Son La Former Prison and Museum

French colonization period has been over for a long long time, but a huge number of traces still existed as memory keepers for one of the darkest period in the history of Vietnam. Among these historical relics, Son La Prison is regarded as one of the most famous places, with a no less notorious name “Hell on Earth” to describe the frightened brutality of French colonialists to Vietnamese prisoners here.

The prison was established in 1908 at the center of Son La town and on top of Khau Ca Hill. A tiny one at first, the prison soon expanded to become a crucial place where numerous political prisoners were locked.  The place was notorious at the time as a cruel and terrifying jail where resisting wills and patriotism on the mind of prisoners was diminished in the bloodiest methods. However, for revolutionists imprisoned inside Son La Jail, the place was a “college” where stamina, solidarity and combating spirit was enhanced. There were various stories about tenaciousness and courage of revolutionists who have resisted the colonial and perished at this place like To Hieu