Hoa Lo Prison stands as one of Hanoi’s most significant historical landmarks. Originally constructed by the French in the late 1800s, it gained notoriety during the Vietnam War when American prisoners of war (POWs) referred to it as the "Hanoi Hilton." Today, the prison has been transformed into a museum, offering visitors a comprehensive understanding of colonial rule, the wartime period, and the city’s journey toward independence.
This guide from Your Vietnam Travel provides essential information on the prison's location, key exhibits, operating hours, ticket prices, and visitor guidelines. It will help you plan a seamless visit to this poignant historical site in Hanoi.
Hoa Lo Prison is centrally located at 1 Hoa Lo Street, adjacent to Hai Ba Trung Street in Hanoi’s French Quarter. It is just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, making it easily accessible by taxi, motorbike, or car. On-site parking is available near the entrance. For public transportation, buses 02, 40CT, E07, 03A, 11, 11CT, 38, 43, 01, E02, 08B, 08BCT, 09A, 09ACT, 146 and 32 stop close to the prison, making it a convenient stop for most visitors exploring the area.
Hoa Lo Prison, initially known as Maison Centrale during the French colonial era, was built between 1896 and 1901. This prison was designed to incarcerate Vietnamese patriots and political activists who opposed colonial rule. It became a grim symbol of French repression, with overcrowding, forced labor, harsh punishments, and executions carried out by guillotine.
Following the French withdrawal from Hanoi in 1954, the prison's control shifted to the Vietnamese government. During the Vietnam War, from 1964 to 1973, it was used to hold American POWs, including notable figures such as John McCain and Douglas Peterson. The POWs humorously dubbed the prison the “Hanoi Hilton.” As the war ended, detainees were gradually released, but the prison continued to function under Vietnamese administration for some time.
With Hanoi’s rapid urban expansion, much of the prison complex was demolished around 1993. Today, a preserved portion of the prison operates as a museum, highlighting the experiences of Vietnamese revolutionaries and the brutal conditions they endured. The museum also includes exhibits dedicated to the American POW period, showcasing reconstructed cells, historical photographs, and a colonial-era guillotine, offering a powerful reminder of the human cost of war and oppression.
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A historical photo of Hoa Lo Prison from the exhibition (Source: Tripadvisor) |
Designed to be “unbreakable,” Hoa Lo was encircled by walls about 4 meters high and 0.5 meters thick, topped with broken glass and electrified barbed wire. Four corner watchtowers gave guards full sightlines across the compound, underscoring constant surveillance and control.
The site originally covered roughly 12,000 square meters and was laid out like a self-contained complex. Beyond cell blocks, there were functional buildings such as a guard house, infirmary, and workshops for ironwork and textiles, which supplied prison operations and enforced labor.
Cell areas were organized into multiple houses for accused and convicted prisoners, with tighter zones reserved for political detainees. The most feared was the Cachot or dark cell, a punishment block with minimal light and air where prisoners were shackled in cramped conditions.
Architecture here was not only about containment but also intimidation. The heavy masonry, narrow corridors, and fortified gates communicated colonial power, while exhibits today highlight instruments like the guillotine to illustrate how space and structure reinforced a system of punishment and deterrence.
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A 3D Map of Hoa Lo Prison at the exhibition (Source: Tripadvisor) |
Here are the updated 2026 opening hours and entrance fees at Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi. For public holidays, check more on their official pages for the latest information before you go.
The museum features exhibits that focus primarily on the lives of Vietnamese revolutionaries held at the prison, illustrating the harsh conditions they faced under French rule. A smaller section of the museum is dedicated to the period when American POWs were confined here during the Vietnam War, with displays that include personal artifacts, photographs, and testimonies from former prisoners.
Visitors can explore reconstructed cells, view period-specific photographs, and learn about the execution methods used during the colonial era, including the guillotine. This immersive experience offers a stark and emotional reflection on the struggles for freedom and the toll of political conflict.
Before your visit, check the latest opening hours and ticket prices to ensure a smooth experience. This historical site provides an important opportunity to reflect on the past and gain insight into the resilience of those who fought for independence.
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Guests reading historical information outside of Hoa Lo Prison (Source: Tripadvisor) |
Learn more: When is the Best Time to Visit Hanoi, Vietnam?
Hoa Lo Prison is more than just a historical site; it is a place of reflection and resilience. Here are the must-see exhibits that provide a deep insight into its history and the experiences of those who were confined within its walls.
The most arresting relic is the French colonial guillotine, preserved near the former death-row area. Its tall wooden frame and heavy blade anchor the museum’s narrative about executions of Vietnamese revolutionaries under “Maison Centrale,” confronting visitors with the starkest evidence of colonial punishment. Labels nearby explain who was executed here and why this machine became a symbol of oppression.
Standing before it, you can trace how the prison evolved from a place for political detainees to a national memorial to resilience. The display is intentionally spare, letting the object and archival photos carry the weight of testimony, which aligns with the museum’s broader focus on Vietnamese prisoners’ experiences.
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A historical photo of Hoa Lo Prison from the exhibition (Source: Tripadvisor) |
The Cachot, the solitary confinement cells, shows the harshest conditions inside Hoa Lo. These narrow, poorly ventilated rooms held prisoners in near-darkness, often shackled to the floor. Mannequin tableaus and text panels help you visualize day-to-day deprivation and the methods used to break detainees’ morale.
Walking the corridor, you’ll notice how sound and light are minimized to recreate the oppressive atmosphere. The Cachot exhibit also links individual stories to broader patterns of colonial incarceration, reinforcing why Hoa Lo was once considered “unbreakable” in Indochina.
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Reenactment of Hoa Lo Prison in the war time (Source: Tripadvisor) |
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A cell at Hoa Lo Prison with limited light and air (Source: Tripadvisor) |
In the courtyard, the “Love” banyan tree offers a counterpoint to the prison’s brutality. Interpreters explain how families once tried to communicate with inmates across walls and gates, and how the tree became a quiet place of hope and remembrance. It’s a small stop, but one many visitors find unexpectedly moving.
These days, the tree works as a quiet memorial spot where visitors pause and gather their thoughts. It’s a natural place to reflect before moving on to the next exhibit.
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The Banyan Tree at Hoa Lo Prison (Source: Tripadvisor) |
By day, you can explore at your own pace with clear English signage, reconstructed cells, and artifact displays that foreground Vietnamese revolutionaries while briefly covering American POWs. Staff and guides add context if you want deeper detail on specific rooms.
At night, special tours add theatrical lighting and storytelling to heighten key moments from the prison’s past, creating an immersive way to grasp the human cost of incarceration. Many visitors pair the evening program with a quieter daytime walkthrough for balance. Check schedules on-site or with local operators before you go.
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Guests visiting Hoa Lo Prison at night tour (Source: Tripadvisor) |
Hoa Lo Prison Museum is a place of remembrance, so visitors are expected to keep the atmosphere calm and respectful. Follow staff directions, stay on marked pathways, and move carefully in narrow cell corridors and exhibit rooms.
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Guests listening quietly to the audio at Hoa Lo Prison (Source: Tripadvisor) |
Hoa Lo Prison Museum sits at 1 Hoa Lo Street, on the edge of Hanoi’s French Quarter and a short stroll from Hoan Kiem Lake. Its central location makes it easy to reach on foot, by taxi or ride-hail, and via several city bus lines.
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Hoa Lo Prison gate on Hoa Lo Street (Source: Tripadvisor) |
This checklist below will help you plan a smooth visit and make the most of the exhibits so that you will not miss out on any details.
As Hoa Lo Prison is located near Hanoi central streets, visitors usually combine it with other attractions in Hanoi such as Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature and Hanoi Opera House. Make your visit a smooth half-day route. From Hoa Lo Prison you can walk to Hoan Kiem Lake, then continue to the Hanoi Opera House, or ride a short taxi west to the Temple of Literature.
Hoan Kiem Lake is Hanoi’s best-known landmark and a symbol tied to the city’s founding legend. It is closely associated with Ngoc Son Temple, reached by the red Huc Bridge, which has become one of the most photographed scenes in the capital. The lake also marks the edge of the Old Quarter, so it often appears as the “gateway” between Hanoi’s historic trading streets and the broader city.
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Hoan Kiem Lake, one of Hanoi’s attractions near Hoa Lo Prison (Source: Unsplash) |
The Temple of Literature is Hanoi’s most important Confucian complex and is widely known as Vietnam’s first national university. Founded in 1070, it honors scholars and learning through a sequence of courtyards, pavilions, and the doctoral steles that record centuries of academic achievement. The site is strongly linked with Vietnamese education culture, especially exam season, when families and students visit for good luck.
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Temple of Literature in Hanoi (Source: Unsplash) |
Hanoi Opera House is a major French colonial-era building and one of the city’s leading cultural venues. It is known for its grand European façade and its role in hosting concerts, ballets, and important civic events over time. The building remains a landmark of downtown Hanoi and is especially striking when illuminated at night.
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Hanoi Opera House, a French-era iconic building in Hanoi (Source: Tripadvisor) |
Spend up to 2 hours to have a Hoa Lo Prison tour. You will need at least 60 to 90 minutes to see the French-era exhibits, the Cachot cells, the guillotine, and the POW section.
Yes. Self-guided visits are standard, and guided or themed night tours run on select schedules. Ask at the ticket desk for the day’s options or book ahead via reputable operators.
Hoa Lo Prison is suitable for children only in some parts. It’s sober and graphic in places. Families do visit, but parents should preview exhibits and skip the most intense areas with young children.
Yes. Photography is allowed in most public areas without flash. Follow posted signs and staff instructions where shooting is restricted.
Only a preserved portion of Hoa Lo Prison remains and operates as a museum dedicated to its history and the people once held there.
Hopefully, this guide gives you a clear, respectful way to explore Hoa Lo Prison. You can have the essentials on location, opening times, prices, key exhibits like the guillotine and Cachot cells, the night tour option, and nearby places to pair in a half day.
If you want to plan your Hanoi trip, contact our Your Vietnam Travel team for the guidance and itineraries tailored to your interests.
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