Hỏa Lò Prison was a prison in Hanoi originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. During this later period, it was known to American POWs as the "Hanoi Hilton". Following Operation Homecoming, the prison was used to incarcerate Vietnamese dissidents and other political prisoners, including the poet Nguyễn Chí Thiện. The prison was demolished during the 1990s, although its gatehouse remains a museum.
The Hanoi Hilton in a 1970 aerial surveillance photo
The French name "Maison Centrale" above the gate of Hỏa Lò
Museum reconstruction of First Indochina War prisoners in Hỏa Lò
The "Little Vegas" area built for American POWs in 1967, shown in a final inspection in 1973 shortly before the Americans' release
Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous city of Vietnam. As evident by the literal translation of its name – 'inside the river' – portions of Hanoi's border are delineated by the Red and Black Rivers. As a municipality, Hanoi consists of 12 urban districts, 17 rural districts, and one district-level town. It has an area of 3,359.84 km2 (1,297.24 sq mi) and a population of 8,435,700 in 2022. In 2022, Hanoi has the second-highest gross regional domestic product of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities at 51.4 billion USD, behind Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi Capital is also ASEAN 8th largest economy after Surabaya.
Image: Hanoi Skyline NKS
Image: Turtle Tower, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi (3531374428)
Image: 03769 Hanoi (32342168616)
Image: Hanoi Opera House, 24 December 2016