Hoa Lo Prison
The surviving gatehouse of a prison used by the French colonial administration, now kept as a museum. It later held American prisoners of war, who nicknamed it the Hanoi Hilton, and its cells and exhibits cover both periods.
- Where
- Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 21.0253, 105.8464
Get the Hoa Lo Prison stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Hoa Lo Prison. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Hanoi volume with your photos and a note.
Near Hoa Lo Prison
St. Joseph's Cathedral 0.5 km
A late 19th century Gothic Revival church whose twin square towers rise over Nha Chung Street near Hoan Kiem Lake. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hanoi, named for Saint Joseph, the patron saint of Vietnam.
Hanoi Train Street 0.6 km
A narrow lane where a working railway line, laid by the French in 1902, runs within touching distance of the houses on either side. Several times a day the cafes along it pull in their stools as a train squeezes through.
Vietnamese Women's Museum 0.6 km
A four storey museum run by the Vietnam Women's Union, opened in 1995 a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. Its galleries look at family life, dress and the part women have played in Vietnam's history.
Hoan Kiem Lake 0.8 km
A 12 hectare lake at the heart of old Hanoi, named for the legend of a magic sword returned to a golden turtle. Its shores fill with walkers and exercisers in the early morning, and the red Huc Bridge leads out to Ngoc Son Temple on its islet.
Ngoc Son Temple 0.9 km
A temple on a small islet in Hoan Kiem Lake, reached by the scarlet wooden Huc Bridge. Among those it honours is the general Tran Hung Dao, and one of its halls keeps a preserved giant turtle taken from the lake.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long 1.1 km
The seat of Vietnamese royal power for centuries, begun in 1010 under Emperor Ly Thai To. The French pulled most of it down, but its gates, old foundations and excavated palace remains in central Hanoi are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hanoi Flag Tower 1.1 km
A 33.4 metre brick tower that once formed part of the Hanoi Citadel and is now one of the symbols of the city. It rises from a stepped base to a lookout where the national flag flies, and it survived when most of the citadel around it was cleared.
Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts 1.1 km
The country's main art museum, showing Vietnamese art from many periods, from old sculpture to lacquer and silk painting. It stands across the street from the Temple of Literature.
More famous places to visit in Hanoi
Questions
Where is Hoa Lo Prison?
Hoa Lo Prison is in Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are St. Joseph's Cathedral (0.5 km), Hanoi Train Street (0.6 km), Vietnamese Women's Museum (0.6 km).
How do I get the Hoa Lo Prison stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Hoa Lo Prison and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Hanoi volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Hoa Lo Prison before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Hanoi volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.