeated the French and
which led to the end of French presence in Vietnam.
Old French
Prison & Museum
Old French
Prison & Museum
The infamous prison was used by the French colonialists to imprison
Vietnamese revolutionists who resisted the colonizers. Here, political
prisoners were jailed and some reportedly also tortured.
The atmosphere in this place was damp and stifling, with
a bad stench and insects everywhere. There were also
torture rooms and the museum today displays some of the
tools that were used to this purpose.
Old French
Prison & Museum
Old French
Prison & Museum
Besides the normal cells, the prison also had an
underground jail, which deprived the prisoners there
even from the most basic of human necessities, such as
daylight.
The famous Vietnamese revolutionary and resistance hero
To Hieu
(fig.)
died here from tuberculosis during his imprisonment.
