Tinh Son La Holiday Weather today

Date/time of update: November 5, 2024, 3:25 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Overcast Clouds

Temperature: 18.61°C
Temperature feels like: 18.59°C
Minimum Temperature: 18.61°C
Maximum Temperature: 18.61°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1021hPa
Humidity:79%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 1.42m/sec
Wind Direction: 127 degrees
Cloudiness: 99%
Sunrise: 2024-11-04 11:08:53
Sunset: 2024-11-05 10:26:16

Son La Prison Museum was built on the Khau Ca Hill in Son La City in 1908. The prison was for jailing the most stubborn Vietnamese patriots and serious political prisoners. 

History

The prison first was 500m2 and was later expanded to 2,170m2. At the high, the 3-Section Building of 294m2 of the Son La Prison could house 50-60 prisoners.

The total number of prisoners at the Son La Prison was 1,013 from 1930-1945. The high period was between 1930-1933 when 500 prisoners were contained at the prison of Son La and during this period 120 prisoners were dead or killed at the prison. Those dead at the Son La Prison were buried at the Goc Oi Cemetery, 400m away.

Prisoners were transported by truck from Hanoi to Cho Bo (Hoa Binh) from where they were transferred to Suoi Rut (Mai Chau), then they would have to walk on foot for 220km to Son La Prison. All prisoners were handcuffed and every group of 10 prisoners were on one chain.

Prisoners at the Son la Prison were to eat from a pig trough without bowls, spoons or chopsticks. Everyday, prisoners were to fetch water from the Nam Na River, 1km far from the prison. Toilets were right in the same space with the sleeping spaces and there were no cleaning facilities.

Legcuffs at the prison were so tight that blocked blood circulation and caused necrosis. The prisoner then could suffer a slow death from leg gangrene upwards.

The prison was seriously damaged by French destruction in 1952 and by US bombardments in 1965.

How to get there

The Son La Prison Museum is near Cau Trang Bridge, on the way to Tuan Giao.