For 113 years, the island was home to Vietnam's most brutal prison system, built by France in 1862 and then administered by the U.S. military until the reunification of Vietnam in 1975 and the prison has been closed ever since. The prison system in Con Dao includes: Phu Hai Camp, Phu Son Camp, Phu Tho Camp, Phu Tuong Camp, Tiger Cage isolated area, Cow Cage area, Phu An Camp, Phu Phong Camp and Phu Hung Camp with 127 cells, 44 cells and 504 isolated cells.
Today, the prisons have become historical sites, which are the main attractions for tourists when visiting Con Dao. .
Phu Hai Camp It is the oldest prison consisting of 33 cells divided into two rows opposite each other. In addition, at Phu Hai camp, there are also infirmaries, cafeterias, and kitchens that are built in disguise to cover up the crimes of the colonial invaders. When visiting Phu Hai prison, you better understand the resilient will and national pride of our ancestors in ancient times. At first, Phu Hai prison was designed with 3 rows, later it was expanded with 2 women's rooms to supplement prisoners when overcrowded. The roofs at Phu Hai camp have rows of barbed wire that make it impossible for prisoners to escape.
Located next to Phu Hai camp is Phu Son Prison built on a larger scale and more fortified with more forms of cruel torture.
Phu Tuong Camp is the tiger cage that the French colonialists built to be full of our patriotic soldiers. With an area of 1,475m2, the camp includes 120 isolated cells with extremely brutal and brutal torture scenes recreated.
Cowshed with 9 separate cells, 2 cages, cow dung and pig manure. At this prison, there are brutal forms of torture such as starvation, leg shackles, bamboo braces on the legs, and soaking in underground sewers to die slowly.
Tiger Cage Isolation Area, also known as Phu Binh camp including 40 cages for each separate area. This is a place where female prisoners are detained with extremely brutal and cruel forms of torture such as making loud noises that make prisoners have headaches and get sick.
Today, Con Dao has become a major revolutionary historical site, a place to educate revolutionary traditions for today's and future generations. They always come here to listen to the heroic historical stories of this land.
Illustration: Hoang Ha/Vietnam Net
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